What highlights are still to come?
On Friday, 9 October, Falete performs, followed by a dance event with the Orquesta Furia Joven. This is set out in the programme published by RTVC.
On Saturday, 10 October, the fifth dance festival "Guanarteme es Danza" begins. In the evening, the drag queen gala takes place, hosted by Roberto Herrera and Tamito, with Natalia from OT 1. Los Salvapantallas play afterwards.
On Sunday, 11 October, there is a children's party with a foam bath and water slides. At 18:00, the traditional pilgrimage sets off from Calle Pavía. At midnight, a fireworks display is planned on Las Canteras beach at the level of the Alfredo Kraus sculpture.
On Monday, 12 October, a procession, a public paella and a concert by the female group Tacones Rojos follow. King África closes the festivities from 16:00.
What was on offer in the first week of the festival?
The festivities began on Wednesday, 30 September, with the parade of the Papagüevos and the Banda Aborigen. At 20:00, Baby Solano, presenter and reporter for Televisión Canaria, gave the opening speech. This was followed by the gala to choose the festival queen and Miss Guanarteme 2026 with Tamara.
On 1 October, the XXI Festival Folclórico de las Comunidades took place with groups from the Canary Islands, Aragón, Extremadura and Venezuela. The parade went from Calle Pelayo along Avenida de Las Canteras to the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus.
On 2 October, the first murga gathering "Batallas de Chio-Chio" was held with groups from Gran Canaria and Tenerife. It ended with a concert by the group Aseres.
On 3 October, the programme included the Verbena del Perro with DJ Fano Sánchez, Grupo Acuarela and Savia Nueva, as well as the final gala of the playback competition "Todo por la Corona Canarias" with Satín Greco, winner of Drag Race España 5.
What makes the Encuentro de Papagüevos special?
On 4 October, the XXI Encuentro de Papagüevos took place with figures from Guanarteme, San Lorenzo, Schamann and San Isidro de Gáldar. The event began at 11:00.
From 10:00, children could see and photograph the figures on the Plaza del Pilar. The Encuentro de Papagüevos is considered one of the most traditional elements of the Fiestas del Pilar programme.
The Papagüevos are oversized figures carried through the neighbourhood during parades. They connect the festivities with the folk culture of Gran Canaria.
What does the festival mean for residents and visitors?
The events are spread across streets and squares in the neighbourhood as well as the area around Playa de Las Canteras. The published programme announcement does not mention any fees, access restrictions or registration requirements.
For residents, road closures can affect daily life. On 4 October, according to Canarias7, closures were planned from 09:00 to 14:20 in the northbound direction. Up to 14 bus routes were expected to be affected.
The exact list of diversions is not included in the available sources. Visitors should check the channels of the Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria before travelling.
What is the history of the Guanarteme neighbourhood?
At the end of the 19th century, Guanarteme was a barely inhabited sandy area. In the first decades of the 20th century, it grew with working-class families connected to the Puerto de La Luz.
The Fiestas del Pilar are recognised as a Fiesta de la Ciudad by the Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. They make Guanarteme a central meeting point of the city for almost two weeks.
What remains open?
The sources do not provide detailed times for every programme item from 5 to 8 October. There is also no information on costs, event cancellations, accessibility or additional road closures on 11 and 12 October.
No official document with budget, contracts or sponsors has been published in the available results. The total budget of the festivities therefore cannot be quantified.
The definitive version remains the full programme published by the Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Short-notice changes are possible.