The pilgrimages and dances of magicians represent a key event in the festive calendar of the Canary Islands each year. For months, the municipalities across the archipelago prepare to observe these popular manifestations that blend folklore, devotion, and pride in identity. As the event dates draw closer, references on social media emerge, yet the information tends to remain scattered. To address this need, Romerías has been developed—a mobile application created by the Balcony House in La Orotava, recently unveiled at the House of Captains in La Laguna. The initiative is led by Fernando Schönfeldt, one of the children of Carlos Schönfeldt, the proprietor of the Balcony House.
This application is part of a broader initiative aimed at re-establishing connections between the Balcony House—an ancient 17th-century edifice in the Villa de la Orotava—and the local community. The intention is for the venue to play an active role in the cultural landscape of the islands, fostering initiatives that encourage citizen involvement and highlight local traditions.
Conceived in 2018 and executed in 2022, the project initially focused solely on Tenerife. However, it gradually expanded, evolving into a regional tool.
The Romerías.App enables users to access a current calendar of pilgrimages, magicians’ dances, and other events categorised by island and municipality. This covers not only the larger celebrations, such as the pilgrimage of Tegueste in Tenerife, but also the smaller, lesser-known festivities. Its main goal is to consolidate information that is frequently disjointed into a single platform.
The project aims to collate all archipelago events in one place
Alongside dates and locations, the platform offers contextual information about the origins of each celebration, including descriptions of traditional attire. By utilising Google Maps integration, users can effortlessly find the precise routes and venues for the festivities. Additionally, it includes bus routes that service the sites and nearby parking facilities, aiding both residents and visitors in planning their attendance.
Óliver Hernández, the application manager, emphasises that a primary motivation for the project was to address the significant lack of information available about these events, particularly on the non-capital islands. “Each island possesses its own variety and cultural richness, so we couldn’t understand why there was no platform to consult them easily,” he explains. After recognising this gap, the Balcony House committed to developing Romerías.App.
One of the application’s most significant features is its inclusive approach. Not only does it serve as a comprehensive agenda, but it aspires to function as a vibrant digital community that constantly evolves: “We’ve had individuals messaging us, claiming they belong to certain neighbourhoods where their pilgrimages are missing.” It transforms into an interactive platform where citizens can contribute to enrich the event’s content.
Users have the ability to upload photographs, create shared albums, and document their experiences, which enhances the information and references associated with each event. The app also features an open chat, enabling pilgrims to connect, exchange advice, and coordinate meet-ups. It serves as an excellent platform to recommend, for instance, a good guachinche to dine at before attending a pilgrimage or a magicians’ dance.
The application has surpassed 2,200 downloads since its launch in early May
Moreover, cultural municipalities and groups play a crucial role within the application. They can access the platform to update details about their festivities, ensuring greater reliability, dynamism, and visibility for the events they organise throughout the year.
Since its public launch in May, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. The application has already surpassed 2,200 downloads and continues to attract new users. “Many individuals are beginning to collaborate. We want people to feel a sense of ownership,” Hernández adds.
In an era where digital connections often seem to distance us from our roots, this initiative stands as a testament to the fact that technology can also support tradition. Romerías.App facilitates access to information and aids in preserving and promoting the most representative cultural expressions of the archipelago, helping us celebrate our identity.
