The municipality of Guía is celebrating its patron saint festivities from July 31 to August 29, featuring a lineup that includes Café Quijano, Coti, and Raúl Clyde. Fireworks have been cancelled out of respect for sensitive individuals and animals.
The municipality of Guía presented the programme for the Patron Saint Festivities in honour of La Virgen this Wednesday, coinciding with the 500th anniversary of the town's founding. The concerts by Café Quijano and Coti are set to be the major musical events in a calendar that will run from July 31 to August 29.
The mayor and head of the Festivities area, Alfredo Gonçalves Ferreira, along with the councillor for Culture and Sports, Julián Melián, and the parish priest, José Luis Rodríguez, unveiled the details of a programme that focuses on inclusion and innovation. Among the new features is the cancellation of fireworks and firecrackers, replaced by a visual show in front of the Church.
“We wanted these festivities to be empathetic, inclusive, and innovative,” stated the mayor, who explained that the decision to eliminate fireworks was made out of respect for people and companion animals who suffer from the noise. Instead, a large visual spectacle will be offered on the eve of the festivities.
The Fiestas de La Virgen will officially kick off this Friday, July 31, at 21:00 in the Plaza Grande, with the opening speech by the official chronicler and Gold Medal of the City, Sergio Aguiar Castellano, and the municipal geographer and writer Javier Estévez. Both have been recognised for their contributions and love for the municipality, as highlighted by the mayor.
On Saturday, August 1, starting at 21:00, the Plaza Grande will host the Kanarii Festival, featuring performances by the groups Kanarii, Cuarteto Vocal Vidas, and Nuevos Aires. That same day, the first of the 11 Pasacalles de Papagüevos will commence, and the Casa de la Cultura will kick off the lecture series 'Guía reads the Atlantic' with 'Round Trip Readings with Néstor Álamo'.
On Sunday, August 2, the Teatro Hespérides will welcome the participating groups in the XXXIII National Folklore Festival of Gran Canaria, which this year will include the group La Serrana de Piornal (Cáceres), the Agrupación Timbayba from Tinajo (Lanzarote), and the host A.C.R Estrella and Guía. After the flag-raising ceremony in front of the Church at 13:00, attendees can enjoy performances and a tasting of typical products in the Plaza Grande. Additionally, a Livestock Fair will be held in the esplanade of the municipal pavilion in the morning.
For the first time, the programme includes 'De Tardeo en Guía', which will take place on Sunday afternoon, starting at 18:00 in the Plaza Grande, featuring performances by Los 600, Maldita EGB, and Cuenta Atrás.
On Tuesday, August 4, the main day of the National Folklore Festival of Gran Canaria will be celebrated, with a grand show in the Plaza Grande at 21:00, featuring performances by the Cáceres group La Serrana de Piornal, the San Cristóbal group from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and the host Estrella and Guía.
One of the highlights will arrive on Saturday, August 8, with the Young Night, featuring Raúl Clyde as the main artist. The concert series will continue on Friday, August 14, with Coti's performance, and on Saturday, August 15, the main day of the festivities, it will be Café Quijano's turn. Both concerts will take place in the Plaza Grande.
The programme also includes cultural events such as the retrospective exhibition 'Paisaje Interior' by painter Geño Aguiar on Monday, August 3, and the presentation of 'Las Cartas de Guía' by writer Santiago Gil and illustrator Lorena Ossorio on Wednesday, August 5.
Mayor Gonçalves Ferreira emphasised the effort made to ensure that all events are free and last nearly a month, coinciding with the 500th anniversary of the municipality's founding. “It is a tribute to the generations of Guía residents who have preceded us,” he stated.
The festivities will conclude on August 29, after a month of activities aimed at combining tradition, music, and respect for the environment and the neighbours. The cancellation of fireworks has been one of the most discussed measures, and the City Council hopes that the alternative visual show will be equally appealing.
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