The festivities of the municipality of La Orotava kick off this Wednesday, which this year will bear the proper name of patronal celebrations, as emphasized by the mayor, Francisco Linares, after the Vatican granted the canonical patronage of the Villa to San Isidro Labrador last summer. The extensive program of a hundred events was presented yesterday at the headquarters of the town hall.
This edition, due to the European elections scheduled for June 9, will have a different schedule. Thus, starting tomorrow, on the day of San Isidro, celebrations will take place as usual until June 6, including the Thursday of the Carpets. Following a break, the festivities will resume the following weekend, from June 14 to 16, with the celebration of the magicians’ dance, Livestock Fair, Procession of the Saints and Pilgrimage in honour of the Patron Saints, San Isidro Labrador, and Santa María de la Cabeza.
At the presentation, alongside Francisco Linares, were the councilman of Festivities, Alexis Pacheco, the parish priest Honorio Campos, and the author of the promotional poster, Damián Rodríguez. The presentation of the festival queen candidates and the carpet beer will take place next Friday, at the Ibero-American Craft Museum and the Constitution Square respectively.
On the 25th, at Plaza Franchi Alfaro, the gala for selecting the festival queen will be held, and on Saturday, June 1st, the pilgrimage queen for the festivities in honour of San Isidro Labrador and Santa María de la Cabeza will be chosen at the Liceo de Taoro. On May 31, the Magec Identity Festival will take place at the auditorium, and on June 1, the Támbara Candil Dance will be held at the Doña Chana Cultural Park.
Poster of the Patron Saint Festivities. / E. D.
The grand week kicks off on Monday, June 3, with a recital by Los Sabadeños at Plaza Franchi Alfaro, and continues on Tuesday 4 with the reading of the proclamation, delivered this year by the president of Liceo de Taoro, Carmen Leyes. On Wednesday, June 5, the presentation of the 2023 Wine Harvest of the Designation of Origin Valle de La Orotava will take place again on Avenida Mercedes Pinto.
La Orotava’s Grand Day is the Thursday of the Carpets, June 6, the day of the Infraoctave of Corpus Christi, one of the most significant days for the town. Throughout the day, thousands of people will visit the Villa, not only to enjoy the crafting of the 35 flower carpets to be made in the streets of the historic centre, but also the grand tapestry at the Town Hall Square, made with sands from the Teide National Park.
This year’s winning poster is the work of Damián Rodríguez, titled La Orotava Festivities: Joy, Colour and Tradition. During the presentation, the author himself explained that the poster showcases various representative elements of the celebrations. In the central part, there are the silhouettes of the Corpus Christi processional floats, as well as the silhouettes of San Isidro Labrador and Santa María de La Cabeza.
