The Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario 2007 (Festival of Our Lady of the Rosary) takes place between September 21st and October 8th. There are usually all kinds of things to do and see, including plough-pulling, wrestling and stick fighting (a traditional Canarian sport) and battles with flowers. There is also lots of singing and folk dancing and gofio and water is scattered, as an offering to the Virgen del Rosario. Gofio is a type of flour made from roasted corn and other grains. It is used plentifully in Canarian cooking.
There are religious processions and music concerts, varying between accordion recitals to heavy rock! There are dancing competitions and a padel contest. Padel is a Canarian game and is like a cross between squash and tennis. Imagine playing tennis but with small racquets and walled in! It’s like that.
This fiesta takes place in Aguimes. To get there for the fiesta, you need to get a number 11 or 21 bus, which leave hourly from San Telmo Bus Station in Las Palmas. Buses to Las Palmas are frequent from all the resorts in the South of the island. Aguimes is interesting to look around – there is a town hall, inhabited caves and the San Sebastian Church.
There is something going on every day of the Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario but weekends tend to be busier and have more happening because more people can attend. Go along for a fun Saturday or chilled out Sunday – you can definitely get some great snaps for the photo album anyway!
This festival is always around late September and early October, so if you miss this year’s, try to make the Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario 2008 – you can even try your luck at plough-pulling or gofio throwing!