Events and festivals to dazzle Tenerife in 2012
The largest island in the Canaries, the Isle of Contrasts, lives up to its nickname perfectly with a whole host of colourful events and festivals running throughout the year. In 2012, Tenerife will again have something to suit every visitor - from cultural events, religious festivals, musical concerts and even one of the largest carnivals in the world!
Here is a selection of the top attractions in Tenerife this year:
Tenerife Carnival, Santa Cruz
15th-26th February 2012
The carnival in Tenerife is undoubtedly the star attraction on the island's eclectic year-round events calendar. The exotic festival - the world's second largest of its kind - offers a day-and-night multi-sensory experience with a dazzling array of high octane street parades, live musical performances, spectacular dance acts and an electrifying "street carnival" atmosphere with drums, trumpets and Caribbean rhythms adding to the excitement of festivities. This year's theme is "60s Flower Power" and highlights include the Queen Election Gala (15th February); the opening street parade (17th February) and the Burial of the Sardine (22nd February) when the carnival comes to a symbolic end in a blaze of glory although the partying carries on until 26th February 2012.
Festival of Tegueste, Tegueste
28th-29nd April 2012
Marking the start of Tenerife's religious festival period, the Festival of Tegueste sees thousands of people dress in traditional costume to honour of Saint Mark the Evangelist. During the event, dozens of colourfully-decorated floats parade down the streets of the village accompanied by singing and dancing groups, while local people hand out potatoes, gofio, meat, eggs and wine from the area in order to symbolise friendship. The following morning (29th April), visitors and locals celebrate the "Day of the Float" as a procession of beautifully-decorated floats wow spectators.
Rock Coast Festival, Santa Cruz
24th-26th May 2012
This year, the island's cosmopolitan capital, Santa Cruz, is set to welcome some of the world's greatest pop groups, rock stars and electronic musicians at the Rock Coast Festival. With big names due to be announced, the artists expected to perform boast a combined total of more than 270 million records sold between them - prompting the musical extravaganza to be dubbed "the most important music event to be held in the Canary Islands" by José Manuel Bermúdez, mayor of the capital's City Hall. Benefitting from a €5 million investment, visitors will be able to enjoy 15 hours of music each day and daily entertainment, such as a Formula 1 simulator, a ski slope and wind tunnel allowing visitors to feel the force of freefall.
Corpus Christi Carpets, La Orotava
14th June 2012
Corpus Christi is arguably the most famous and inspiring of Tenerife's religious festivals, centred around vast intricate and coloured carpets - superbly created from flower petals and volcanic sands - which are laid out in the streets for all to admire. The highlight of the festival is a tapestry of 800 square metres covering the centre square in front of La Orotava's Town Hall. Petals and sand from the protected Teide National Park, which can only be used for this event, are used to create this gigantic piece of art, which only lasts a few hours until the Procession of Christ takes place across the square.
Festival of Virgen del Carmen, Puerto de la Cruz
10th or 17th July 2012 (date to be confirmed)
Each year, the fishing port of Puerto de la Cruz comes alive to honour Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of fishermen. During the tradition, devoted locals carry a statue of the Virgin Mary to a small boat, preceded by dancers with coloured ribbons, before dozens of fishing boats sound their horns and accompany the Virgin as they sail along the coast. Back on land, the fiesta continues with an amazing fireworks display and then transfers to the streets of the town before the statues are returned to their sanctuaries.
Perseid Meteor Shower, Teide National Park
12th August 2012
The Perseid Meteor Shower is undeniably one of the greatest natural wonders in the universe. The annual spectacle brings a dazzling light show with more than 60 shooting stars zipping across the sky every hour, caused by tiny particles of debris from a comet burning up when entering the Earth's atmosphere at 135,000mph. Although visible in other destinations, Tenerife offers perfect conditions for star spotting, especially at Mount Teide, Spain's tallest mountain, where there is low light pollution and extraordinarily clear dark skies. This year, the bulk of activity is expected during the early hours of 12th August 2012.
Hearts of Tejina, La Laguna
26th August 2012
One of Tenerife's quirkiest fiestas, the Hearts of Tejina brings together the three largest districts of La Laguna - Calle de Arriba, Calle de Abajo and El Pico - to compete in a friendly competition to create the biggest and most eye-catching hearts made from beech, flowers, fruits and other decorative items. The two-metre long hearts, weighing as much as 800 kilos, are paraded through the streets and taken to the church where they are ritually offered to the patron saint, San Bartolomé. The event attracts visitors from all over the island who revel in song, dance, poetry and lively bonfires.
Los Sabandeños Festival, La Laguna
September 2012 (date to be confirmed)
For the last 30 years, well-known artists and musicians from the Canary Islands and South America have met in Tenerife for a memorable weekend of musical performances and celebration. Renowned artists, such as Argentina's Victor Heredia and Cuba's Albita Rodriguez, perform at the international festival along with folk music groups from around the Canaries. The international festival takes place every year in September as part of a programme of events to honour the fiesta of the "Santísimo Cristo" in La Laguna's historical quarter, declared a World Heritage Site.
Festival of San Andrés, Icod do los Vinos
29th November 2012
The Festival of San Andrés takes place annually in Icod de los Vinos, translating literally to "Place of Wine", and celebrates the opening of the wine cellars on the eve of San Andrés. During this fiesta the young people of the region slide down the steep streets on greased pinewood boards at breakneck speed, a reminder of when the wine barrels were rolled out, and each family opens up its cellar in this fabulous wine region. A real treat for foodies, delicious roasted chestnuts, "gofio" (paste of toasted cereals) and other local produce can be enjoyed by friends and visitors alike, while traditional folk songs can be heard from all around.
Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Tenerife is only four hours flight from the United Kingdom and makes for an ideal holiday destination at any time of the year. In addition to its colourful events calendar, the island's year-round sunny climate, spectacular beaches, and amazingly diverse landscapes appeal to many visitors seeking the perfect short-haul break. There is plenty to experience - from sailing the Atlantic Ocean and splashing around at Europe's largest water park to trekking through unspoilt national parks, climbing Spain's tallest mountain and much, much more.
For further information, visit webtenerife.com.
