History and tradition of Canary Islands Day

The 30th of May is a very special date for the Canarians, as it is Canary Islands Day. This holiday is an opportunity to celebrate the history, culture and traditions of this archipelago.

In this post, let’s dive into the rich history and colourful traditions that surround Canary Islands Day. Read on!

The origin of Canary Islands Day

The Day of the Canary Islands dates back to 1983, when the Parliament of the Canary Islands declared 30 May a public holiday throughout the archipelago. However, the history and roots of this celebration go much further back in time. May 30th commemorates the signing of the first Statute of Autonomy of the Canary Islands in 1982, a historic milestone that gave the Canary Islands greater self-government and recognition of their identity as an autonomous community.

Activities and festivities on Canary Islands Day

Canary Islands Day is celebrated with numerous activities and festivities on all the islands. Many localities celebrate this day with concerts, dance and theatre performances, as well as tastings of typical Canarian dishes. It is also very common to see Canarians dressed in typical costumes and playing native instruments, such as the timple or the guitar.

Canarian music, a fundamental part of the celebrations

Canarian music accompanies the folk dances and songs during the Canary Islands Day celebrations. Among the most popular musical genres of the islands are the isas, folías and malagueñas.

Numerous instruments are present in the folklore of the Canary Islands, such as chácaras, timple and the drum, among others.

Gastronomy on Canary Islands Day

Gastronomy is one of the fundamental pillars of Canary Islands Day. On this date, you can try typical Canary Island dishes such as gofio, papas arrugadas con mojo, sancocho, potaje de berros, escaldón de gofio and bienmesabe, among others. In addition, some of the islands’ restaurants and bars organise wine and cheese tastings, where you can try some of the best local products.

At Villa Adeje Beach we always take the opportunity to organise activities during the Canary Islands Day and we prepare Canarian food so that our guests have the opportunity to try some typical dishes.