This weekend, the capital will be buzzing with a diverse cultural agenda tailored to all preferences and age groups. The eagerly anticipated Plenilunio Santa Cruz Festival will take centre stage, featuring a plethora of outdoor activities, live music, and performances that invite everyone to relish the city both day and night. Furthermore, an impressive array of performing arts offerings will be prominent in the city, alongside activities in the Youth District that include workshops, sports, and performances sure to captivate younger attendees.
A fantastic way to commence your cultural journey is by visiting the magnificent Museum of Nature and Archaeology (MUNA). This venue is currently hosting the exhibition titled “The Smoke of Progress. The Correíllo La Palma, its Era and Recovery”, where guests can discover intriguing details about this vessel. The museum is open from Monday to Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and on Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
On Friday the 4th, Saturday the 5th, and Sunday the 6th of October, the Tenerife Espacio de las Artes (TEA) will showcase Óscar Domínguez’s exhibition “The Two Who Cross”, available for viewing from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. This exhibition, dedicated to the surrealist artist, is curated by Isidro Hernández and will remain open until November 24. Additionally, the same venue will present “Double Blind”, a free exhibition by artist Adrián Alemán, accessible to the public during the weekend at the same hours.
Throughout the weekend, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., TEA will also feature a mini-exhibition entitled “Naturally,” crafted for children, young people, and families, with themes that encourage reflection on humanity’s relationship with the natural environment and the marks left upon it.
Beginning Friday at 10:00 a.m., the TEA will introduce a new exhibition and activity programme in the MiniTEA section. The new MiniExpo, called “Without Clothes in the Museum. Why is Art Full of Naked People?”, showcases nineteen pieces from the TEA Collection, organised into four areas: (A Surface of the Skin, Everything or Nothing, The Perfect Body, Majas, Venus and Odalisques, and The Broken Body), each exploring distinct themes.
Within its regular film programming, the TEA will screen “The Farrer Method.” This documentary by Esther Morente recounts the true story of how retired teacher Bruce Farrer surprises and prompts reflection among his former students in unexpected ways, running throughout the weekend starting at 7:00 p.m.
The Central Municipal Library will showcase until October 18th, from 12:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., the exhibition “Balneario de Santa Cruz. 500 Metres from the Beach.” This exhibition presents a selection of documents related to the historical Spa, contextualised within the port area of that era while highlighting its social and sporting aspects from 1928, when construction was proposed, to 1992, when it permanently closed.
The Central Municipal Library will also spotlight the film genre by featuring 28 films “based on real events,” alongside those that offer personal and subjective interpretations aligned with artistic vision.
The Museum of Nature and Archaeology will display the installation “Ethology in Stillness” for the entire weekend, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. This work reflects on the impact of human presence on the planet during the confinement period of 2020, as a result of the pandemic.
Carnival spirit is ever-present in Santa Cruz. A visit to the Casa del Carnaval is a fantastic option, where three exhibitions are devoted to our carnivals. The first, titled “The Magic Behind the Costume”, highlights the Costume Contest, showcasing two examples of its evolution — Miguel Ángel Delgado Salas, renowned for his numerous awards, representing the individual costume contest, and the group Los Ilusionistas del Carnaval, illustrating the group costume contest. This can be explored in the Multipurpose Room from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Another exhibition, “Lírica y Tradición”, is focused on the rondallas and lyrical groups, providing the public with insights into their history and evolution, along with the opportunity to view some of the competing fantasies. This exhibition shares the Suspi Room’s visiting hours as the previous one.
Lastly, the permanent exhibition “2024 Carnival Prize Winners” displays costumes and fantasies from groups, collectives, and queens of Carnival 2024, including those of the three Carnival Queens, along with winning murgas, troupes, musical groups, and choreographic works from this year’s event. Notably, some documentary items belonging to Nicolás Mingorance, the distinguished lyricist for the Afilarmónica Ni Fú Ni Fá who recently passed away, have been integrated into the ‘Pioneers Showcase’. Visiting hours for this exhibition are Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
As for autumn activities within the young district, a workshop on the History of Video Games is set for this Friday, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the El Molino space, exploring the evolution of this thrilling industry from its origins to contemporary innovations. On the same day, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., a role-playing workshop at AAVV Valleseco will teach participants how to create unique characters with special backgrounds and abilities.
On Saturday, the Casa Juventud Mascareño will host an E-Sports tournament from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., featuring a workshop that merges theory and practice, imparting knowledge on the history of electronic sports, gameplay strategies, and the importance of teamwork. Also on Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., there will be an Entrena-T workshop in the Sports Zone in front of Hacienda, providing an opportunity to stay fit.
In the realm of sports, Almáciga beach in Anaga Rural Park will serve as the venue for championships from Thursday 3rd to Sunday 6th October, valid for the National Kids and Junior Circuit as well as the Canary Islands surfing Circuit. The competition begins on Friday at 12:00 p.m., culminating on Sunday between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. with the trophy presentation.
On Sunday, Las Teresitas beach will host the XII Playa de Las Teresitas Swim Crossing, commencing at 11:00 a.m. This event involves a swimming challenge along a stretch of the beach inside the sea protection dike, aiming to promote sport as a means to restore the spiritual and emotional balance for those affected by illness, as well as to raise funds for their welfare.
The “Aanaga on Foot” project resumes this weekend with route 12: “Forest Experience (Camino de Las Vueltas de Taganana)”. This will take place on Saturday from 08:15 a.m.
Plenilunio Santa Cruz 2024 is set to return, an initiative aimed at invigorating the city’s economic sector, which, in its 16th iteration from Friday to Sunday, introduces noteworthy new features to promote culture, sports, gastronomy, commerce, and leisure in the capital. The programme will include exhibitions, guided tours, workshops, and theatrical performances across various locations in the city, including the Municipal Museum of Fine Arts, TEA, MUNA, Almeida Military Museum, General Captaincy, Guimerá Theatre, and the San Rafael and San Roque cemetery, among others.
Next Saturday will see the launch of a new series of inclusive guided tours at the Palmetum of Santa Cruz. This complimentary programme, sponsored by Fundación Cepsa, will take place each Saturday starting at 10:30 a.m. It primarily targets NGOs on the Island, enabling them to bring their groups to explore this botanical garden, as well as any individuals who wish to accompany them on this inclusive tour.
For automotive enthusiasts, the Tenerife Fairgrounds will host the IX Canary Islands Motor Show over the weekend, running from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday. On Saturday evening, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:35 p.m., the Guimerá Theatre will feature the performance “N’ importa quoi” by the Leandre Clown company as part of the 2024 edition of the Clownbaret International Festival.
To conclude, on Friday at 8:00 p.m., the CajaCanarias Cultural Space will host a performance by Jorge Pardo and Polo Ortí as part of the CajaCanarias Cultural Autumn.
