Thousands of people came all day yesterday to the historic center of Arona to live the Day of the Traditions, dressing its streets and squares with heritage and color, and signifying its customs, folklore and culture in an incomparable setting. The Canarian feeling has been the essence that has turned the municipality into a town of yesteryear and has once again made Arona in Traditions a new day of participatory success. A festival that, year after year, achieves more affection from the people within the framework of the Major Festivals in honor of the Holy Christ of Health and Our Lady of the Rosary.
Residents and visitors enjoyed the very elegant period costumes of the 40s and 50s, the theatrical performances of costumbrista scenes of those years, the party music, the traditional trades, crafts and the concerts of the great artists who passed through the scenery. These activities, promoted by the Tourist Board of the City CouncilThey have not left anyone indifferent. Eleven hours of culture and tradition in a very familiar day wrapped in history, traditional crafts, costumbrista prints, folklore, music and exhibitions, as well as traditional games and sports.
The day began with the ringing of the bells at 11 in the morning, to give way to the Music Band, which began to perform joyous toccatas, just as it happened in 1899, the year of the first party program known as such. The banners and flowers that decorate the streets announced a party as soon as they arrived in the Casco de Arona, and invited them to tour the historic center and enjoy culture and tradition. Old trucks, photographs or the recreation of an inn of the time, among other decorative details, adorned some of the areas.
Meanwhile, on stage, Taller Canario, Taburiente, Domingo El Colorao, in a trio with Fabiola Socas and Juan Carlos Pérez and Los Sabandeños made an accomplice audience vibrate. Güicho, who premiered the performances with his show El tambor de las Islas, especially aimed at the little ones, and the tribute to the mythical Brisas de Arona by the Arona Music Band, captivated the people who concentrated in the Plaza del Cristo de la Salud, epicenter of the festivities.
A little further up, in the courtyard of the Casa de los Baute, the timplista Alba Chávez gave several recitals. And right next door, in the Casa de la Bodega, you could enjoy the recreation of the old tomato packing plant, with two neighbors dressed for the occasion recreating a little theater of what an ordinary day at work was like, with their dimes and diretes. There were also exhibitions of traditional costumes and Canarian wrestling, the latter made up of books, t-shirts and photographs of the most prestigious clubs and wrestlers, donated by the town crier of the Fiestas, Dámaso Rodríguez Linares. Without forgetting the gofio kneading workshops and Gomeran whistle demonstrations. And in the City Hall, meanwhile, you could admire a sample of Guanche Instruments according to Juan Bethencourt Alfonso. There was theater by the hand of Juan Carlos Tacoronte and his Tales of the Earth and other occurrences, or recreations such as that of San Pascual Bailón, by the actress Carmen Cabeza, as well as costumbrista scenes in El Calvario.
