Mother of all fiestas on La Gomera

Programme

After countless fiestas over the summer and one major celebration (Alajero) ongoing, now is the time for the 'big one' to begin. This is the Fiestas Lustrales, when the island saint Virgen de Guadalupe is going on a procession to every community on the island. This event happenes only once every five years and is called a 'bajada'. There are numerous religious, sports, cultural and popular events taking place to mark the occasion. The programme is stretched over a period of three months (!), starting tomorrow and finishin on December 14th when the Virgen de Guadalupe returns home to the peace and quiet of her little chapel by the sea at a remote beach north of the capital. Some events will even be shown on TV and thousands are expected to travel here to attend. In the island's capital San Sebastian de la Gomera it will be difficult to find accommodation for the main events. Due to the financial crisis this year's programme is not quite as ambitious as that of the last Fiestas Lustrales in 2008. That time even international top acts like Alpha Blondie

Alpha Blondie, La Gomera '08

were seen on La Gomera between gigs in New York and Paris. However this year's programme will see another good reggae night with two bands, several folklore music events, classical, rock and pop, world music and the ubiquitous salsa music nights. All that is framed by art events, exhibitions, fairs, sports events, etc.,etc, and topped up with a massive fireworks display. 
...and I forgot to mention that another fiesta runs for 10 days from Sat., Sept.14th 2013, in Agulo. You just can't keep up with all of them...