Fiestas on Fuerteventura
Most fiestas on
Fuerteventura revolve around local patron saints days. Shops
and banks close early and fiestas generally consist of
religious processions through village streets or, in coastal
areas, on the sea. Fairs and music play their part in the
fiesta too.
Carnival also plays an
important part in island life. In some places carnival runs
over days and in other stretch over weeks. Exact dates vary
but approximately they are:
Puerto Del Rosario
February 17 - March 5
Betancuria and Antigua February 18-23
Antigua February 23 - March 3
Tuineje - March 3-13
Costa Calma - March 4
Pajara - March 5
La Lajita - March 6
Corralejo - March 10-20
Morro Jable March 10-25
Gran Tarajal March 2-3
Local fiesta
dates on Fuerteventura
Other fiestas include:
February 24 Fiesta del Agua
(water festival) in Agua de Bueyes
March 3 Fiesta del Agua in Valles de Ortega
May 15 San Isidro Labrador in Triquivijate
May 20 Ntra. Senora del Cobre in Los Alares
July 16 Ntra Senora del Carmen, Las Salinas
August 16 San Roque in Valles de Ortega
August 27 San Francisco Javier in Las Pocetas
September 8 Ntra Senora de Antigua in Antigua
September 8 Ntra Senora de Guadaloupe in Agua de Bueyes
September 29 Fiesta de Los Peregrinos (Pilgrims Festival)
October 12 Feria Caleta de Fuste
Easter fiesta
on Fuerteventura
One of the most important
weeks in the Spanish religious calendar is Easter or Semana
Santa. During this week, there are processions where religious
statues are carried through the streets. In some areas of
Spain it is traditional for a prisoner to be released from
jail.
Fiesta of the
Kings
The Day of the Kings Dia de
los Reyes is January 6. The Three Holy Kings are celebrated
all over the island, and the rest of Spain. In Fuerteventura
the eve of Epiphany is marked by a street parade with floats
from which the Three Wise Men hand out Christmas gifts to
children.
New Year's
Eve Fiesta on Fuerteventura
The biggest fiesta on
Fuerteventura takes place on New Year's Eve in the
capital of Puerto del Rosario. This fiesta doesn't start until
shortly before midnight and goes on all night.
Crowds start to congregate in
the church square from about 11.30pm. By tradition on
each stroke of the church bell you have to swallow a grape -
everyone who achieves it gets good luck but it is harder than
it seems!
At the last stroke, fireworks
will explode, stands will burst into life selling drinks and
snacks, a band will start playing and the fiesta goes on all
night!
Carnival on
Fuerteventura
Carnival time on
Fuerteventura is January and March. This is an event even
Franco could not ban and is celebrated all over the Canary
Islands.
Fancy dress is encouraged.
Quieter carnival events usually take place during the week but
at weekends the place lights up. The highlight of carnival is
the election of a Carnival Queen. Funfairs do not normally get
going until about 7pm and carry on until late.
Parades usually end at an
open air party with music and bands playing surrounded by
stalls run by bars and restaurants. The party doesn't normally
get going until midnight and carries on often until 6am or
later!
Carnival
traditions
The oldest carnival tradition
is claimed by Venice with laws establishing the holiday dating
back to the 13th century.
An alternative explanation
for today's meaning of the word carnival stems back to the
15th century in Spain when the Catholic church ruled strictly
and religious festivals had to be followed.
During Lent there was a
period of 40 days before Easter when nobody was allowed to eat
meat from Ash Wednesday until the festival was over.
The idea of carnival was to
enjoy a time of celebration and feasts before the long, dull
period to follow.
Carnival took off in a big
way and people were having parties from Carnival Sunday until
Shrove Tuesday and this time became known as "the three jolly
days."
The three days carnival soon
became an annual event and because the country's rulers did
not believe in freedom of speech, people wore masks so they
could poke fun at the nobility.
One person was elected the
"The Prince of Fools" and during carnival, he would poke fun
at the clergy, nobility and anyone in authority.
He could get away with it
because he was The Fool and only jesting which is where the
term Jester came from.
Carnival
traditions - Los Archipencos
The Archipencos is a traditional
part of carnival in the capital Puerto del Rosario where
carnival float on water battle it out Home made vessels race
to sail from the port to a small beach.
Carnival
traditions - burying the sardine
The carnival tradition of
burying the sardine was even painted by Goya in about 1812.
The sardine is marched
through the streets. On Fuerteventura it is set alight
although in most Spanish towns it is buried. After the
lighting ceremony, a spectacular fireworks display.
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