Friday, August 22, 2008
What's on in Tenerife: August 18 - 24
As around two million Britons will be flying out of the UK this bank holiday weekend, what will those coming to Tenerife find to do?
The answer is not simple to provide this week, because many events that had been planned for some time might be cancelled or postponed because of the air crash at Madrid on Wednesday and the subsequently declared three days of mourning.
Julio Iglesias concert postponed
At least 79 of the people on board the Spanair flight (71 of whom, it's estimated, lost their lives), were resident in the Canaries, which has meant the suspension of fiesta events in Arafo, and in La Victoria, Tenerife; various entertainments on the island of La Palma and, in Gran Canaria.
Rolo Producciones postponed the concert that Julio Iglesias was due to give at the Centro Internacional de Ferias y Congresos tonight, Friday, as a symbol of solidarity and respect.
The Julio Iglesias concert will now take place on Saturday, August 23rd, at the same place and time (10 p.m.) and, the production company says, they will provide refunds to anyone who can't make the change of date.
The decision, to postpone and let down those who had planned to attend an event, or not and risk being called insensitive, is a difficult one, so the best policy this weekend is one of tolerance if you find that events are either on or off unexpectedly. Whoever made the decision, probably made what they thought was the best one and we can only tell you what was planned ...
Electronic Music Festival, Isla Baja
Saturday, August 23rd, at the Discoteca La Cúpula, Los Silos. For 10 euros on the door (includes a free drink), you can enjoy the best of BreakBeat-Old Skool and House (electro-tribal-tech)!
1 Festival de Música Electronica Isla Baja
On Friday, August 22nd, see Alternative / Pop Punk / Rock band, COMSAT (winners of the Ropavieja Music Festival 2008) in concert in San Benito, La Laguna. Never heard of them, not sure if they're to your taste? See their MySpace page for a list of influences, and where, they also say, it's free to download their songs.
Alternatively, on Saturday, August 23rd, British house music producer and DJ born in Birmingham, England (we all have our crosses to bear), Steve Lawler (better known in Ibiza as the "King of Space") will be at D-Dock, Playa la Pinta, Puerto Colon, Adeje on the south of the island.
Romería de La Victoria
If traditional is what you're looking for, there are a couple of fiestas that stand out this weekend. Firstly, the Romería in honour of San Isidro Labrador in La Victoria de Acentejo.
Saturday, August 23rd, from 5 p.m. onwards with ox carts (needed to carry, not just festival goers, but also the barbecue and the vast vats of wine to keep everything "well oiled"), folk groups, music, dancing and falling down drunk. This is an entirely different experience to falling down drunk in the UK, or in the resort, because it's all done in brightly coloured local costumes, in the name of a saint and in a most friendly atmosphere (and in much better weather, but that was obvious.)
The whole thing finishes up with a knees up to the Orquesta Echeyde.
Corazones de Tejina
Probably the biggest of the traditional events on the island this weekend is the festive tradition in Tejina, in the area of Santa Cruz-La Laguna, called the Corazones de Tejina (The Hearts of Tejina). It's held every August 24th, which this year is on Sunday.
Jack and Andrea Montgomery of Real Tenerife Island Drives tell us the story of this fiesta here; one of the most deep-rooted festivals of the Canary Islands and its origins are bound to the seasonal celebration of the harvest.
Download a full program of events for 2008 (PDF)
Buenavista Crafts Fair
The Calle La Alhóndiga and the Plaza de Los Remedios in Buenavista del Norte will be the venue this weekend of the annual San Bartolomé Crafts Fair. San Bartolomé is also the town's patron, so there may be other fiesta events going on in the town too.
However, my guess is that, it's likely that anywhere which normally honours San Bartolomé (Saint Bartholomew), whose day is celebrated on August 24th, may have events disrupted, as several of the dead in Wednesday's air crash, among them local councillor for culture, his wife and two daughters, hailed from the town of San Bartolomé de Tirajana in Gran Canaria.
More events, exhibitions and what's on, in our calendar.
Finally, a word from our sponsors ...
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Labels: What's On?
