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Obviously we can’t list all the things to do on Gran Canaria in June 2017. But, to borrow a couple of lines from our main man Don Letts, it’s another Gran Canaria Local selection. Crossing time, space, and place.
1. Things to do on Gran Canaria in June 2017: north
The capital hosts the lion’s share of things to do on Gran Canaria in June 2017 And the biggest event is one long birthday party: the Fiestas Fundacionales. For on 24th June, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria celebrates being founded 539 years ago.
The fiesta starts earlier, though, on Friday 9th June, in Vegueta‘s Plaza de Santa Ana at 9:30pm with an opening speech from the Museo Casa de Colón director Elena Acosta. This is followed by a free show by Canarian folk music legends Olga Cerpa and Mestisay. They’re joined on stage by legendary Cuba singer, and star of Buena Vista Social Club, Omara Portuondo.
Also listen out for Fuel Fandango. This feisty duo, who fuse electronica and flamenco, play the same square on Friday 16th June. Tickets are available through entrées.es for 12€.
The spectacular climax to the founding parties takes place the following Friday, the Noche de San Juan, on Las Canteras beach. Join the locals nightswimming or watch the fireworks light up the evening sky above the La Puntilla end of the playa. There’s also some free musical performances between 10:00pm and 2:30am at Plaza Saulo Torón, with sets from uptown funkers Viltown, Latin pop star Neo Pinto, and the hard-rocking Mondo Diávolo.
Classical music fans will appreciate the I Festival Internacional de Piano. Jointly hosted by the intimate Fábrica La Isleta and more cavernous Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, it runs from the 1st to 10th June. Ivory tinklers include Venezuela’s Gabriela Montero, Shai Maestro from Israel, and Valencia-born, Tenerife-raised Polo Ortí.
Other musical dates for your diary in the capital during June 2017 include a visit from legendary AC/DC sticksman Phil Rudd and band. They play Triana‘s Paper Club on Thursday 8th June (purchase tickets online at Mastaquilla). Elsewhere, Loquillo ensures the month goes out with a bang, courtesy of his 30th June Gran Canaria Arena concert.
Also in Triana (in an intriguingly secret location) is the Gran Canaria capital’s latest Sofar event, on Saturday 17th June. The whole Songs From a Room concept is so hush hush that you don’t know who the artist is before you arrive at a venue you only discover the identity of the day before. You can however apply for a +1 if you want to try your luck at securing a ticket.
In neighbouring Vegueta, the San Martín Centro de Cultura Contemporánea hosts the loud and proud Mujercitas on Friday 2nd June and the more stripped-down sounds of Fermín Romero on Friday 16th June. Over in the connected CAAM, a new exhibition from octagenarian Pepe Dámaso runs from Thursday 22nd June through to Sunday 17th September. In the higher echelons of the city, Schamann’s Parque Don Benito hosts YEKAH, the Festival Cultura Urbana de Gran Canaria, from Thursday 29th June to Saturday 1st July; showcasing the finest in breakdancing, graffiti, and hip hop.
And then there’s Parque Santa Catalina‘s Rockin’ Doo Wop Gran Canaria Festival. Commemorating the sounds and styles of the 1940s and 1950s, this free event held from 16th-18th June combines a vintage market, burlesque shows, and 11 concerts. From the likes of the shaking-rattling-rock-and-rolling The Velvet Candles from Barcelona, Gran Canaria’s very own Bar Riders, and the UK’s The Jive Aces.
Over in Mesa y López, fast photo fun is guaranteed at the XX Concurso de Fotographía Rapída on the 17th. Register by the 15th June for your choice to win a share of the 4,900€ prize money. An exhibition of thew winning entries will take place on the ramblas of Mesa Y López from 1st July.
Elsewhere in the north of the island, Arucas‘ Fiestas de San Juan Bautista, the municipality’s patron saint last from Thursday 8th June to Sunday 25th June. Natives sport traditional Canarian costumes for the Baile del Máuro on Saturday 17th. They’re altogether more modern on the clothing front when catching the likes of the Maroon-5-inspired Crash at 10:30pm on Sunday 11th in Calle León y Castillo.
At the other end of the GC-2, the main event in Agaete is the Fiestas Patronales San Pedro. This programme takes place in the valley of Agaete and starts with the the hoisting of a commemorative flag in the Plaza de San Pedro on Saturday 3rd June before ending with a religious procession on Saturday 1st July. In between, on Wednesday 28th June, Valle residents descend from the highs of Tamadaba with pine branches accompanied by papagüevos, walking puppets with their masters encased within a wooden frame, colourful costumes, and a giant papier-mache head, and the Banda Guayedra and Banda de Agaete.
In Gáldar, Festival La Guancha offers Atlanticside archaelogy, canarii craft, and live music. It’s held at El Agujero’s Plaza de Mr. Leacock. On Friday 9th June, La Trova, Son Caché, Proyecto X, and Última Llave take to the stage from 9:00pm; whilst on Saturday 10th, it’s the turn of Non Trubada, Vocal Siete, Overbooking, and Los Lola.
Over in Gran Canaria’s cider country, Valleseco, the Fiestas de San Vicente Ferrer continue until the 17th June. Highlights include Friday 2nd June’s live filming of the Canarian folklore TV programme Noche de Taifas from the Plaza Municipal. Along with Sunday 4th’s Fiesta del Asado de Cochino in the Plaza San Vicente Ferrer, a gastronomic-focused fair with roast pork, meat paella, and bread with chorizo (3€).
Talking of chorizo, Teror‘s pretty whitewashed Arbejales neighbourhood commence their more-solemn-than-silly Fiestas en Honor al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús on Saturday 3rd June. This year Moya, meanwhile, also dedicate their Fiestas en Honor a San Antonio de Padua to the generation born in 1977. Firgas holds its first Jornadas de Igualdad en el Deporte from Tuesday 13th to Friday 16th, with members of the public able to view the various sporting fixtures between local teams.
Lastly in the northern municipalities, Guía‘s La Atalaya celebrates its Fiestas Patronales en Honor a San Pedro in June. On Sunday 11th June, the Plaza de Pedro’s the setting for a Feria Comercial y Artesanal which has a child-friendly Scalextric focus. The following Saturday, there’s a romería where locals deliver mainly edible offerings to the saint (although there always seems to be some going spare for hungry revellers).
2. Things to do on Gran Canaria in June 2017: south
There are things to do on Gran Canaria in June 2017 away from the north of the island. In south-east Gran Canaria’s Agüimes, the Ronseal-named Timples y Otras Pequeñas Guitarras del Mundo play the Teatro Cruce de Cultura on Friday June 9th at 8:30pm (buy tickets through entreés.es for 10€). And on Thursday 15th at 9:30pm, there’s a freebie jazz concert at the Caseta Muelle de Arinaga with a Renato D’Aiello trio as part of the Arinaga Noches de Arte series of events.
Neighbour Ingenio‘s cultural scene centres on the Centro Cívico Carrizal. Located above the main southern resorts, the shows are very much targeted here towards exclusively Spanish-speaking audiences. Such as Saturday 10th’s Noches del Club de la Comedia.
If it’ s June, that means the Fiestas Patronales de San Antonio el Chico in Mogán; from Friday 2nd to Tuesday 13th. In San Bartolomé de Tirajana, the Fiestas Patronales en Honor a San Fernando run until the 4th June. Also in San Fernando, the Restaurante Etiopico Afrika‘s La Noche Africana features live music from Hermanos Thioune.
Summer’s just around the corner. As ExpoMeloneras is the venue for Gran Canaria Moda Cálida‘s Swimwear Fashion Week, from Thursday 15th to Sunday 18th. This exhibition centre’s a short walk from the Faro de Maspalomas bus terminal.
Head to Santa Lucía de Tirajana‘s Vecindario on Saturday 3rd for Hard Skull Fest. This Parque Juvenil de Vecindario event will set you back 12€. Thrash around to the metallic sounds of Angelus Apatrida, Brothers Till We Die, Dead Crooners, Crimson Stone, and Semper.
3. Things to do on Gran Canaria in June 2017: east
In Telde, it’s the 25th anniversary of the Fiestas Patronales en Honor a San Fermín. You’ll have to travel to the hamlet of Gando for this, a 10-minute south-easterly drive. The only other municipality in the east of the island, Valsequillo, holds its very own Fiestas Patronales en Honor a San Juan, in Tenteniguada.
4. Things to do on Gran Canaria in June 2017: west and centre
In Gran Canaria’s most westerly municipality, La Aldea de San Nicolás, has an arts-and-crafts-flavoured Mercadillo y Muestra de Artesanía y Complementos. You have an extra year to get fit for a couple of active Artenara events as it’s too late to subscribe to compete at Friday 16th’s Artenara Vertical and Saturday 17th’s Artenara Trail, although you can still join the spectators.
Santa Brígida‘s Fiestas en Honor a San Antonio de Padua are on from Saturday 2nd to Tuesday 13th, with the whole municipality throwing themselves into proceedings. In Gran Canaria’s agricultural heartland of Tejeda, the Fiesta de Papa on Sunday 4th in the municipal capital’s main square features potato-peeling and cooking competitions along with performances from musical free spirit Victor Lemes and Cuban movers and groovers Aseres. Vega de San Mateo‘s Ariñez continue their fiesta in honour of patron María Auxiliadora until Saturday 24th June.