Yesterday, on Monday, June 10, the schedule of events for the Festivities and the Pilgrimage of San Benito Abad 2024 was introduced by the City Council of La Laguna. This programme is designed to pay homage to this deeply-rooted celebration in the municipality’s character, comprising of a total of thirty traditional, cultural, gastronomic, and sporting activities in order to captivate the interest of all residents of La Laguna and the wider Canary Islands,” as revealed by the Mayor of the Council, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez.
During the presentation event, the Festival Councilor, Dailos González; the representative from the Friends and Pilgrims Association of San Benito, Jorge García; and the individual in charge of compiling the official programme, Julio Torres, were also in attendance.
Luis Yeray Gutiérrez made mention of the fact that “this edition of the Festivities of San Benito Abad will feature a special twinning event with the island of Gran Canaria and its folkloric groups. This coincides with a significant anniversary related to the Virgen del Pino, who paraded alongside San Benito Abad for the first time one hundred years ago through the streets of La Laguna.”
High-profile Updates
In addition, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez revealed other noteworthy updates for this edition, such as the modification of the start time of the LXXVII Regional Pilgrimage, which is set for July 14. This time, the pilgrimage will commence at around 11:00 a.m., aiming to avoid the hotter parts of the day and facilitate participation for individuals of all age groups.
Furthermore, the Mayor also highlighted that in this year’s pilgrimage “there will be a focus on the inclusion and engagement of individuals with disabilities, with plans to install a grandstand for individuals with limited mobility and diverse functional capabilities in the vicinity of the tower of La Concepción.”
Subsequently, Dailos González proceeded to outline the key dates from the programme of popular and religious events, starting on June 27 with the initiation of ‘SanBetinto’, and including customary events such as the traditional proclamation (July 5). This time around, the proclamation will be delivered by Iván Quintana, a well-known figure in Canarian folklore.
Among other significant events will be the ceremony to crown the Major Pilgrimage of the Festivities and the Pilgrimage of San Benito Abad (July 6), the selection of the Children’s Pilgrimage and the Seniors’ Pilgrimage, as well as the VI Pedro Molina Memorial (July 7), the event celebrating Canarian Woman of the Orfeón La Paz (July 8), the Wizards Dance (July 12), the 8 Islands Festival (July 13), the Livestock Fair, and the display of indigenous Canary Island breeds (July 16), along with the Night of the Donkeys (July 18).
The theme of the Wizards Dance this year will be ‘One dance, three settings’, referencing the three distinct musical stages that will be showcased in La Laguna that Friday, extending from the La Concepción area to Marqués de Celada street and the San Benito area.
A new addition to this year’s edition has been scheduled for Saturday, July 13, with the ‘Parrandas al Santo’ celebration. Starting at 1:00 p.m., various groups and parrandas will tour the ventorrillos set up along Marqués de Celada street to revive this tradition on the eve of the Regional Pilgrimage.
The Councilor also mentioned that “sports will feature prominently in these festivities, with the maiden edition of the Legua de San Benito popular race (July 6) or the Higo de Armas Memorial III Bicycle Festival (July 7), among other events.”
Lastly, the representative from the Friends and Pilgrims of San Benito Association, Jorge García, expressed gratitude towards the City Council for their support in organising these events and announced that “on July 11, a collection of non-perishable food items will be carried out for distribution to the soup kitchens of La Laguna.”
The comprehensive programme for the Festivities and the Regional Pilgrimage in honour of San Benito Abad 2024 will be accessible on the La Laguna City Council’s website, offering the opportunity for interested individuals to relish historical photographs from this celebration and textual references to the festivity signed by Julio Torres, Carlos Rodríguez Morales, Gustavo Trujillo, or José Manuel Ramos, the town crier from the last edition.
We reveal the schedule of events for the festivities and pilgrimage of San Benito Abad. This year, the focus is on folklore, gastronomy, sports, and traditions. The highlight will be on Sunday, July 14, with the celebration of the LXXVIII Regional Pilgrimage.
— Luis Yeray Gutiérrez (@LuisYerayAlcald) June 10, 2024
