On Friday, October 4, at 8:30 p.m., Candelaria Square will come alive. The renowned soundtrack of Chariots of Fire, composed by Vangelis for the iconic 1981 film, resonates through the air. However, don’t anticipate seeing British athletes preparing for the 1924 Olympic Games. We are in 2024, and what awaits us is a spectacular choreography executed by a multitude of drones. This exceptional event aims to unite thousands of chicharreros and visitors for the inaugural night of the new edition of Plenilunio Santa Cruz.
This marks the beginning of an exciting weekend in early October, which will infuse the streets of the Tenerife capital with culture, entertainment, commerce, gastronomy, and sport… And what a beginning it will be! The music will be performed live by the Tenerife Philharmonic Orchestra (OFT), conducted by José Antonio Cubas Delgado. The repertoire will not only feature the Oscar-winning score by Vangelis (and once the drones cease their “dancing”) but will also include familiar tunes such as ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ (both composed by John Williams), alongside songs like ‘Recuérdame’ from the animated film ‘Coco’ and ‘This is Me’ from ‘The Greatest Showman’, as well as pieces that diverge from cinema, such as ‘La bikina’ and ‘Vivo en un archipiélago’, among others. For this performance, the OFT will be accompanied by soloists Antonella Vega and Altahay de la Guardia.
As the orchestra performs on the stage in the Plaza de la Candelaria, the sky above Santa Cruz will be enlivened with lights and colour from 220 drones, promising a show that will be unforgettable. The drones will ascend to approximately 100 metres in height and will be visible within a two-kilometre radius.
No Noise and Zero Waste
“We strive to innovate with every new edition of Plenilunio Santa Cruz and enhance the appeal of this event, which received positive feedback or was deemed excellent by 87% of the attendees in the last edition,” states Carmen Pérez, the CEO of the Society of Development, who is eager for the opening night: “We are truly excited to see the drones soar above Santa Cruz; it is a groundbreaking initiative that adheres to all safety protocols and, most importantly, has a ‘zero’ environmental impact, producing no emissions, waste, or noise.”
The team responsible for this show is UMILES, directed by Álvaro Vallés and choreographed by Gonzalo Tevar. The choreography remains under wraps for the time being. Among their recent projects is the drone display aired by Antena 3 Television for the launch of the new season of “El Hormiguero” this September, as well as creating the image of a woman adorned in a flamenco dress at the April Fair in Seville, who danced in the air to the tune of sevillanas.
Plenilunio Santa Cruz is organised by the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Development Society and receives sponsorship from Promotur Turismo de Canarias (Government of the Canary Islands), with funding provided through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, as part of the Next Generation EU Funds. Additionally, it is supported by Hospiten, Worten, Fuente Alta, Mutua Tinerfeña, and Cajasiete.
For those interested in accommodation during Plenilunio, comprehensive information about the city’s hotels, along with special deals, can be found in the ‘Accommodations’ section of the website www.pleniluniosantacruz.com, where you will also discover mobility information and a full schedule of events.
