Celebrating on Tenerife, also parties, are near-daily activities ingrained in the culture of every Tinerfeño.
It’s a passion passed down from birth, something you never outgrow. There’s always a reason to gather people around some festive occasion. And this is not just about Carnival, which alone spans more than a month on Tenerife.
Festivities carry an unwritten code of honor and are always organized with purpose. There’s often a saint ready to be honored. And if not, the Tinerfeños will inevitably find another reason to engage in a social activity centered around food, drinks, music, dancing, and togetherness. It’s simply in their genes.
Celebration Is Mandatory
You could compare it to summer activities in northern Europe: warm weather inspires organizers to host outdoor festivities. On Tenerife, it’s no different. Here, summer lasts all year round, offering 365 days of activities designed to foster a sense of community with an emphasis on food, drink, and camaraderie. These elements are present in every celebration and are eagerly anticipated by everyone.
Romerías: A Unique Tradition
A perfect example of this is the romerías, derived from the word “procession” and referring to pilgrims traveling to Rome or another sacred site. While romería may not be the exact equivalent of “pilgrimage,” it comes close, especially in origin.
Though they avoid organizing actual pilgrimages, a romería always features the local patron saint leading the procession through the village streets. This is usually followed by scenes from rural life, such as goat herders with their flocks, vintners with wine barrels, and numerous ox-drawn carts. Musical interludes, vibrant traditional costumes, and exuberant spectators complete the spectacle.
During the procession, there’s plenty to catch as participants hand out local produce like cheese, boiled eggs, a glass of fruity red wine, and freshly harvested fruits and vegetables. These are shared freely, a way of promoting their crops while celebrating.
The Duracell Spirit
When night falls, the festivities truly come alive. On the central village square, chaos erupts as a local band begins its repertoire, and the community dances the night away. Salsas, merengues, paso dobles, tangos, sírinoques, and tajarastesfill the air. No European could keep up with the boundless energy of the Tinerfeños.
For them, it’s like they’re running on Duracell batteries that never drain. They savor every note and every chord, every drink, conversation, and snack.
New Year’s Revelry
In countless municipalities, the New Year’s Eve celebration happens outdoors. The farewell to the old year and the welcoming of the new takes place in the same village squares, with Tinerfeños dancing their way into the new year. A Canarian orchestra leads the festivities, moving the crowd to the rhythm of lively southern melodies.
Everyone heads outside, as the warm New Year’s Eve weather is perfect for dancing and sweating under the stars. This provides a boost for the numerous food and drink stalls set up for the occasion. Here, too, you’ll feel the strong sense of community. These festivities act like social media, connecting everyone to everyone. Perhaps Facebook was inspired by Tenerife?
365 Days of Celebrations on Tenerife
Tenerife also hosts numerous saintly celebrations. Each municipality, village, or hamlet has a patron saint to be honored annually—San Pedro, San Miguel, San Blas, San Isidro, and countless others are celebrated throughout the year. These personalities inspire countless events, each accompanied by a fiesta.
Every association, guild, society, and even various companies invoke their chosen saint for protection and prosperity. And, of course, they accompany this invocation with a party. Even the Policía Local, Guardia Civil, firefighters, musicians, and metalworkers have their own patron saints.
The official list of public holidays on Tenerife includes several of these saints. If you add up all these festivities, you’ll reach the number 365. As mentioned earlier, you can celebrate from one event to the next all year long.
A Model for the World
I suspect the Pitaboys visited Tenerife before recording their hit song “Waar is da feestje?” (“Where’s the party? Here’s the party!”). Or at least they drew their inspiration from this island. Celebrating on Tenerife is a textbook example for all nations – a school of joy and unity that few places can rival.
Guy Devos © Illustration
Celebrating on Tenerife ©
More TRIVIA can be read [HERE].
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