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Are you heading to our beautiful island this month? Or perhaps you already live here like us? If you answer either question with an affirmative, our topical things to do on Gran Canaria in October 2017 guide makes for essential reading.
It’s beyond even our talents to mention all the things to do on Gran Canaria in October 2017. So we’ve restricted ourselves to suggest what we regard as the best ones. Whether you’re based in/off to the north, south, east, west, or, indeed, centre of the island.
1. Things to do on Gran Canaria in October 2017: north
Yet again, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria hosts the lion’s share of things to do on Gran Canaria in October 2017. If you love film, head to Triana where Multicines Monopol play English-language movies in their original non-dubbed versions. Including everyone’s favourite dame, Judi Dench, in Rotten Tomatoes’ 66%-rated Victoria & Abdul, Mr Penelope Cruz, the Las-Palmas-born Javier Bardem with Jennifer Lawrence in mother!, and “pure hallucinatory craziness that leaves you hyperventilating” in the form of Blade Runner 2049.
Nearby, Eramus student favourite The Paper Club have announced a Friday 6th date with rapid-firing rapper Rayden. A week later, easy listening will be in the air for jazzy Jean Blazer‘s gig. And on Saturday 28th, Venezuelan ska legends Desorden Público make their first-ever appearance on Gran Canaria.
In neighbouring Vegueta, Madrid-based conceptual artist Concha Jerez brings her Interferences exhibition to her hometown’s CAAM from Thursday 5th October. Elsewhere in the capital’s original barrio, there’s a retrospective of the 30-year career of painter Juan Guerra at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’s Galería de Arte de la Sede Institucional until Friday 27th. Entry is restricted to weekdays from 9:00am to 9:00pm.
Also in Vegueta, if you can’t make it to Munich this October; the island’s premier home brew Cerveza Tropical bring Oktoberfest to Gran Canaria. Tropical Oktoberfest Vegueta takes place from Friday 6th to Sunday 8th. Later in the month, as in Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd, Parque Santa Catalina‘s home to Tropical Fest 2017 with musical appearances from the likes of Galician shoegazers Triángulo de Amor Bizarro, electronica auteur Joe Crepúsculo, and molten rockers Los Vinagres.
PSC will attract an altogether younger, more commercially-attuned crowd on Friday 6th. At Los 40 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Pop. Where such new millennial stars as Barcelona’s Yall, local hero Danny Romero, and Critika y Saik, who have supported Maluma on his recent Spanish tour, will burn bright in the spotlight.
UD Las Palmas who play in Siete Palmas have two home games scheduled for October. New manager Pako Ayestarán‘s set to make his Estadio Gran Canaria bow against Celta Vigo on Monday 16th. Next up at the ECG are more Galician opponents, Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña, on Sunday 29th.
It’s your last month to catch the Parade photographic exhibition at León y Castillo’s Centro de Arte La Regenta. Featuring images of experimental ethnography, it’s the brainchild of Tenerife artist Teresa Arozena. The event closes on Saturday 28th.
In Gran Canaria Local family’s Arenales neighbourhood, Dakar, una Mirada, continues throughout October at Casa África. Viewing the Senegalese capital through the eyes of local photographer Mamadou Gomis and Spanish documentary maker Pere Ortin, it’s a result of collaboration between Africa House, Altaïr Magazine, and Binter. Visit for free between the hours of 8:30am and 6:30pm Monday to Friday.
Over in Ciudad Jardín, there’s a BookFest in the grounds of the Holy Trinity Church on Saturday 7th from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Featuring second-hand books for sale in English, German, and Spanish, there are also events for children and writers’ stalls. Along with beer, wine, soft drinks, and snacks.
There’s never a dull moment in and around Las Canteras. The emblematic Auditorio Alfredo Kraus sees troubadour with the Jesus hairdo Andrés Suárez play at 8:00pm sharp on Saturday 7th before giving over the last two Fridays of October to the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria‘s 2017/18 programme. And so the 20th showcases performances of Dzentis, Rodrigo, and Profokiev originals whilst the 27th witnesses compositions from Du Puy, Hayden, and Mozart take centre stage.
If indie music soundtracks your life, stump up a bargain 15€ for the three-day Festival Cero. Held in the shadow of the audiotorium, in the Anexo Plaza de la Música, there are performances from Mr GCL’s Spotify Gran Canaria playlist‘s The Good Company, the sugar meets spice of Anni B Sweet, and Love of Lesbian who didn’t top the charts in their native Spain before switching from singing in English to Spanish.
Another of our favourite bands, Los Gumbo, play Guanarteme‘s La Terminal in tandem with King Bee’s Emilio Arsuaga, collector of vintage harmonicas. La Terminal’s one of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’s most stylishly relaxed bars. This particular date for your diary’s Friday 6th October at 7:30pm.
That very same evening sees the start of the Fiestas de la Luz which are celebrated in the La Isleta and Puerto barrios as well as the Guanarteme one. The colourful flamenco artist Falete lights up proceedings with a Plaza de la Luz show on Saturday 7th at 9:00pm. These parties end with a big procession on Sunday 22nd from 7:00pm.
It’s not too late to register to enter Hospitales San Roque’s NightRun on Saturday 28th. If you want to race the 10km event, the inscription fee starts at 20€ whilst you’ll have to pay 30€+ to compete in the half marathon. If you take part, you’ll help raise funds for charity.
Have fun in your swimwear at Arucas’ Cangrejo Fest 2017. This takes place in and around the beaches and rockpools of Bañadores’ El Puertillo. As well as bouncy castles, circus tricks workshops, and facepainting; there are musical performances from Los Salvapantallas, GuaGua Band, Fran Baraja & La Parranda Blues Band, and Última Llave on Saturday 7th and Proyecto X Band on Sunday 8th.
Teror‘s auditorium begins the month with Cellos 8.0’s Re-Cuerda on Saturday 7th. In which the strings section of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Las Palmas revisit the back catalogues of major world artists like The Beatles, Coldplay, and Michael Jackson. Before ending it with the hip-hop beats of Brodas Bros‘ Vibra on Friday 27th.
In Gáldar‘s Plaza de Santiago, they go heavy on the wheat beer, thigh slapping, and pretzels at 7th October’s Oktoberfest from midday to 10:00pm. Lovers of the traditional festivals which combine revelry and religion should make their way to Gran Canaria cider country and Valleseco. Where’ll they encounter the Fiestas de Nuestras Señora de la Encarnacíon y la Manzana which end on Saturday 21st.
2. Things to do on Gran Canaria in October 2017: south
Maspalomas celebrates the 22nd Masdanza from Saturday 14th October to Saturday 4th November. This International Contemporary Dance Festival of the Canary Islands begins with the XXII Breaking Masdanza, dedicated to breakdancing, at San Fernando skate park. UK competitors, SMAC 19‘s LB and Khanage arrive courtesy of Rain Crew and E11’s The Red Lion qualifier.
Despite the name, the Freedom Maspalomas Gay Festival actually takes place in next-door’s Playa del Inglés. With a tagline of “summer does not end in September”, this event takes over the Yumbo from Wednesday 4th to Sunday 8th. There’s live performances from the likes of Eurodance’s Soraya, DJ sets from such top turntablists as Lydia Sanz, and drag shows from, amongst others, Funny Boys
Over in Agüimes, the Fiestas de Nuestra Señora del Rosario carry on through until Sunday 22th. The cultural highlight is undoubtedly the 30th Festival del Sur which begins on Wednesday 18th. Showcasing troupes from Africa, America, and Europe, there are freebie shows and the ones you have to pay for carry a maximum entry fee of 8,00€.
3. Things to do on Gran Canaria in October 2017: east
Telde‘s Teatro Juan Ramón Jiménez on Calle Poeta Pablo Neruda welcome the visit of self-styled “bad-ass-acoustic-power-trio” Arizona Baby on Friday 20th. The show starts at 9:00pm. Tickets are available through Entrees.es priced at 15€.
4. Things to do on Gran Canaria in October 2017: west and centre
Saturday 7th finds La Aldea de San Nicolás holding an agricultural market and craft fair. Situated in the centre of the municipal capital, in Calle Real y Plaza La Alameda, it’s open from 10:00am to 2:00pm. Santa Brígida‘s Pasátelo de Calle brings clowns, magic, and music to locations including the municipal capital’s cultural centre, market, and park from Sunday 1st to Sunday 15th.