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Fiestas in Lanzarote



What’s going on during your Lanzarote Villa Holiday

The Spanish love to celebrate and there are plenty of reasons throughout the year to find an excuse for a fiesta! Most derive from religious events and others are local celebrations of historical importance. The atmosphere during these events is always uplifting and it will give you a chance to discover the real Lanzarote and experience the culture of the island. Carnaval comes highly recommended and is celebrated in all the major resorts such as Puerto del carmen, Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise. When booking a villa holiday in Lanzarote, look out for the local fiestas, you may have an additional surprise in store!

Carnaval


Celebrated 40 days before Easter

For many Canarians, this fiesta is bigger than Christmas. There is all year round preparation for the celebrations that start in the capital and are repeated over the following weeks in the various resorts and villages. There are competitions and all night long music but the main event is the procession to mark the end. The decorations and costumes are very impressive and can be compared to the Carnivals in Rio de Janeiro with a Caribbean twist. Many visitors book their Lanzarote villa holidays around around these dates. Your guaranteed a party you will never forget.

 

Corpus Christi


June 

An amazing spectacle of art takes place in the island’s capital of Arrecife around the Church of San Gines, where colourful carpets are made in the streets using salt. The date in this month can vary so you need to check exactly when this is being held as after just one day the carpets are swept away. To finish this celebration a procession is held the next day. This Catholic tradition takes place in many villages and across spain with sawdust and flowers being used in some of the villages on the mainland. Corpus Christi means the body of Christ in Latin and is the celebration of the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the body of Christ during Mass.

Dia de Canarias


30th May

This can be best described as the Canary islands independence day. It dates back to 1983 when the islands were granted autonomy from mainland Spain. It’s a fiesta which is unique where culture and history of the archipelago are celebrated. Traditional dress is worn by many locals and events are held with Canarian music and cuisine. Wherever you are in the Canaries, on this day you are likely to see something of traditional decent. The blue, white and yellow bunting of the canarian flag will be a give away.

San Juan


June midsummer’s night

On midsummer’s night around the 23rd June bonfires are lit all around the island to ward off pagan spirits. The solstice is celebrated with superstition and many people go down to the sea to bathe at midnight for good luck and if you jump over the bonfire 3 times you will be cleansed. There are plenty of events around the island. The village of Haria being the most prominent as San Juan is the patron saint of the village.

Nuestra Señora del Carmen


Mid to late July

Nearly all villages on the island will celebrate this fiesta which is dedicated to the Virgin of Carmen who was the patron saint of fishermen. This celebration is hundreds of  years old and dates back to the 13th century in mainland Spain. The annual festival serves as a way of blessing boats for safe passage and a bountiful catch in the year to come. During these dates expect to see plenty of events taking place including music and parties.

San Gines


15th to 25th August

The patron saint of Arrecife is San Gines and every year celebrations take place around El Charco during the month of August. San Gines, who was originally known as the Bishop of Clermont. During the 16th century he was responsible for the construction of a small hermitage, now the Church of San Gines, which is located in El Charco area of the capital. A programme of events is issued every year which normally has a finale by invitation of a well known Spanish music celebrity. The concerts are usually held on the beach and drawn to a close with a firework display.

Dolores


September

Lanzarote pilgrimage where locals walk from their villages in traditional dress to pay respect to the virgin of Dolores the islands patron saint in Mancha Blanca. The virgin was said to have saved the village from the volcanic eruptions of 1824 when she brought the lava flows to a halt splitting them around the church. Thousands attend and before setting off it is normal to make a personal promise to the virgin. Once you reach the village and have offered the virgin a gift, mainly food which is donated to charity, there is of course a fiesta that lasts the whole night with live music, bars and fireworks.

 

Christmas & Reyes


December & January

On the lead up to Christmas as you would imagine there are plenty of events including concerts and markets. Christmas Eve is celebrated more than Christmas day itself and is a family affair. The difference is the Spanish celebrate their Christmas day on January 6th known as 3 kings day. On the eve of this day you will find processions taking place in most of the villages. The 3 kings will ride on camels and throw sweets to the children. Arrecife attracts the greatest crowd and has the bigger procession.