What changes for visitors and residents?

The Las Canteras sand nativity is cancelled in full for winter 2026/27. The organisers confirmed the cancellation on the morning of 12 November 2026.

Anyone from the south of the island who planned a trip to the capital for it can drop the journey to the beach. Nobody has announced a replacement so far, and there are no dates, prices or deadlines.

Entry was always free, and visitors could donate if they wished. The money went to social causes, most recently to soup kitchens (comedores sociales).

Why are the organisers cancelling the sand nativity?

Promoter Aday Rodríguez gives a financial reason. The money could not be raised, and the city's contribution is not enough to produce the event.

He went on to say that the city's contribution had not kept pace with the growing demands. He added a wish: “Hopefully that can change in future.”

The organisers wrote in their statement: “Nothing breaks our hearts more than having to cancel this edition.” No new plan existed, and work had not begun on the beach.

Tourism councillor Pedro Quevedo regretted the cancellation and gave the city's contribution as 72,170 euros for 2025 and 75,000 euros for 2026. The Cabildo (island government) had not commented by the time of publication, and what the sand nativity actually cost has not been published.

How big had the sand nativity become?

It all began in 2006 with eight artists and eight sculptures. In the first week it drew 40,000 visits, and by the end of the year the organisers counted 180,000 visitors.

By 2015 visitor numbers topped 200,000. In 2018, according to the organisers, 244,766 people came, and the total since 2006 passed two million.

The sculptures soon showed more than classic nativity scenes. In 2011 the Roque Nublo, the pine forests of the peaks and the Maspalomas lighthouse stood on the beach in sand.

The British newspaper The Times rated it in 2020. It counted the event among the seven most important Christmas events in the world.

2024 brought the record of 259,305 visitors. It also brought the Premio Roque Nublo de Plata and the Bien Cultural de Paz award.

Who organised and paid for the sand nativity?

The Cabildo backed the event through Turismo de Gran Canaria and its Presidencia and Cultura departments. Private sponsors came on top.

Nobody has published a budget or a cost total so far. There is also no entry in the Canarian official gazette (BOC) or the Spanish state gazette (BOE), because it was a city tourism event.

Organiser Aday Rodríguez puts the media reach of the 19th edition at more than 73 million people. He gives the advertising value as just under 6.4 million euros and the economic impact as more than 14 million euros; the figures have not been independently verified.

According to published figures, 273,142.47 euros in donations came in over 20 years. The money went to the Asociación Española contra el Cáncer, to the Red Cross and, most recently, to soup kitchens.

In 2024/25 donations came to 24,000 euros. Of that, 18,000 euros came from visitor donations and 6,000 euros from the Fundación la Caixa.

How did the last edition in 2025 go?

The 20th edition was dedicated to Gran Canaria and the artist Néstor Martín-Fernández de la Torre. Eleven sculptors worked on it, and more than a dozen sculptures were made.

It did not open until 15 December 2025, instead of the planned 5 December. The date first slipped to 12 December, and the city cited only unforeseen circumstances.

Jimena Delgado, spokesperson for the opposition party PP, spoke of improvisation by the government of mayor Carolina Darias. The PP said the delay made it harder to sign international artists and cut donations.

What happens next?

Whether there will be a sand nativity in 2027 is open. Reports say the event ends “at least this year”, and nothing more.

The Cabildo has not yet commented, and neither the Ayuntamiento (city council) nor the Cabildo has announced a replacement on the beach. Whether the city's Christmas programme includes an alternative is not known.

Anyone planning the holidays in Las Palmas should keep an eye on the Ayuntamiento's official programme. The organisers have not published any further statements about 2027.