The Plaza de la Candelaria in Ingenio hosts the Children's Festival of Traditions this Saturday, featuring native Canarian games and offerings from Puerto Rico. Organised by the Cultural Association of Choirs and Dances of Ingenio, the event aims to introduce the little ones to traditional games.
On Saturday, the Plaza de la Candelaria in Ingenio will be filled with children eager to discover how their grandparents used to have fun. The Children's Festival of Traditions, now in its fifth edition, is part of the 31st International Folklore Festival of Ingenio, with Puerto Rico as the guest country this year.
Canarian Wrestling and Stick Game Take Centre Stage
Attendees will be able to see and practice native sports such as Canarian wrestling and the stick game, two hallmarks of island culture. Additionally, there will be space for tug-of-war, spinning tops, marbles, the throwing game, pimba, frogs, and hoop throwing, games that have animated squares and streets in the Canary Islands for decades.
The organisation has prepared an explanatory demonstration of Canarian wrestling led by the Maninidra Wrestling Club of Ingenio, founded in 1946. Young wrestlers will showcase the skills and techniques of this vernacular sport, considered one of the purest expressions of popular culture.
Puerto Rico Contributes Its Playful Tradition
The guest country, Puerto Rico, brings games that share roots with those in the Canary Islands. Children will be able to play with spinning tops, marbles, the pilgrim—a variant of hopscotch—and blind man's buff. The connection between both childhood traditions demonstrates the historical ties that link the Canary Islands with the Caribbean.
The organising association, Choirs and Dances of Ingenio, has aimed for an even more varied offering this year, with clay workshops, face painting, and a bouncy castle area for the youngest. And, as is customary, the donkey 'Canario' will offer rides that have become a must-do for families.
Reviving Traditional Play in the Face of Screens
The festival aims to keep alive the memory of the games that entertained several generations before the digital age. At a time when children's leisure is dominated by screens, initiatives like this take on special relevance in transmitting values of cooperation, physical skill, and shared fun.
For the residents of Ingenio and all of Gran Canaria, this event is an opportunity to enjoy a playful and cultural day with family. Admission is free, and activities will take place from 10:00 to 14:00 hours. Anyone wishing to relive their childhood or teach their own how people used to have fun has an unmissable appointment at the Plaza de la Candelaria.
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