La Gomera: a world championship you can watch from the roadside
The hub and the finish is Vallehermoso; the routes pass through Agulo, Hermigua, San Sebastián and Valle Gran Rey — right across an island that almost everywhere goes either steeply up or steeply down. Organiser: gomeraparadise.com.
Saturday 19: the Ultra Sky over 77 kilometres and the Miel de Palma Sky Marathon over 43. Sunday 20: the Sky Race over 30 kilometres. Those are the distances RTVC gives; the world federation lists different figures for the championship classification (a 4.9 km Vertical on Friday, then 63 and 29 km). Both are right: the open race and the championship share the same weekend. Start times for the individual races are unconfirmed, and watching is free.
Fuerteventura: La Peña, the biggest fiesta of the weekend
Vega de Río Palmas (Betancuria) celebrates the island's patron saint. Friday 18, 17:00: the Romería-Ofrenda sets off from the police cordon at Antigua — traditional dress, carts, folk groups, and at the end of the valley a shrine that has to absorb everything that arrives. Fireworks at 00:30, according to the programme.
Saturday 19: the image is carried to the plaza and the Bishop of the Canaries celebrates the solemn Eucharist; then ranchos, folklore, a livestock show, a communal stew and dancing in the evening. Sunday 20: Canarian wrestling. No admission is charged anywhere. The organisers ask people not to drive up; the special buses come with a rule that catches people out every year — it is in the tip box.
Tenerife: once in five years — and two festivals by the sea
Arico: the Gran Bajada de la Virgen de Abona, part of the Fiestas Lustrales. Saturday 19, 08:00 down from the Villa to the coast, with mass on arrival at Punta de Abona; 20:30 the evening procession with fireworks; Sunday 20, 16:00 back up again. On the stages: Parranda Chasnera, Parranda Malpeis, DJ Danny Méndez, St. Pedro, Orquesta Tropín, The Boys Machine.
El Médano (Granadilla): Friday 18, 22:00 an eighties night, Saturday 19, 20:30 mass, procession and fireworks. The finest moment comes Sunday around 12:30: at the 19th Romería Barquera the ox-carts move along the shore while boats travel alongside them in the bay. Five orchestras in the evening.
San Miguel de Abona: Friday 18, 21:00 a gala with the comedian Kike Pérez. Saturday 19, 13:00 the Bendita Gula food festival, 16:00 the Spanish BMX Championship at Las Chafiras, continuing Sunday from 09:00 according to Sol del Sur. Whether admission is free is not stated there.
Gran Canaria: a voice, a wind band and a kick-off
Dulce Pontes sings on Saturday 19 at 19:00 at the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus (Sala Jerónimo Saavedra). The hall bills the Concierto íntimo as part of the gala of the IV Premios Internacionales AGLAYA, at which Elsa López and Rossy de Palma are also honoured. Sunday 20 at 18:00 the Banda de la Federación de Gran Canaria plays in the same hall.
Football: UD Las Palmas v Burgos CF, Sunday 20, 17:30, Estadio de Gran Canaria, on GOL, Movistar and DAZN according to Canarias7. Theatre: La tabernera del puerto opens the zarzuela season at the Teatro Pérez Galdós, Friday and Saturday at 20:00; at the Teatro Cuyás, Malquerida by Jacinto Benavente, Friday and Saturday at 19:30.
La Palma: 800 drums in Los Llanos
The Batucada Fest turns ten, and you can hear it for miles. From 17 to 19 September, more than 800 percussionists in 24 groups play on the Plaza Juan Pablo II in Los Llanos de Aridane — from all seven islands, from Mallorca, with guests from Bahía, Colombia and the United States (eldiario.es / La Palma Ahora). That this is the first time it runs over three days we could not confirm.
One for the diary: the Caballos Fufos of Tazacorte, dancers inside brightly coloured paper horses with decorated floats — Monday 28 September from 20:00, with the principal day on Tuesday 29 from a 06:30 diana with giants and hot chocolate.
Lanzarote and El Hierro: zarzuela, 2.6 kilometres of sea, plenty of engine
Lanzarote: La verbena de la Paloma at the Festival de Ópera de Lanzarote, Saturday 19, 19:00, Teatro Municipal de Tías; tickets via ecoentradas.com. The same day at around 12:30 the XXX Travesía a Nado "El Río" starts: 2.6 kilometres of open water across to La Graciosa, finishing at Caleta del Sebo. Entries are closed and watching is free; the source names no official viewing point.
El Hierro: from Thursday to Sunday the El Hierro The End Route Harley-Davidson 2026 rolls across the island. Saturday 19, 19:00 Habemus Teatro performs Fábrica de Emociones at the Centro Cultural Asabanos, Valverde. Sunday 20, 17:30 the Fiesta del Puerto de La Estaca in honour of San Telmo; at 11:00 water activities for young people at Tacorón, La Frontera.