What Sundance actually is

For many returning visitors, Sundance is the real highlight of the Pride week — ahead of the parade, ahead of the galas on the Yumbo stage, ahead of everything else. The reason lies in an unusual mix of atmosphere and choreography. The Ocean Club Maspalomas has a very large main pool and over 200 sun loungers, and sits a few hundred metres from the Yumbo Centre. The event fills that pool for twelve hours with a coordinated DJ rotation that switches every half hour or so.

The official description from organiser Freedom Asociación LGBT is strikingly direct: «Pool, beats and pure celebration. Bodies shining under the sun of Gran Canaria. A free, diverse and absolutely electrifying atmosphere.» The ambition: not just a big party, but a memorable moment in the festival arc.

Schedule Sundance (yesterday)

Doors opened at 12:00 sharp. At 13:00 Jonatan Tamayo from Spain took the booth — a regular on the island's big Pride events and a reliable atmosphere builder with a house-leaning open format. From 15:00 the Venezuelan José Rendón played, followed by Rafha Madrid from Spain at 17:00.

The dramaturgical peak came at 19:00, when Spain's 2025 Eurovision representative Melody performed live on the poolside stage. It was her first Pride appearance — the organiser brought her to Maspalomas in the wake of her Eurovision success. Right after, at 19:30, Brazilian DJ Melques Viber took over and ran the party to its 22:00 finale. In parallel, the Hotel Axel Beach hosted the simultaneous Lady's Lab pool party — a women-focused format with its own DJ lineup.

Today Saturday the parade, tomorrow Sunday the closing

Today, Saturday 9 May, is parade day. At 16:00 the Desfile del Orgullo sets off from the Hotel Riu Palace, runs along Avenida de Tirajana, turns into Avenida de Gran Canaria and ends at the Yumbo. Over 20 floats are expected, including the Pride, Lady's Lab and Freedom platforms, each with two levels, an open bar and live DJs. Spanish actress Loles León reads the 2026 manifesto and performs two pieces live. RTVE broadcasts the parade nationally — reach far beyond the island.

Sunday closes the week with the Ice Cream Pool Party at Hotel Seven Maspalomas (13:00–21:00) and the Sunday Night Pride Closing Show at the Yumbo. The closing gala features Matt Terry (UK) and Canarian pop star Agoney. The FREEDOM Closing Party «Beyond the Stars» wraps the festival from 23:59.

The 25th anniversary and its theme

This year's Pride runs under the motto «Nuestra historia, su legado, nuestro orgullo» — Our history, their legacy, our pride. The focus is on older members of the LGBTQ+ community. Festival director Fernando Ilarduya put the core point this way at the programme launch: many older members of the community face old age «in loneliness or with the fear of having to go back into hiding». His response: announcing a fund to launch the first dedicated home for LGBTQ+ seniors.

Cabildo de Gran Canaria president Antonio Morales defended the festival at the official launch as a response to rising intolerance: diversity is «a richness against the rise of intolerance», with Maspalomas representing an «open and free space». San Bartolomé de Tirajana mayor Marco Aurelio Pérez called the festival «one of the most important events in the municipality».

Seven instead of eleven days — the funding question

Despite the anniversary, 2026 marks the shortest Maspalomas Pride in years. The traditional eleven festival days have been cut to seven — Monday 4 to Sunday 10 May. The reasoning sits in an official statement from Freedom Asociación LGBT on the organiser's website. It cites «the lack of institutional and private commitment to an event that benefits the entire community».

Two specific items are mentioned: four years of unpaid subsidies from the San Bartolomé de Tirajana council, and the cancellation of regional government funding for the 2025 edition. Two facts frame the conflict — the festival generated, according to the organiser, an economic impact of 150 million euros for the island in 2025, and despite the cut 2026 still ranks among Spain's largest LGBTQ+ events alongside Madrid, Sitges, Torremolinos, Barcelona and Benidorm.

Practical notes for visitors

Sundance was a ticketed event — entry only with advance booking via the official website or, if available, at the door. Ocean Club Maspalomas sits about a five-minute walk from the Yumbo Centre. For today's parade from 16:00, expect road closures across Playa del Inglés, particularly along Avenida de Tirajana and Avenida de Gran Canaria. If you are coming in from outside, allow at least an hour of buffer; bus routes are diverted.

The Yumbo itself is the night-time hub of Pride — over 30 LGBTQ+ bars, all close together. The Plaza de Yumbo turns into Pride Park, with a large stage, gala-grade lighting and sound, drag shows and free entry for all evening live events. Hotel availability across the Pride week is tight — most central properties are booked. If you arrive without a reservation, the bungalow complexes outside the centre, around Sonnenland, often still have rooms.

Frequently asked questions

When and where is the Sundance pool party?
Sundance took place yesterday, Friday 8 May 2026, from 12:00 to 22:00 at Ocean Club Maspalomas. Eurovision star Melody appeared on the pool stage at 19:00.
Which DJs are playing?
Schedule: 13:00 Jonatan Tamayo (Spain), 15:00 José Rendón (Venezuela), 17:00 Rafha Madrid (Spain), 19:30 Melques Viber (Brazil). Open format before and between.
How long does the Pride festival run?
Until Sunday 10 May. The main parade departs from the Hotel Riu Palace on Saturday at 16:00 — TVE broadcasts it live. The closing is the Ice Cream Pool Party at the Hotel Seven plus the Yumbo Closing Show with Matt Terry and Agoney.
Why is Pride 2026 only one week instead of two?
Organiser Freedom Asociación LGBT cut the usual 11-day festival to seven days. The reasons: four years of unpaid subsidies from the San Bartolomé de Tirajana council and the cancellation of regional government funding for 2025.
Where do the events take place?
Sundance: Ocean Club Maspalomas. Lady's Lab: Hotel Axel Beach. Friday Pride Night Live, House of Dragula and all galas: Plaza de Yumbo (Pride Park). Ice Cream Pool Party: Hotel Seven Maspalomas.