Your guide to the Day of the Canary Islands

Unfortunately, a lot of national or regional days are held on days on which there was a significant battle or some form of bloodshed, so celebrating them can bring up mixed feelings.

Luckily, with the Day of the Canary Islands, that’s not the case. On May 30^th 1983, the first session of the Parliament of the Canary islands was held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, presided over by Pedro Guerra Cabrera.

That marked the start of the residents of the islands starting to have more autonomy and more say over what went on in the archipelago, rather than having everything dictated by a distant central government in Madrid.

That’s the perfect excuse for celebrating the unity of all Canarian people, both those still living on the islands and those spread all over the world, as they’re an adventurous bunch with a fascinating history. These days, the islands have a population of roughly two million.

The Canaries are made up of seven islands, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. They’re all very different in many ways, but on ‘Canary Day’, they all come together in celebration of their shared, distinctive, rich culture.

If you happen to be on any of the islands over this date then you’re bound to stumble across celebrations, but you can go looking for them, too!Here are a few of the things to keep an eye out for.

If you’ve ever been on any Canary Island breaks before, then you’ll know first-hand that the cuisine of the Canary Islands is to die for.

It’s similar to mainland Spanish cuisine in lots of ways, but is also influenced by the aboriginal inhabitants of the islands, the Guanches, who were here long before the Europeans, as well Latin American cuisine, thanks to the large number of Canarians who migrated there during the 20^th century.

On the Day of the Canary Islands, there are events held all over the islands that celebrate this cuisine with food tastings. Don’t leave without trying papas arrugadas con mojo (potatoes with a delicious piquant sauce), tortilla (Spanish omelette), tortillas de calabaza (flat pumpkin cakes).

You should sample plenty of local, fresh cheeses and island wines, too. The flavours in both of these are very distinctive thanks to the geology of the islands.

Grab yourself a plate and have a chat with the people serving you or your fellow diners. Locals are normally very proud of their cuisine, and many will be happy to wax lyrical about it should you ask them.

There’s no shortage of live music on 30^th May. There will be plenty of concerts played by locals in public squares and bars. Just as with the food, Canarian music has been influenced by the Guanches and contact with Latin America.

Cuban music and Canarian music have long been connected. If you’re lucky, you might witness some of the traditional local dances, too.

Lucha Canaria, or Canarian Wrestling, is often described as a mix between wrestling and judo. It’s the most popular local sport, passed down from the original inhabitants of the island. Before the Spanish arrived, it was a way of solving conflicts over land.

There are matches organised all over the different islands on the Day of the Canary Islands, as a celebration of the island’s unique culture. If you’re here for the festivities, then it’s a great opportunity to witness this unique sport for yourself.

May is one of the best times to visit the Canary Islands, both for the culture and the weather. If you’re visiting the Canary Islands in May and coincide with this regional holiday, be sure to ask at the front desk of your hotel for tips on where to go to enjoy the show put on throughout all of the different islands.

The other way to make sure you don’t miss anything when you’re on your Canary Islands holidays is to just ask the locals. They’re proud of their local culture and so will be happy to point you in the direction of the party.