The forecasts were fulfilled and the Wizards Dance from Santa Cruz It became the first mass event in the Canary Islands after the pandemic, with the attendance of 14,000 people, the maximum capacity of the La Noria area, where this meeting with traditions is held every year. With more than 600 tables occupied and a totally festive atmosphere, the large influx of people was noticed from early on. Although it officially started at 9:00 p.m., before that time families were already at their tables with food, wine, guitars and timples, which were also part of the party, to enjoy the night of reunion.
Both the diners and those who simply wanted to enjoy traditional Canarian music, first, and the popular verbena, later, came dressed in typical Canarian clothing, most with the costume of magicians from Santa Cruz, but also from La Orotava, the second most used, and from other islands. For some, like the family of Esteban Reyes, founder of the comparsa Los Brasileiros, it was a night to remember. The first dance without Esteban, who passed away in 2020 and who never missed the Magicians Ball. His daughters Loli, Sandra and Naira wanted to maintain the tradition and occupy the table that their father always reserved.
Just a few tables above the Reyes family, there was Paco Tacoronte’s, who with his pestiños, more than 1,000 prepared for this edition, is a must for party lovers. Also, from the Parish of San Antonio de Padua, Las Retamas, in Ofra, more than 30 people were distributed in three tables, with their own revelry and enjoying the kneaded gofio, tortilla and good wine. Ángel Reyes presided over one of the tables, and he couldn’t remember since when he came to the Magician’s Ball, what he was clear about was that this year he had to come.
But if there is something that stood out yesterday compared to other editions, it was the large number of young people who were encouraged to participate in this meeting, some of them were doing it for the first time, such as the twenty friends who this year decided to put on the magician’s costume to participate in Party. “This is the first time we have come. We are a group of friends and we are all between 20 and 21 years old”, said Alejandra Diezhandino, who served as spokesperson.
The mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, expressed his satisfaction at the large influx of people and the enthusiasm with which the participants were taking the celebration. “A tradition that is very important to us is recovered. The first Ball of Magicians as we know it was held at the Guimerá Theater in 1935, and we have recovered that tradition. This year, in addition, the expectation is very important”, said the councilor, who highlighted the large influx of people from the first hour and advocated “maintaining the essence”, with the correct clothing, participating in gastronomy, “and solidarity, because each one brings their food and shares it”.
This expectation that the mayor spoke of was such that, given the impossibility of many people to get a table, the entities of the old Mercado de La Salud organized their own Ball of Magicians, with notable success.
