The neighbors of Icod de los Vinos, San Juan de la Rambla and La Guancha Yesterday they started warming up their engines to live today in style one of the most anticipated festivals in the region, that of Saint Andrew.
Yesterday, the schoolchildren opened the season of boards and cars and slid down the steepest streets of the three municipalities, a tradition that survives over time, is transmitted from generation to generation, and in which there is no distinction between sexes or ages.
In the City of Drago, Franceses Street was chosen by the little ones for the first drags, which this year were extended to three days, December 28, 29 and 30. Starting at five in the afternoon, the public’s “favorite” places for launching, such as Hércules, El Plano, San Antonio, El Salto and El Sol streets, were closed to traffic and disused tires were placed at the end to cushion the bumps and falls.
A large device made up of Civil Protection, health means, security bodies and forces and City Council personnel will ensure that the celebration of this tradition takes place with maximum security until tomorrow.
The City of Drago yesterday officially kicked off this festival with the institutional ceremony of uncorking the first bottle of the 2023 harvest, held in the Plaza de Lorenzo Cáceres. The winemaker and winemaker Orlando Acosta was the person who acted as maintainer in this traditional event in which the figure of Fernando González, Séneca, from the Cueva del Rey winery, who recently died, was also remembered.
La Guancha did the same and this year the programming for San Andrés extends four days, the first time it reaches the month of December. One of the “highlights” such as the ‘Wines, tapas and tables’ event was changed to day 1 since it was considered a better date as it coincided with the weekend. More than a dozen roads in the town were prohibited for the circulation of vehicles to guarantee the safety of young and old who enjoy one of the most consolidated traditions in the municipality.
Yesterday the IES students took part in the traditional escape to go to La Caldera Street, near the centre, and jump off the boards and the children from the Plus Ultra school will do the same today.
The programming takes place in the La Palmita area, which is the route that traditionally concentrates the most participants and allows you to enjoy the good atmosphere that the ventorrillos provide.
With a calmer atmosphere, the neighboring municipality of San Juan de la Rambla also started dragging carts and boards in five streets yesterday. Specifically, Molino de Viento, in San José, Los Quinteros street in La Vera, El Ropero in Las Rosas, the one adjacent to La Caldereta in San Juan and El Chorro in Las Aguas were closed from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. providing them with the necessary security so that adults and children can launch with all the guarantees and the minimization of damage.
The same schedule will be maintained today and tomorrow and Molino de Viento Street will be the epicenter of the celebration with thematic children’s and youth workshops, entertainment and performances by the Timcua group, today at 6:00 p.m. and the Atahona party on Thursday at same hour. In addition, thanks to the collaboration of the San José Festival Commission, during these days there will be a stand for tasting chestnuts and wines, two typical products of this festival that cannot be missed on the terraces of bars, restaurants and stalls in the street of the three northern towns.
