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Costa Teguise Cultural Attractions and Events - Fiestas

The annual programme of fiestas play a central part in the cultural calendar of both mainland Spain and the Canary Islands.

In Teguise the first event notable event of the year is always their annual carnival which takes places around 1st March. Central to this event, along with the parades and street musicians, is a rather bizarre tradition called the "Danza de los Diabletes", which roughly translates into English as the Dance of the Little Devils.

This is one of the oldest traditions on the island, and its origins can be traced back well over 500 years to the superstitious practices and beliefs of the first Moorish and African slaves to arrive on Lanzarote.

The next event, although primarily a religious celebration, is known as the Day of The Cross and takes place around May 3rd. This is one of the most deeply rooted traditions throughout all of Canaries, and which sees crosses throughout the island being decorated with flowers.

The fiesta of Corpus Christi usually takes place during the first week of June each year, although on occasions, and in keeping with Spanish traditions, it has also been known to be celebrated during the last week of May.

A central feature of the annual Corpus Christi Procession is that the streets are always covered, and whilst on the neighbouring islands of Tenerife and Las Palmas this covering is made up of thousands of fresh flowers, Lanzarote however adopt a quite different approach.

In the days leading up to Corpus Christi, hundreds of tons of salt are transported into Teguise from the salt beds around the island. This is then mixed with coloured dyes to create magnificent displays for the morning of the parade. Sadly these displays are very short lived, as the local council then removes all traces of the salt within hours of the parade finishing.

Visitors to Lanzarote towards the end of June are often surprised to find that the Fiesta of San Juan bears a remarkable similarity to Guy Fawkes night, which is widely celebrated almost 5 months later back home in the UK.

However in Lanzarote it is on the night between the 23rd - 24th June each year that effigies of a figure known as "El Facundo" are ceremoniously burnt on bonfires throughout the island. As part of the celebrations young men demonstrate their bravery, or stupidity, by either jumping over the flames or attempting to walk barefoot across the embers of the fire.

Another less popular tradition relating to the Fiesta San Juan is that of the ‘first bathe’, for prior to this day it was always considered bad luck for the locals to bathe in the sea.

The following month one of Teguise's most popular events takes place around July 16th with the celebration of “Nuestra Senora del Carmen”. Central to this celebration is always a colourful maritime procession, during which offerings are made to the Virgin.

The 5th August each year as part of the festivities of the Virgin of Las Nieves, a pilgrimage from Teguise to the Hermitage of Las Nieves takes place accompanied by floats and a small number of folk groups.

The final celebration of the year is again a strictly religious one that dates back to 1580, although in all fairness it is unlikely to have a great appeal to many of the visitors to Costa Teguise. This event is the “Misa del Gallo” or midnight service taking place at the local church on the night of December 24th.

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