50.000 attended Fiestas Lustrales

The highlight of the Fiestas Lustrales is the arrival of the Virgen de Guadalupe by boat procession
(Images: gomeranoticias.com)

The recent Fiestas Lustrales, held in San Sebastian de La Gomera and around the island every five years to celebrate the 'bajada' of La Gomera's patron saint 'Virgen de Guadalupe', attracted more than 50.000 revellers to the many events held from late September to mid October. This is all the more remarkable when you consider that La Gomera's total population is only 20.000. The highlight of the Fiestas Lustrales is the arrival of the saint by boat procession from her remote coastal chapel north of the capital and the following procession through the town. According to the mayor of the town Adasat Reyes the many visitors are supposed to have spent more than five million Euros in San Sebastian de La Gomera during the long fiesta period.

...and she's going down again

The great fiesta continues and so do the processions. Just a short while ago Nuestra Sñora de Los Reyes passed over the bridge in Valle Gran Rey to spend a while in the lower parts of the valley east of it, continuing her BAJADA of 2017/18 program (click for more). Apologies for the poor quality mobile phone images.

Fiesta del Carmen 2017 starts today

Summer time is the main fiesta time in the Canary Islands and now it is the turn of the 'Fiesta del Carmen' which is celebrated in many seaside towns, harbours and fishing villages. This fiesta involves a procession by boat and here in Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera, it is one of the major fiestas in the sheer endless fiesta calendar. Carmen is the patron saint of the fishermen of Vueltas harbour where the fiesta is celebrated in the port from this morning and festivities continue all next week. 

The boat procession is today, July 16th 2017, from 5pm and you can join in the fun by just queueing for a place on one of the many participating boats, but be prepared to get wet - not only on the outside - as the drink flows freely. There'll be a fireworks display in the harbour just before midnight tonight, followed by salsa-dancing all night until the early hours of the morning. Highlights on other days include a reggae night with two bands on Thursday, children's amusements, DJs, folklore groups, etc., during Valle Gran Rey's largest fiesta. 

Programme for festive season 2016 in VGR

Above is the programme for the Christmas and New Year season in Valle Gran Rey (click image to enlarge). The New Year's Eve and New Year's Day fiestas take place in the harbour of Vueltas this year.
It all culminates in the main Christmas fiesta on January 6th 2017 at the chapel above El Guro/Casa de la Seda which begins as always with the procession from La Calera at midday.