The güimareros will celebrate the feast of El Socorro with the tradition that makes its Descent and pilgrimage one of the most relevant on the Island and in Canary Islands, in addition to being considered the oldest (or among) oldest. Yesterday the festive program officially began with the presentation of the announcing poster, the work of Javier Eloy Campos.
«The festivals of El Socorro have been reflected in a poster full of hallmarks of our Bajada», expressed the mayor of Güímar, Gustavo Pérez, who did not hesitate to describe this year’s pilgrimage party as «special». “Güímar can openly say that it has the festival with the greatest number of traditional and ethnographic elements,” the alderman said.
Gustavo Pérez highlighted the figure of Javier Eloy, who coincides with the condition of being a güimarero (comes from La Medida) and a renowned artist, in addition to licensed in fine Arts by the University of La Laguna, former deputy director of the Fernando Estévez School of Art and Superior Design, exhibition curator, poster artist and former politician (he was a socialist councilor), but, above all, “lover of our traditional festival”, defended the mayor of Guimar.
Javier Eloy himself assured that he faced the challenge of preparing the poster for the Bajada de El Socorro for such a unique year (due to the parenthesis of the postponement of the two previous editions due to covid) “with great respect and dedicating time and effort necessary to convey the message. Campos Torres explained that “the poster wants to represent the people, the men and women of Güímar who star in and are responsible for the party, the Guanches of the ceremony, the dancers of the Danza de las Cintas, the musicians of the Band and the pilgrims and devotees who accompany the Virgen del Socorro, who dresses in a bright light color after several years without being able to leave».
On September 7, the Honorary and Perpetual Mayoress will leave again towards the village where his encounter with the aborigines took place, on Chimisay beach. Through the Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC), with the category of Historic Site since May 31, 2011, which is the Camino de El Socorro, the güimareros will accompany the Virgin from the church of San Pedro to the hermitage. A pilgrimage whose origin ranges, according to the source, between 379 and 179 years. In 2019, the participation was 80,000 people, according to the organization.
