Are you ready for the Carmen Festivities in Las Palmas? At LOCK & enjoy! we accompany you in these popular celebrations that are so traditional and emblematic for the people of Las Palmas.
Near the La Isleta neighbourhood, we have a 24-hour locker facility for you to store your backpack or luggage, as most of the festivities take place on the streets.
Origin and Meaning of the Carmen Festivities
The Virgin of Carmen is considered the patron saint of sailors and fishermen, professions of great importance in the Canary Islands, thus the devotion is very ancient.
However, the celebration of this local festival began to take shape in the mid-20th century, although the exact year or moment is unknown. The first documented celebrations only refer to processions and venerations. Today, it has become a consolidated event with numerous programmes and activities for all audiences.
In Which Neighbourhoods Is It Celebrated?
The neighbourhoods that feel the most fervour and passion for this festival are San Cristóbal and La Isleta. The reason is that these are areas with a strong maritime tradition among their locals:
- San Cristóbal. It is a picturesque fishing neighbourhood located to the south of the city. We are sure you will love walking through its streets, as most of its small houses are painted in different colours.
- La Isleta. Another fishing neighbourhood that gains great importance during the Carmen Festivities in Las Palmas. We recommend you get lost in its steep streets, which feature staircases painted with urban art.
If you want to enjoy the activities we explain below, just head to one of these neighbourhoods. This festivity begins on the 6th of July and ends on the 28th of the same month.
Activities to Do During the Carmen Festivities
The programme is very extensive and adapted to all types of audiences, and has significant support from the public and administrative authorities of the island.
The official programme for 2024 has not yet been made public, however, it is very similar each year, although dates may vary.
Start (July 6)
The festivities kick off with a peal of bells at 12:00 PM announcing the start of the festivities, as well as the Announcing Parade that travels through the main streets of the neighbourhood: Benartemi, Palmas, Benecharo, La Naval, etc.
In the afternoon, a religious act is celebrated where the image of the Virgin of Carmen is taken out of its shrine. Once finished, there is a small Eucharist sung by the parish choir.
And finally, public authorities move to the neighbourhood to officiate the proclamation that inaugurates this event. It takes place right on Benartemi Street, where the temple is located. This year’s heralds are the Murga Los Chancletas group.
In other years, a fireworks display has been held parallel to the ringing of bells to announce the beginning of the festivities. However, this year it has been moved to July 16th, the day of the Virgin of Carmen, at 00:00 AM.
Concerts and Other Activities
For most of the days, there are music concerts at the epicentre of the neighbourhood, Manuel Becerra Square. For example, it has already been announced that the music group La Trova will perform on July 15th.
At LOCK & enjoy! we recommend that you visit the streets of La Isleta more than once in the evenings to enjoy its festive, nocturnal, and street atmosphere.
Pending further details, the associations responsible for organising the festival in La Isleta usually carry out excursions and guided tours to other points on the island, such as a visit to the Elder Museum or the North Ecopark.
During the Carmen Festivities in Las Palmas, a craft fair, a T-shirt recycling workshop, or a guided walking tour through the main streets of the neighbourhood is also celebrated.
Adorned Streets
During this festival, the streets become one of the major tourist attractions. The neighbourhood residents fill the streets with carpets for the Dawn Procession which takes place on July 15th at 05:00 AM.
The laying of the carpets is a real artistic spectacle, as they are made of salt, sand, or rubber. Each carpet is different and has a different theme; there are colourful ones, children’s ones, or with religious elements. From the afternoon until dawn, all the neighbourhood inhabitants spend many hours working to make the night procession a success.
Maritime Procession
The most important event of this festivity is celebrated on July 20th: the maritime procession. At 17:00 PM, the image of the Virgin of Carmen is taken out of the temple to be carried to La Naval Street and from there to the Port of La Luz. The costaleros who do this work are real professionals, as it is not easy to transfer the religious image.
Once at the port, it is embarked on a Navy ship that bears the name of the Virgin. From that moment, this ship tours the entire bay of the capital of Gran Canaria along with small boats from places that decide to follow the maritime pilgrimage. Once the procession ends, it is returned to the temple with chants of the Salve.
It is the most exciting moment in religious terms due to the great devotion felt by the islanders for their Virgin.
To conclude, several recommendations:
- If you are staying far from La Isleta or San Cristóbal, check the schedules of the municipal buses.
- Pay attention to the publication of the official programme to learn more details.
Experience one of the most popular festivities: Carmen Festivities in Las Palmas! And remember, at Playa de las Canteras, very close to La Isleta, we have a locker service so you can leave your belongings with maximum security. Book at LOCK & enjoy!
Sevilla