La Rama in Agaete

La Rama starts in Agaete in the morning with the mother of all processions, led by the famous Agaete municipal band. It winds it way slowly and progessively more unevenly towards the sea at Puerto de las Nieves until the last survivors of multiple cubatas jump into the sea. La Rama in Agaete is always on August 4 but the town parties for most of the summer so there's nomally something fun going on. 

La Traida del Barro in Atalaya

Atalaya village in north east Gran Canaria celebrates its long history of making clay pots with a procession followed by a mud fight. It's a messy affair so don't wear any clothes that you want to use again. El Barro held on the first weekend of July

La Traida del Agua in Lomo Magullo

A long procession followed by the mother of all water fights is Lomo Magullo in Telde's way of celebrating the summer. It used to be a raucous affair but has now returned to its roots and is more fun because of it. La Traida del Agua is held on the second weekend in August (check dates) in Lomo Magullo, a mountain village inland from Telde in east Gran Canaria. 

La Vará del Pescado in Arinaga

The best way to describe the Vará de Pescado is as a vast fish feast that honours the town's fishing history. It starts with a procession and ends with a vast sardine cookout. La Vará is right at the end of August. 

San Juan on beaches everywhere

The big San Juan beach parties all around Gran CanariaM but especially at Playa de Mogán, Playa del Inglés and Las Canteras; kick of summer in style. The party starts in late afternoon and goes on until the early hours with locals meeting on the beach to eat, drink and watch the midnight fireworks.  San Juan is always on the night of June 22.

El Pino in Teror

The most traditional of Gran Canaria's summer fiestas, El Pino celebrates the island's patron saint with an overnight pilgrimmage up to the Teror church, followed by a solemn mass. Then everyone relaxes and the traditional music and dancing starts and goes on into the early hours of the morning. 

El Charco in La Aldea

About 50,000 people gather around the green El Charco lagoon at La Aldea de San Nicolas and all run into the water at the same time. The person who collects the most fish wins. Then there's a huge party. That's not true because the party had already started long before the fish run. El Charco is always held on September 11. See photos of the event here.

Maspalomas Costa Canaria Soul Festival

This free beach festival brings the best international soul acts right to the sand at San Agustín beach. It's the sister festoval of the long-standing Poretta Soul Festival from Italy and happens at the end of July. The festival on Facebook.

Bioagaete in Agaete

Bioagaete started out as a community run music festival after the island lost its WOMAD. Even though WOMAD is back (in October in Las Palmas) the team behind Bioagaete has kept going, making the festival better every year. All bands play for free and all proceeds are donated to charity. Bioagaete is help at Puerto de las Nieves at the end of August over three days. Website here.

Fiestas del Carmen in Arguineguín & Puerto de Mogán

Coastal villages and towns in Gran Canaria honour the patron saint of the sea during the Virgen del Carmen festivities in July. The main boat procession is between Arguineguín and Puerto de Mogán in mid-July ith the return trip a week later.