The flowers and the fire have taken over the streets of the small municipality of Garachico in the north of Tenerife today. Hundreds of children and adults gathered in the Daute region to enjoy the grand finale of a unique celebration in Tenerife: the lustral festivities in honour of the Most Holy Christ. A parade of five floats showcased floral allegories – the central image of the festival – alongside a rain of fire cascading down the hillside, marking this long-awaited event for the garachiqueros , who, due to the pandemic, had not experienced it in its full splendour for ten years.
Adrián García recalls having lived this festival since he was very young. “It has always been very important in my house,” the young man recounts. Perhaps that is why he did not want to miss the opportunity to be part of it this year, after Covid forced him to pause his dream of showcasing his designs at the most important festivities in his village five years ago.
Five Floats
The float parade is one of the highlights of the celebration. So much so that preparations begin nearly seven months before the big day. “We prepare the flowers before Christmas,” García explains. The young designer is behind two of the five floats that paraded today for the second time through the cobblestone streets of the municipality to the dock. There, they will be exhibited for the next two days.
The Secret of the Kingdoms is one of his creations, representing the tale of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. In the centre, a green castle with domed roofs reminiscent of Moscow’s Red Square flanked by figures representing the realm of ice, the realm of fun, the realm of flowers, and the realm of sweets. Inside, a large key to “unite them” and ensure “the music plays.” With his artwork, García “wanted to represent the unity of cultures.”
Trailing behind is another of his works, Hummingbird Flower. Two large little birds adorned with thousands of handmade coloured paper flowers crown the float. Through this image, García alludes to respect for “nature and the environment,” while incorporating one of the most important elements of this Garachico tradition: paper flowers.
The street where the floats rest after a long night for many of the organisers, electricians and carpenters, is busy with last-minute touches. Meanwhile, the crowd stops – most with ice creams in hand – to admire the delicacy of every detail adorning these works of art. “They’re all beautiful, and they look better in motion,” highlights a woman as she thanks her neighbours for their effort and hard work in bringing these historic festivities to life once again.
The woman stops to look at the crystals hanging from the float designed by Raúl Pérez. A delicate allegory honouring the Greek god Zephyrus. “It was said that he brought the flowers of spring with his breezes,” Pérez explains. In whites and blues, the design, born from the artist’s “dream,” aims to represent that breeze with swirls and birds, as well as a girl dressed in water – the origin of life. “I wanted to make it as delicate and elegant as possible,” he emphasises.
His other creation, named Empyrean Sound, became one of the main attractions of the parade. Notably, one of the most eye-catching pieces of this float dedicated to the biblical apocalypse is a seven-headed dragon that “breaks” its base. The float is topped by a woman dressed as the Sun, with the moon as a pedestal and accompanied by stars. “Since the figures are large, it’s striking,” emphasizes its creator.
The last float to arrive belongs to painter Benjamín Lorenzo, who has dedicated 30 years wholeheartedly to the lustral festivities. “This festival unites us as a people; we take pride in working together to make this happen and to have people enjoy our work,” he asserts. He has been in charge of creating the children’s float, where about fifteen boys and girls dressed as elves and forest fairies represent the story of Maleficent.
After the Sun Sets, Fire
After the sun sets, Garachico has experienced the much-anticipated Fires of the Risco and La Atalaya. It is one of the highlights of the celebration and has been enjoyed by locals and onlookers alike. Hundreds stayed in the area just to witness an iconic image: the tongues of fire that, in 1706, engulfed the historic port of the municipality due to the eruption of the Trevejo volcano.
Everything happens in a matter of minutes. After the arrival of Christ at the Fisherwoman, a voiceover begins to narrate a story. Accompanied by music, a cascade of fire begins to fall from the bay. Suddenly, a video projected onto a wall tells the story of the Trevejo volcano. It is at this moment that glowing balls tumble down the cliff of La Culata, recalling the moments when everything changed forever in this village. After six incandescent minutes, the music wraps around the village once more to bid farewell to this unique spectacle, which will not be repeated until 2030.
