Religious processions, street celebrations honouring the Virgin in all Her manifestations, special events to celebrate different saints, all-night local dances in the open air to mark important days in the Catholic calendar, pagan rituals inherited from the ancient inhabitants designed to bring rain…These are just some of the lively and participative festivals to be found here. Of course we cannot forget either that the Canaries are home to unique Carnival celebrations, which rival those of Rio de Janeiro or Venice. During Carnival time the streets are full of partying people wearing masks, fancy dress costumes, and everything is bathed in music, light and colour.
Romerías, bajadas de imágenes de vírgenes, procesiones de santos, verbenas populares, rituales paganos heredados de los antiguos pobladores para atraer a la lluvia... son algunas de estas animosas y participativas fiestas, sin olvidar por supuesto que en las Islas Canarias se celebran unos carnavales únicos que rivalizan con los de Río de Janeiro o Venecia y en los que las calles se llenan de diversión con máscaras, disfraces, música, luz y color.