Gran Canaria this weekend, 16–18 October: Miralta, Walking Festival

The highlight of the weekend: Marc Miralta at the Auditorio

The strongest concert of the weekend is on Saturday 17 October at 20:30 in the Sala Jerónimo Saavedra of the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus: drummer Marc Miralta with his New York Flamenco Reunion. On stage with him are Xavi Torres (piano), Perico Sambeat (alto sax), Miquel Álvarez (bass) and Bandolero (percussion).

Outdoors, the Gran Canaria Walking Festival runs its 15th edition from 15 to 18 October on four routes through the caldera, laurel forest, midlands and the rural south-east. Only registered walkers can take part; registration closed on 1 October. Those who prefer sitting down have the concerts.

Free and in the middle of the old town: the Sonora Festival plays Friday to Sunday, each night from 19:30, at Plaza de Santa Ana in Las Palmas. Entry is free with limited capacity; on Sunday a solidarity entry fee supports Barrios Orquestados.

On Friday Juseph, Barry B, Daniela Garsal, Nacho LPZ, Juli & McKenzy and Good Franco, winner of the Sonora contest, take the stage. Saturday brings M-Clan, Sanguijuelas del Guadiana, The Molotovs and Los Blody, Sunday Efecto Pasillo with Barrios Orquestados.

The AEMET forecast for Las Palmas only reaches Wednesday: 26 degrees, with a 55 per cent chance of rain on Tuesday and a dry Wednesday. There are no figures for the weekend itself yet.

Friday, 16 October

Las Palmas. At the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Luis Villa sings «Como un bolero» at 20:00 in the Sala Jerónimo Saavedra, romantic boleros in the tradition of the great Mexican trios. At Moma Club, live DJs play from 23:00 to 06:00; the club lists Thursday, Friday and Saturday as its regular nights.

South. The Factory behind the Yumbo Spar hosts «VICE», starting at 21:00, entry €10 including one drink token, men only. The drag shows at the Yumbo Centre run as every evening.

Saturday, 17 October

Las Palmas. At midday, 12:00, the Auditorio's Sala de Cámara shows «El Sonajero de Polichinela» as part of the VanBonn festival, a family piece that mixes opera and comedy in the commedia dell'arte tradition. In the evening, Marc Miralta follows at 20:30. «This is Michael», the Michael Jackson tribute show at the Mar Abierto festival, is in the Auditorio programme but listed as sold out.

Arucas. At 10:00 the «3K Gran Canaria Accesible 2026» starts, an inclusive three-kilometre walk and run with music and refreshments; registration is free.

South. The Factory runs «SATURDAY XXX» from 21:00, same conditions as Friday.

Sunday, 18 October

At 18:00 the Gran Canaria Wind Orchestra plays «Génesis» in the Auditorio's Sala Sinfónica. The farmers market on Plaza de Santiago in Gáldar is also listed in the events calendar, with local produce and live music; the source gives no time.

In the south the usual Sunday programme applies: drag shows at the Yumbo Centre, live music at Café Mozart 2. The Factory invites to «NU-DI-TY» on Sunday from 17:00, clothing-optional from 17:00 to 21:00.

Teror. The Feria Insular de la Papa, the eighth island potato fair, runs from 16 to 18 October with tastings, exhibitions, music and an awards ceremony. On Sunday 18 October the Las Palmas Rocío brotherhood leaves the church of San Matías at 11:30 for the Basílica del Pino, where the pilgrimage mass starts at 13:00. In Vecindario the Fiestas de San Rafael begin on Friday and run into early November; the main day is 24 October.

Looking ahead. From 20 to 25 October Agüimes hosts the 39th Festival del Sur, and on Friday 23 October La Oreja de Van Gogh plays the Anexo Estadio de Gran Canaria.

Las Palmas: the clubs of the weekend

The capital's weekend nightlife spreads across three districts. In Vegueta and Triana, the bars around Calle Mendizábal and Plaza de Santa Ana fill up from late evening. The best-known venue is The Paper Club on Calle Remedios: a hall for around 400 people, programming between indie concerts and DJ nights. Alongside it the mainstream club Alboroto, open Saturdays until five in the morning, and the rooftop terrace La Azotea de Benito at Centro Comercial Monopol, Fridays and Saturdays 5 pm to 2 am.

This weekend Las Palmas runs on its regular programme. Moma Club offers live DJ sessions from Thursday to Saturday, 23:00 to 06:00; guest details are posted on the club's Instagram account. Alboroto lists no event for 16–18 October on its website; the next listed date is Halloween on 31 October with Dead Ring. If you want to carry on after a concert at the Auditorio, Vegueta and the Canteras strip have the usual bars.

Around Parque Santa Catalina, Chester draws a young crowd with two floors and commercial music. The subculture corner is served by El Baladero, a cultural association with electronic series such as Aurora. Very few venues charge entry — you pay at the bar.

The south: Yumbo, CC Cita and the lifestyle scene

The Yumbo Centre has four floors, is largely LGBTQ+ and open to everyone. The drag shows run every evening: at Ricky's Cabaret Bar the main show starts around 22:30 with free entry, at the Sparkles Show Bar on the second floor karaoke begins at 21:00 and the show at 23:00, and there are more at Chez Funny Boy's, Buddies, Centre Stage and Terry's. The evening starts on the terraces of Spartacus, Eiffel, Voulez Vous, Gran Café Latino or Adonis. After midnight Mykonos and Coco Loco take over, and finally Mantrix until six in the morning. For commercial charts, head to the Kasbah Centre.

Steps from the Yumbo, in the heart of Playa del Inglés, sits CC Cita — the hub of the south's lifestyle and swinger scene. The largest club of its kind is the Swingers Club Secret in the basement: Reggaeton and Spanish House, over 500 guests on busy nights, Friday and Saturday 22:00–05:00. Fun4all is quieter, with several playrooms and its own BDSM room, Saturdays with «Dirty Disco Night» from midnight. Add the meeting points HOTSPOT on the second floor (daily 20:00–02:00, Fridays with live DJ), the Comeback Bar (20:30–01:00, no playrooms), Plan B, Tantra and Majestic GC, formerly Mario's Bar. In nearby CC Sandia, Infinity SW Club is open. Entry from 18 everywhere; ID required.

With Fetish Pride over (the official NOXON programme ended on 14 October), the cruise and fetish scene is back on its regular weekly rhythm. The Factory behind the Yumbo Spar has «VICE» on Friday and «SATURDAY XXX» on Saturday (both from 21:00, €10 including a drink token, men only). The permanent addresses remain the Cruise Bar (since 1994), Tom's Cruising Bar, the Zoo Men's Cruising Bar, Strong Construction on the ground floor and NOXON on the first Yumbo floor; the Sauna Enjoy Maspalomas on Avenida de Tirajana is the only sauna in the south.

And live music: Café Mozart 2 in CC Anexo II is the top venue for live music and the Sunday-morning session. Tipsy Hammock Bar on Paseo Costa Canarias serves craft cocktails and music until 02:00 on the roof terrace. Café Bolle Jan in CC Cita brings drag and live music from 22:00; the Irish bar Dunes & Tunes in Maspalomas fills after dark, and Cafe del Mar Meloneras on Plaza del Faro offers open-air early evening.

FAQ

What's on in Gran Canaria this weekend?

From Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October the free Sonora Festival plays every evening from 19:30 at Plaza de Santa Ana in Las Palmas, with M-Clan on Saturday. On Friday Luis Villa sings at 20:00 at the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, and on Saturday Marc Miralta plays there with the New York Flamenco Reunion at 20:30. On Sunday 18 October the Gran Canaria Wind Orchestra plays «Génesis» at 18:00, and Teror hosts the Rocío brotherhood pilgrimage. At night, Moma Club in Las Palmas and the drag shows at the Yumbo Centre in the south carry the nightlife.

Where do I get tickets for the Auditorio?

Concerts at the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus are sold through the venue's own ticketing system, linked from each concert page. The pages do not show prices without logging in; «This is Michael» on Saturday is listed as sold out.

How late are the clubs open?

Moma Club in Las Palmas runs Thursday to Saturday from 23:00 to 06:00. Swingers Club Secret opens Friday and Saturday from 22:00 to 05:00, HOTSPOT in CC Cita daily from 20:00 to 02:00. The main show at Ricky's Cabaret Bar in the Yumbo Centre starts around 22:30.

What can I do on a small budget?

Registration for the 3K Gran Canaria Accesible in Arucas on Saturday at 10:00 is free. Gáldar holds its farmers market with live music on Sunday, and the drag shows at the Yumbo Centre charge no entry.