Gran Canaria this weekend: Orishas, BRESH and two club nights at the Yumbo

The highlight: Orishas, BRESH and two nights at Club Kiki

Two stages share this Saturday, and they could hardly be further apart — geographically or musically. Out west, in La Aldea de San Nicolás, Orishas play the Avenida San Nicolás. The Cuban hip-hop project around Yotuel Romero opens the III Festival Palmeras and with it the patron-saint fiestas of San Nicolás de Tolentino. Doors at 20.30, winding up around two. Also on the bill: Aduen Amaya, Nueva Vibra and DJ Antonio Boada.

At the same hour in the south, BRESH Gran Canaria takes over Campo 1 at the Ciudad Deportiva Maspalomas — the Argentinian party franchise that bills itself «la fiesta más linda del mundo» and now plays every sizeable Spanish city. Open air, 18.00 to 24.00, over-18s, reggaeton, pop, dancehall and disco. This is Maspalomas edition number ten. The promoter does not publish individual DJ names — with BRESH the brand is the line-up. Anyone still hoping to go pays considerably more now: every tier up to 45 euros has sold out, the current price is 50 euros general and 60 for the VIP zone, both with open bar, and the next step up is 55 and 65. The Bono Cultural is accepted and there is no re-entry.

If you go out for the music rather than the stage, though, the real story of this weekend is inside the Yumbo. Club Kiki on the third floor — the former Scala Heaven — runs two international nights back to back. Friday brings Krenon, billed as his first time in the Canaries, with schranz, industrial and hard techno from 23.00 until four. Saturday the same room turns inside out: DOOM Destination lists HUGEL, Ultra Naté, Imael Angel and Romen Suarez Mayoral, again 23.00 to 4.00. Two nights, two opposites, one room.

The reason so much stacks up on these three days is in the calendar: Saturday is the Assumption, a public holiday across Spain. That makes Friday and Saturday nights both full going-out nights, and the villages schedule their romerías and verbenas accordingly. For Saturday the picture has actually improved: the Canary government lifted the forest-fire alert for Gran Canaria at 8.00 on Saturday morning, and the heat pre-alert had already ended on Friday evening. What remains is the seasonal pre-alert that runs all summer, so the romerías in Artenara, Firgas and Tejeda go ahead unrestricted. Saturday stays dry, 27 degrees on the coast and around 30 in the south. Sunday is when it turns: AEMET puts the chance of rain in the north and the centre of the island at 55 to 70 per cent, highest in Arucas and Guía and 60 per cent in Las Palmas. Anyone planning the Firgas fiestas or the Fontanales fair should pack a jacket. The south is spared, with 10 per cent and less.

Friday 14 August

Tardeo A Lo Bestia — Fiesta del Agua 2. The south starts early: a water party from 17.00 at Campo 1, Ciudad Deportiva Maspalomas, running to midnight. On stage Armonía Show, Paco Guedes, Pedro Afonso, Yet Garbey, Savia Nueva and JayMilan La Cinturita TiTi, plus a guest DJ. Food trucks, water pistols, swimwear. The cheap tiers have gone: the only ticket left is the 20-euro one, which does include a drink, a cup and entry to the Socarrat Fest on Sunday. Over-18s.

Magnolia at Holiday World. A new Friday series on the El Patio terrace at Holiday World Maspalomas, Avenida Touroperador Tui in Sonnenland, 18.00 to 24.00, house and disco. Entry is free before 20.00, then 10 euros in advance with one drink or 15 with two; tinto de verano and beer are included for the first 90 minutes, and parking is free for four hours. Over-19s.

COTI in Santa María de Guía. The Argentinian singer-songwriter plays the Plaza Grande at 22.00 as part of the Fiestas de La Virgen. At midnight a large video mapping is projected onto the church facade, then the verbena de amanecida with Star Music, Furia Joven and DJ Airam Vega carries on until morning.

Krenon at Club Kiki. Unity Dark and BlackRitual bring the hard-techno producer to the third floor of the Yumbo, into the room many still know as Scala Heaven. From 23.00 to four. Tickets are tiered: early bird 15 euros plus 1.50 booking fee, general 20 plus 2, advance door 25 plus 2.50. The promoters say further names will be announced.

Mason Collective in Meloneras. At midnight — technically already Saturday — the British trio take over Mamajuana Club on Calle Mar Blanco in the KopaZ centre. House until six in the morning, 15 euros, over-23s, limited capacity. That gives the south two international bookings on the same night, about ten minutes apart by car.

Artenara, Bajada de la Virgen de la Cuevita. At 19.30 the figure of the Virgin is carried down from her cave shrine to the parish church of San Matías, accompanied by the Parranda El Estampío. The pregón follows at 21.30 in the cultural centre, and from 22.30 there is a verbena with the New Sabrosa Band and Orquesta Melody.

Firgas. The Fiestas de San Roque open with Ryan Milo y Gabriele at 21.00 at the Recinto Eresmascrema, after which DJ Alessio García takes over.

In Las Palmas the Fiestas de San Lorenzo hold their Noche Latina: Tutto Durán with «Un paseo por las estrellas» at 22.00, with the audience asked to wear white. Also free and outdoors, Las Arenas Music on the main terrace of CC Las Arenas with Edu El Podenco y La Rehala and Los Salvapantallas from 19.00. At the Buenos Aires Jazz Café in Vegueta, Reynier Mariño and Marisol Guillama play at 21.00 for 6 euros, with Joana Cerpa following at 23.00. Imaginario Drinks & Music has Klaus Wildcat and «Heartbeats & Shadows» at 21.00 for 8 euros. Sala Canarias en Vivo runs «Karaoke From Hell» from 20.00 — metal backing tracks and air guitar — while Marta Bolaños and Misael Jordán sing boleros at the Rincón del Bolero from 22.30, and comedian Aarón Gómez brings «De cerca» to the Círculo Mercantil at 20.30, free.

Cinema on the sand. Arucas screens outdoors and free all through August, right on Playa El Puertillo, at 21.30. This Friday it is «Jaws» — a shark film shown metres from the water, a joke the town appears to be in on. The cycle runs Fridays and Saturdays only.

Inland the fiestas continue: the Romería of the Virgen del Buen Suceso in El Carrizal (Ingenio) from 19.00, followed by a Noche de Orquestas; the Bajada de la Rama in Veneguera (Mogán) at 19.30 with a verbena from 23.30; a Manuel Carrasco tribute in Agaete at 23.00; and a verbena in Tenoya from 23.00 with fireworks at midnight. In the south, away from the resort strip, Noelia Vera sings at 22.30 at Bar La Petanca in Castillo del Romeral.

Saturday 15 August

Orishas in La Aldea and BRESH in Maspalomas carry the evening — both described above.

DOOM Destination at Club Kiki. The biggest club night of the weekend in the south: HUGEL, the French producer behind «Morenita» and «WTF», and Ultra Naté, whose «Free» has been house-music furniture since 1997, with Imael Angel and Romen Suarez Mayoral alongside. Yumbo, third floor, Avenida Estados Unidos, 23.00 to 4.00. That two names of this size share a room that hosted hard techno the night before says something about the centre programming this summer.

SANSA XL / AIRSANSA. Third edition of the afro and latin house festival at the Aeródromo de Maspalomas in Tarajalillo, 15.00 to 2.00, strictly over-25s, free beer for the first 90 minutes. Sales have reached the ninth tier: 45 euros general admission. It is no longer a straight purchase but a pre-registration — the amount is held on your card and charged only once the promoter approves it, with confirmation by email. Tickets are named, ID is checked on the door, and once you leave you cannot come back in. The running order is now out: tekklas opens at 15.00, followed by mikedjoficial and Yas Cepeda, the German house duo andhim takes over at 20.00, then Dani Aguilar b2b Juangito and Bandi2, with Lospicy closing from 00.45 to 2.00.

University Summer 2026. From 23.59 until six in the morning at the Oasis Gran Canaria in Maspalomas: two stages, one electronic and one main, open bar, food trucks, over-18s. Tickets from 30 euros. Here too the promoter has published no line-up.

Rainbow Family at the Parque Europeo. The Rainbow Family Mile sets off at 19.30 over 1.6 kilometres and the Rainbow 5K at 20.00, with colour powder along the route, in aid of the Fundación Pequeño Valiente. Los Salvapantallas play open air afterwards. Race registration has closed; the concert is open to everyone.

Firgas, the big day. The procession of the Peregrinos at 13.00, then the traditional Romería Canaria at 19.00 — the fiftieth edition, which makes it one of the major romerías of the island August. At 23.45 the III Verbena Sanroqueña with Armonía Show and DJ Alex Polanía, fireworks at midnight.

Santa María de Guía. Patron-saint day: Aithamy DJ at 20.00, then Café Quijano on the Plaza Grande at 21.00, followed by a verbena with La Mekánica by Tamarindos, Leyenda Joven, DJ Javi Row and Pronova DJ. During the day, Carrera de Cintas and Batalla de Flores.

Artenara opens at 12.00 with the repique and a collective blowing of conch shells on the Plaza de San Matías — bring your own and join in. From early afternoon a free festival follows with Los Salvapantallas, Kalima Limón and Armonía Show; the official programme says 14.00, the press release 13.00.

In Las Palmas the Coldplay tribute «Paradise» at 22.00 closes the Fiestas de San Lorenzo, with Las Ladys del Swing playing the verbena from 23.45. At Club La Biblioteca in Vegueta, L-Gante takes the stage — the Argentinian RKT artist, announced as his only Canary Islands date, doors 21.30, over-18s. Sala Canarias en Vivo has an Elvis tribute with Aaron White & The Pelvis Band at 22.00; the Buenos Aires Jazz Café has the Naim Duo at 21.00 and an open karaoke at 23.00 with no cover. Imaginario has Tony and the Jumpers at 21.00. On the terrace of CC Las Arenas, the emerging-artists series LPA Emergente 2026 runs from 20.00, free. For a gentler start, the roof of the Hotel Cristina by Tigotan screens «Grease» open air from 20.30 with a snack and a drink, and the Vinófilos wine bar in Triana holds its Summer Closing with a DJ between 18.00 and 22.00. For the techno crowd, Resident Advisor also lists Simetric Techno, 23.00 to 9.00, with Mesh Convergence, Xtazy, Marheal, DRK. Horizon and OBS-ID. The venue was still unnamed on Saturday morning and will be announced at short notice; tickets are tiered at 10, 15 and 20 euros.

In the north, Agaete is worth the drive: the «Verbena del Perro» runs at the Puerto de las Nieves from 15.30 to midnight, free. In Arucas the beach cinema at Playa El Puertillo shows «Superman» at 21.30, and at the Museo La Fortaleza in Santa Lucía de Tirajana a «Noches de Estrellas» guided visit starts at 21.30.

At the Maspalomas lighthouse, the Parranda Los Apañaos — made up of members of Los Gofiones — play the craft-fair music evening at 20.00. In Playa del Inglés, Noelia Vera sings from 20.00 at IL MIO CAFFÉ on Avenida de Italia, and Restaurante «Que Pasa Tío…?» on Avenida de Tirajana runs its weekly karaoke from 19.00.

Sunday 16 August

Socarrat Fest. The first Canarian festival devoted entirely to rice dishes, 13.00 to 23.00 at Campo 1 in Maspalomas: some fifteen island restaurants, open fire, and towards evening the whole thing slides into a tardeo. Kilian Viera and Pedro Afonso handle the music, with a DJ alongside. The 10-euro early-bird tier has sold out; entry now costs 15 euros including a drink and a cup, with individual rice portions at around 8 euros.

Sunday Fest and ViveMarket. Eighth and sixth editions respectively, also at Campo 1, 16.00 to 23.00. Stalls until 21.00, concerts from 18.00 to 23.00. Pedro Afonso remains the only confirmed name; the promoter has left the rest open. The ticketing has shifted: Mastaquilla now lists the sale as closed, and the festival is bookable through Fourvenues and El Corte Inglés, from 7.50 euros. The Bono Cultural is accepted, all ages are admitted, and there is no re-entry.

Firgas celebrates San Roque. The diana with drums and trumpets at 7.30, a craft market on the plaza from 10.00, livestock fair and procession at 13.00. The evening belongs to the VI Encuentro Regional de Solistas «La Noche de San Roque» at 21.00, with Eugenia Cabrera, Simón Artiles, Oliver Cabrera, Patricia Muñoz, Almudena Hernández and Marey Martín.

Sunday evening in the east. The Ático Terraza Lounge in Agüimes runs «White Summer» by Ático x Bucang from 17.00 to midnight, amapiano, hip hop and afrobeats for 10 euros — one of the few addresses where a Canarian Sunday genuinely picks up speed again. Much quieter at the same hour: the Sunset Sessions at Bodega Los Lirios with DJ Supersonikka, 16.00 to 22.00.

In Santa María de Guía, Omayra Cazorla plays in front of the Ermita de San Roque at 20.00, preceded by traditional games and a papagüevos parade. In Agaete the Fiestas de Las Nieves close with the Retreta at the Puerto de las Nieves, 22.00 until two, with fireworks over the water — the Rama itself was back at the start of August. In Las Palmas, San Lorenzo finishes at midday: the Verbena del Solajero from 14.00 with Haché Tamarindos and Yony y Aya, then the closing traca. In the morning the first Feria de la Papa is held at the Mercado Agrícola, and the Mercado del Puerto runs its «Domingos de música» slot between 12.30 and 14.00, act unnamed. The capital keeps little back for the evening: DJ Prakash plays rhythm and blues for the Soul Train series at Restaurante Nativo between 17.00 and 20.00, and Imaginario has a Tardeo Rockero from 21.30 to 23.30.

For a greener Sunday: Fontanales in Moya hosts the Feria KM.0 from 9.00 to 14.00 with island producers, cheese from Fontanales foremost among them, free entry — it also opens on Saturday at the same hours.

El Vega Life in El Carrizal. The Fiestas del Buen Suceso in El Carrizal (Ingenio) close on Sunday: mass and the San Roque procession at 19.00, then El Vega Life in concert at 21.00 on the Plaza del Buen Suceso. Free entry.

In the south, Sunday is traditionally the quiet day. Café Mozart 2 in CC Anexo II starts its late-morning session with live music from 11.00, and the 19th «Verano Sur» craft fair at the Maspalomas lighthouse opens for the last time, free. The Yumbo takes no Sunday off — the shows run as on any other night.

Las Palmas: the clubs

The capital splits its nightlife across three districts. In Vegueta and Triana the biggest room is Alboroto at Calle Remedios 10 — the former Paper Club, renamed after its refit. Thursday to Saturday, 23.00 to 5.00, no advance sales, 15 euros at the door with one drink or 20 with two, minimum age 25, smart dress. Open Friday and Saturday, no DJ announced. A few streets away on Calle Pelota, La Biblioteca has L-Gante on Saturday. Quieter, with a view over the old town: the La Azotea de Benito roof terrace at CC Monopol, Friday and Saturday from 20.00, booked in time slots.

On the Playa de las Canteras, the Moma Club sits at Paseo 38, Friday and Saturday from midnight to six. Tao Club & Garden in the Jardines Alonso Quesada is the open-air alternative: terrace and garden, until half three midweek and half five on Friday and Saturday. For live music there is La Guarida del Blues at Paseo 77 — though nothing is announced there this weekend.

The third hub is Santa Catalina and the port. Fortuni at Calle Martínez de Escobar 1 is the district heavyweight, 900 square metres over three floors, each with its own sound, Thursday to Saturday from 23.00 to half five. Add Chester Club & Lounge on Calle Simón Bolívar, the El Tendedero de Catalina rooftop at the Bed&Chic (Thursday to Saturday, 17.00 to 2.30) and the Alis Rooftop Bar at the Hotel Santa Catalina, with live music Friday and Saturday between 18.30 and 23.30. Singers head for the karaoke pub Paraninfo Generación X at Calle Canalejas 4.

For live music on a smaller scale, three addresses all have something on this weekend: the Buenos Aires Jazz Café in Vegueta, with concerts Friday and Saturday and an open karaoke late on Saturday; Imaginario Drinks & Music, with Klaus Wildcat on Friday and Tony and the Jumpers on Saturday; and Sala Canarias en Vivo, where Friday «Karaoke From Hell» is followed by a Saturday Elvis tribute. Boleros run both evenings at the Rincón del Bolero.

Two notes to close: El Baladero in El Sebadal, normally the address for electronic subculture, has nothing in the diary for the whole of August. And the Mojo Club on the Ctra. del Rincón is dark this weekend — the Mojo Music Festival starts there on 19 August and runs to the 22nd. One for next week.

The south: Yumbo, CC Cita and the lifestyle scene

The Yumbo Centrum in Playa del Inglés is the island best-known strip after dark — four levels, largely LGBTQ+, open to everyone. The drag and cabaret stages run every night: Ricky’s Cabaret Bar on the ground floor, Sparkles Show Bar on the second with karaoke from 21.00 and a show after, Chez Funny Boy’s on the big terrace from 23.00, plus Buddies, Centre Stage from 21.00 and Terry’s on the second floor. None of them publishes names for a given weekend; the cast changes nightly. The evening starts on the terraces — Spartacus from 20.00, Eiffel, Voulez Vous from 18.00, Gran Café Latino for salsa and merengue, Adonis, and the Wunderbar, one of the few with a fixed weekly plan: Eurovision Night on Fridays, Retro Night on Saturdays.

After midnight the dance bars on the fourth floor take over — Mykonos and Tubos from 23.00, Coco Loco on the boulevard, and last of all Mantrix, which opens at two and runs to six. The centre big room is Club Kiki on the third floor at Avenida Estados Unidos, the old Scala Heaven — and this weekend it carries the whole weight: Krenon and hard techno on Friday, HUGEL and Ultra Naté on Saturday, both nights 23.00 to 4.00. For commercial chart music instead of drag or techno, the Kasbah Centre has China White and Turbo Pub.

The CC Cita sits in the heart of Playa del Inglés, a few steps from the Yumbo, and is the core of the south lifestyle and swinger scene. The largest venue is Swingers Club Secret in the basement on Avenida Alemania: nightclub format with reggaeton and commercial dance, Friday and Saturday 22.00 to 5.00, otherwise to 4.00; couples 20 to 30 euros, women 10, single men 70 and only over 25 with a reservation. Fun4all in the basement is more relaxed, with several playrooms, open Monday to Saturday and closed on Sundays. HOTSPOT Gran Canaria on the second floor is more cocktail bar and meeting point than club, daily 20.00 to 2.00, with resident DJ «No Sugar» on Fridays. One level down, the Comeback Bar has no playrooms by design, open from 20.00 — a place to talk. Then Plan B with its own dance floor, the sauna-club format Tantra in the basement (daily 21.00 to 4.00) and the Majestic GC Swingers Meetingpoint, which also takes in Mario’s Bar. Next door at CC Sandía something has changed: where the 2x2 Swingers Club used to be there is now Infinity SW, closed for the summer until 2 September. Everywhere in this scene entry is adults only, so carry ID.

Closely linked but a world of its own is the cruise and fetish scene. Inside the Yumbo are Cruise Bar on the second floor, running since 1994, Tom’s Cruising Bar next door, which pointedly works without a theme or dress code, The Box also on the second floor (daily 22.00 to 4.00) and, on the ground floor, Strong Construction, open 22.00 to 6.00, 10 euros with a drink. The best-documented weekly plan belongs to NOXON on level two: «Wet & Piss» on Fridays with entry only between 21.00 and 23.00 and an enforced dress code, «Free to Play» on Saturdays with no dress code, and «Daddy» on Sundays for an older crowd. Outside the centre, in the lane behind the Yumbo, The Factory spreads over 400 square metres and two floors — «Hardwire» on Fridays, «Grip» on Saturdays, both 21.00 to 4.00. Zoo Men’s Cruising Bar at Avenida de Tirajana 17 keeps a fixed rotation: All Fetish on Friday and Saturday, Simply Naked on Sunday, daily 22.00 to 4.00. The Hell Club at CC Jardín del Sol opens Tuesday to Saturday 22.00 to 2.00 and closes Sundays; The Hole at the same centre has shut, its operators now running The Factory. By day and early evening there is Sauna Enjoy Maspalomas on Avenida de Tirajana, Wednesday to Sunday 14.00 to 22.00, with a roof terrace and jacuzzi.

For those who would rather listen than dance, the south has its live music bars. Tipsy Hammock Bar on the Paseo Costa Canarias runs daily 11.00 to 2.00, house by day, DJs at night, with the house saxophonist on Tuesdays and Fridays. Café Mozart 2 in CC Anexo II has the densest programme in the south this weekend: Friday brings Modesto Frómeta Bravo «El Tiko» at 12.00 and 20.00, Pimentón Hernández at 18.00 and the Blues Hunters at 22.00; Saturday has Frómeta again at 12.00, Kelly Marlow with rock at 17.00, Roberto & Yona at 20.00 and the Blues Hunters once more at 22.00; Sunday is the late-morning session at 11.00, Pimentón Hernández at 18.00 and Yonaiki Calzada at 20.00. A few doors along sit That’s AMORE and La Piazza, both with live music most evenings, though neither has announced an act this weekend. Al’s Bar in the Gran Chaparral Centre mixes live music, karaoke and sport, from 17.00 on Fridays and from midday at weekends. On the water, Dunes & Tunes plays the Maspalomas promenade and Café del Mar sits at the Plaza del Faro in Meloneras, where the sunset does the programming.

A little further west, in the KopaZ centre on Calle Mar Blanco in Meloneras, is Mamajuana Club — right on the promenade and this weekend the address for house: the British Mason Collective play there on the night into Saturday, midnight to six, 15 euros, over-23s.

FAQ

What is the biggest concert this weekend?

Orishas on Saturday 15 August at 20.30 on the Avenida San Nicolás in La Aldea de San Nicolás. The Cuban hip-hop trio opens the III Festival Palmeras and entry is free. BRESH runs at the same time at Campo 1 in Maspalomas, that one ticketed.

Is everything closed on 15 August?

No. The Assumption is a national public holiday, but it changes little in the south or in the going-out districts of Las Palmas: bars, clubs and shows run as normal, and many municipalities put their verbenas on precisely this date. What closes is mainly public offices, banks and part of the retail trade.

Where is the electronic music this weekend?

At Club Kiki on the third floor of the Yumbo on both nights: Krenon and hard techno on Friday, HUGEL and Ultra Naté on Saturday, each 23.00 to 4.00. Add Mason Collective at Mamajuana Club in Meloneras on the night into Saturday, the SANSA XL afro-house festival on Saturday afternoon at the Aeródromo de Maspalomas, where the German duo andhim plays at 20.00, and the University Summer night at the Oasis.

What can you do for free?

Quite a lot. The open-air cinema at Playa El Puertillo in Arucas screens free on Friday and Saturday at 21.30, the fiestas in Firgas, Guía, Artenara and Agaete are all open access, the craft fair at the Maspalomas lighthouse costs nothing, and the Feria KM.0 in Fontanales opens Saturday and Sunday from 9.00 to 14.00.

How late do places stay open?

In Las Palmas, Fortuni and the Moma Club go until around half five, Alboroto until five. At the Yumbo the drag shows run all evening and the dance bars into the small hours, with Mantrix opening at two and closing at six. The island-wide principle: arriving early rarely pays, the night is long.