The application ‘Romerías de Canarias’ was unveiled this Friday in La Laguna. This platform is designed to share and promote the values and traditions of the popular festivals across the eight islands, aiming to enhance local awareness of these events and encourage community involvement in every aspect.
San Cristóbal de La Laguna was chosen as the site for launching this digital tool, due to its hosting of the pilgrimage of San Benito Abad, the only regional pilgrimage throughout the archipelago. During the event, speakers included the Councillor for Fiestas, Dailos González; the director of the Balcony House, Fernando Schönfeldt; and Óliver Hernández, the manager of the Romerías de Canarias app.
Dailos González emphasised that this initiative “is conceived with the resolute aim of uniting the pilgrimages of the entire archipelago onto a single interactive platform, showcasing its unique features, customs, trades, and music, among other elements. For La Laguna, it is a point of pride that innovation can traverse hand in hand with a common good.”
Fernando Schönfeldt expressed gratitude for the City Council’s involvement in a project “whose origins trace back to 2010, when we initiated work on an online guide to pilgrimages, providing information about dates and particulars of each event. By 2019, we introduced the first version of this application, which has matured over the years, thanks to the effort of a dedicated team that has ensured this discipline remains current alongside user engagement.”
Óliver Hernández highlighted that “this novel app, the first of its kind in the Canary Islands, provides residents with the most comprehensive calendar of pilgrimages in the region, featuring descriptions, key locations, nearby accommodations, and a map with geolocated points of interest.”
Additionally, the application manager noted that “within the menu of this platform, users can explore other intriguing sections, such as a blog dedicated to rosemary, which offers quality content to educate and raise awareness of these festivals, particularly regarding their cultural significance. This resource will be complemented by an extensive photographic gallery where individuals can share their snapshots of each pilgrimage, alongside a real-time chat that fosters a sense of community around the festivities.”
‘Romerías de Canarias’ is now accessible on both iOS and Android, featuring relevant information for both locals and visitors who wish to learn more about the origins of these celebrations. Everyone present at this launch event underscored the importance of promoting traditional attire and its proper usage, highlighting its role as a hallmark that has endured for generations and the responsibility that new generations bear in preserving it.
