Weekend on Gran Canaria: SUM Festival, Fetish Pride opening and Tourifest

The weekend highlight: two festivals and one grand opening

The Gran Canaria SUM Festival brings its seventh edition to the Polideportivo de Arucas on Friday and Saturday: two stages, food trucks and a line-up that bundles the best of Spanish indie and pop-rock — including Ara Malikian, Nil Moliner, Chambao, Dorian, La Casa Azul, Miss Caffeina, La La Love You, Walls, Ultraligera and Siloé. Day tickets from 63.80 euros, two-day passes from 104.50 euros, entry 18 and over. Both days run from 5.30pm to 2am, with two stages alternating.

At the same time, the south opens the 14th edition of Maspalomas Fetish Pride: twelve days of programming around the Yumbo Centre, and the opening weekend is among the strongest. Pool parties at the resorts by day, socials and elections in the evening — from the Friday Welcome Social to the Mr/Ms/Mx Fetish Europe election show on Sunday.

The weather splits the weekend cleanly: for today, Friday, AEMET puts the rain probability for the north and east at 85 percent — anyone heading to the SUM Festival in Arucas, to Orishas in Agüimes or to the murgas in Guanarteme should pack a rain jacket (25 to 27 degrees). The south remains the safe bet: clear and hot at 31 degrees, no rain in sight. From Saturday it is dry everywhere, around 26 degrees in the north and sunny in the south.

Friday, 2 October

SUM Festival, day 1. Arucas opens the stages for the first of two festival days — entry 18 and over, tickets via sumfestival.es. The evening's second big anchor sits in Agüimes: Cuban hip-hop band Orishas, Latin Grammy winners, play the «Noche Joven» at the Carpa by the Teatro Auditorio from 10:30 pm, flanked by DJ Vitillo Jr. and DJ Antonio Boada — no admission price has been officially published. From 8:30 pm the Teatro Auditorio hosts the 43rd Festival de Bailes Regionales.

Maspalomas Tourifest, day 1. Anexo II in Playa del Inglés marks World Tourism Day with free entry: from 6 pm to 2 am the stage hosts DJ Toni Bob, Salvapantalla, DJ Ulises, Daniel Calero, Calle Boogalo and DJ Ardy, plus a market and food zone.

Fetish Pride, opening day. By day the Opening Pool Party at Basement Studios (10 am to 6 pm, 15 euros at the door). The evening turns social: happy hour at Bärenhöhle (7:30 to 9 pm, free), a fetishlife.com photo exhibition at Voulez Vous (8 to 9 pm, free) and, from 9 pm to midnight, the official Welcome Social at WunderBar in the Yumbo, presenting the candidates and jury for Sunday's Europe election — free entry. Carrying on afterwards: the Cruise Bar hosts a Pride cruising event (10 pm to 4 am, 10 euros including a drink).

In the city, the Fiestas del Pilar in Guanarteme head into their first fiesta weekend: the first Encuentro Murguero «Batallas de Chio-Chio» with murgas from Gran Canaria and Tenerife at 9 pm, then a midnight concert by the group Aseres. In Telde, Rebrote play the Teatro Municipal Juan Ramón Jiménez (26.20 euros). In the south, the Castillo del Romeral festivities also begin: soloists' concert from 9 pm, cumbia at 11 pm, Pedro Afonso at midnight, then DJ Airam Vega. Live music too from Christopher Burke at Bar De Lantaarn (9 pm), and the Wunderbar plays its Friday Eurovision Night as always.

Saturday, 3 October

SUM Festival, day 2 — Arucas, second round with the rest of the line-up. Staying in the south instead? The Tourifest at Anexo II runs from 2 pm to 2 am — workshops in the afternoon, then DJ Ruyman Melián, «La Suerte de mi Vida» (a tribute to El Canto del Loco), El Vega Life and Yet Garbey; after dark a drone show and fireworks, then DJ Iván Monagas. All free, the market closes at 10 pm.

Fetish Pride, Saturday. The morning starts with the Jungle Nude Hike from Eden Café Bar (10:45 am to 5 pm, 69 euros, online), plus the pool party at Basement Studios (10 am to 6 pm, 15 euros) and the alcohol-free «Sober Gathering» at The Bistro (1 to 3 pm, free). The afternoon brings a workshop at Time OFF (3 to 6 pm, 20 euros, online) and the sauna session at Enjoy Sauna (4 to 10 pm, 20 euros). In the evening the Europe candidates face the jury interviews at Tom's Bar (7 to 9 pm, free), followed by the Sportswear Social at Voulez Vous (9 to 11 pm, free). The night belongs to the week's first big club party: «Sportswear & Sneaker» at Club Kiki in the Yumbo, 11 pm to 6 am, with gear zones (15 euros online, 20 euros at the door, one drink included). In parallel, the Zoo Men's Cruising Bar runs a Pride cruising event (9 pm to 4 am, 10 euros including a drink).

In Las Palmas, the Fiestas del Pilar stage the «Verbena del Perro» from 1 to 6:45 pm with DJ Fano Sánchez, Grupo Acuarela and Savia Nueva; at 9 pm comes the grand playback gala «Todo por la Corona Canarias» with Satín Greco, winner of Drag Race España 5, and at midnight the verbena with Las Ladys del Swing. The Cruz de Piedra neighbourhood celebrates too: the «All Star» drag gala at 10 pm, fireworks at 1 am, then Los Mecánicos de Tamarindos.

In the south, the evening holds three free anchors: Paradise Sinfónico at the Maspalomas lighthouse — Coldplay songs reinterpreted by the band Paradise together with the Las Palmas symphony orchestra, 8:30 pm under the open sky. Plus the Beerfest at Nomad El Mercado at Holiday World from 6 pm to 1 am with DJ JohanPartymax on the terrace. And in Castillo del Romeral the verbena runs from 11 pm with La Swing Factory, fireworks at midnight, then Star Music. More live music: Noelia Vera at 8:30 pm at Il Mio Caffè, karaoke from 7 pm at Que Pasa Tío, Christopher Burke at 9 pm at the Turbo Club and Gio Box at 8 pm at the Cordial Green Golf bungalows. After that, Saturday carries the strongest club night of the week.

And Agüimes celebrates the big Saturday of its Fiestas del Rosario: the 30th Romería del Rosario from the Piscina Municipal through the old town at 6 pm, then the «Noches de Taifa» with parranda groups on Plaza de San Antón in the evening and Pedro Afonso with the band Saga at the Carpa by the Teatro Auditorio — from 11 pm the Plaza del Rosario hosts the verbena with the orchestras La Combinación and Leyenda Joven plus DJ Promaster until 5 am (free). Sunday continues: the livestock fair from 10 am and, in the afternoon, the 30th Encuentro en el Casco with the flower battle at 7 pm and Abubukaka at 8 pm.

Sunday, 4 October

In the south, Sunday belongs to the Pride: the pool party at Basement Studios by day (10 am to 6 pm, 10 euros), a beginners' bondage workshop at Club Kiki in the late afternoon (5 to 7 pm, 20 euros, online) and the FLINTA social at the Sports and Snack Shack (7 to 9 pm, free) — and from 8 pm to 1 am the «Mr/Ms/Mx Fetish Europe 2027» election show at Club Kiki with free entry, the most visible moment of the opening weekend. In parallel, NOXON hosts its «Harness Night» (9 pm to 3 am, free).

A calmer pace at Anexo II: the brunch session at Café Mozart 2 from 11 am, followed by live music from Christopher Burke (2 pm), Joe Steen (3 pm), Gary Lithgow (5 pm) and Yonaiki Calzada (7 pm). In Meloneras the Duo Chocolate plays at 7 pm at Bruma Selva, and Gio Box performs at 8:30 pm at That's AMORE at CC Anexo II. In Guanarteme the Fiestas del Pilar hold their 21st Encuentro de Papagüevos from 11 am with the brass bands Atlántico Sound, Isleña and Aborigen, a concert by Los 600 at 1:30 pm and the children's queen gala in the evening. In Castillo del Romeral the verbena de solajera runs from 3 pm, with Armonía Show at 6 pm and Calle Obispo at 8:30 pm. And because the south knows no weekly rhythm: the drag shows at the Yumbo run on Sundays too, the Swingers Club Secret opens at 9:30 pm, and the Zoo Men's Cruising Bar hosts the «Bear Den · Sunday Social» from 9 pm (10 euros including a drink).

Las Palmas: the weekend clubs

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.

On Playa de las Canteras, the Moma Club at Playa Chica is the address for electronic music with an alternative crowd, Fridays and Saturdays until six in the morning. The district focus is close by anyway this weekend: in Guanarteme, right behind the beach, the Fiestas del Pilar run until 12 October — with the verbena on Saturday and street concerts on Friday and Sunday — and a short way further north Cruz de Piedra celebrates its fiesta with a drag gala and fireworks on Saturday. Anyone continuing after the fiesta can walk straight from Guanarteme into the Canteras strip.

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 is in Fetish Pride mode this weekend: four storeys, largely LGBTQ+, open to everyone — and framed by the official programme from Friday. The drag shows run every night as always: at Ricky's Cabaret Bar with the main show around 10:30 pm and free entry, at the Sparkles Show Bar on the second floor with karaoke from 9 pm and drag comedy at 11 pm (Saturdays additionally the Sensations Show), plus 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; the Wunderbar plays Eurovision Night on Fridays and Retro Night on Saturdays — with the Pride Welcome Social added on Friday and the Sportswear Social at Voulez Vous on Saturday. After midnight the dance floors take over: Mykonos and Tubos until half past three, Coco Loco and finally Mantrix from two to six in the morning, with a minimum spend at weekends. Anyone after commercial chart music finds it a short walk away at the Kasbah Centre.

A few steps from the Yumbo, in the middle of Playa del Inglés, sits the CC Cita — the centre of the south's lifestyle and swinger scene. The largest club of its kind is the Swingers Club Secret on the lower level: reggaeton and Spanish house, more than 500 guests on strong nights, open Friday to Sunday from 9:30 pm. Quieter is Fun4all, also on the lower level, with several playrooms and its own BDSM room. Add the meeting points HOTSPOT on the second floor (daily 8 pm to 2 am, no entry fee), the Comeback Bar on the first floor (from 8 pm, deliberately without playrooms), Plan B, Tantra (daily 9 pm to 4 am) and Majestic GC, formerly also known as Mario's Bar, plus the Lux Club from 11 pm. In the neighbouring CC Sandia the Infinity SW Club is open — «Hot & Thirsty» on Fridays, «Indulge in the Night» on Saturdays, each 9 pm to 4 am. Entry everywhere is 18 and over, ID is mandatory.

The cruise and fetish scene has special programming on Pride weekend: on Saturday afternoon the Sauna Enjoy Maspalomas on Avenida de Tirajana — otherwise open daily 2 pm to 10 pm and the only sauna in the south — hosts a sauna session (4 to 10 pm, 20 euros); on Sunday NOXON on the Yumbo's first floor follows with the «Harness Night» from 9 pm to 3 am, free entry; Fridays bring its well-known themed night. The Cruise Bar (since 1994, daily 10 pm to 4 am on level two) hosts an official Pride cruising event on Friday, the Zoo Men's Cruising Bar on Saturday (10 euros including a drink each) — on top of its weekend programme «All Fetish» on Friday and Saturday and «Simply Naked» on Sunday. The permanent addresses remain Tom's Cruising Bar with no entry fee, Strong Construction on the ground floor (10 pm to 6 am, 10 euros including a drink) and The Factory behind the Yumbo Spar, Fridays and Saturdays 9 pm to 4 am, Sundays from 5 pm (10 euros including a drink).

And the live music: Café Mozart 2 at CC Anexo II — right next to the Tourifest site — hosts the Sunday brunch session from 11 am — and on the two evenings before, Friday and Saturday, the Blues Hunters play there from 9 pm. The Tipsy Hammock Bar on Paseo Costa Canarias serves craft cocktails on the rooftop terrace, with house saxophonist and DJ until 2 am. Café Bolle Jan at the CC Cita brings drag and live music from 10 pm. The Irish bar Dunes & Tunes in Maspalomas fills up after dark, the Cafe del Mar Meloneras on Plaza del Faro plays open air with live music in the early evening, and on Sunday at 7 pm the Duo Chocolate plays Bruma Selva in Meloneras.

FAQ

What is free this weekend?

The Maspalomas Tourifest at Anexo II (Friday 6 pm to 2 am, Saturday 2 pm to 2 am, with drone show and fireworks), the Paradise Sinfónico concert at the Maspalomas lighthouse (Saturday 8:30 pm), the Beerfest at Holiday World (Saturday from 6 pm), the Fiestas del Pilar in Guanarteme (murgas on Friday, verbena on Saturday, Papagüevos on Sunday) and the Fetish Pride socials — the Friday Welcome Social at WunderBar and the Sunday election show at Club Kiki. Plus the drag shows at the Yumbo Centre with free entry.

What does the SUM Festival cost?

Day tickets start at 63.80 euros, the two-day pass at 104.50 euros, via sumfestival.es and entradas.com among others. It takes place at the Polideportivo de Arucas, entry 18 and over. If you only want one day: day tickets are sold separately for Friday and Saturday.

How is the weather?

Today, Friday, AEMET expects an 85 percent rain probability in the north and east at 25 to 27 degrees — bring a rain jacket for Arucas, Agüimes and Guanarteme. The south stays clear and dry at 31 degrees. Saturday and Sunday are dry everywhere: around 26 in the north, sunny in the south.

Where exactly does Fetish Pride happen?

The centre is the Yumbo Centre in Playa del Inglés: socials at WunderBar, Tom's Bar, Voulez Vous and Bärenhöhle, parties and elections at Club Kiki, theme nights at NOXON, plus pool parties at the Basement Studios, Tropical La Zona and AxelBeach resorts. The full programme until 12 October is at maspalomasfetishpride.com.

How late do the clubs stay open?

In Las Palmas the Moma Club plays Fridays and Saturdays until six in the morning; Alboroto closes at five on Saturdays. At the Yumbo, Mykonos and Tubos run until half past three, Mantrix from two to six — and on Saturday the Pride party at Club Kiki until six. The CC Cita starts earlier: the Swingers Club Secret opens Friday to Sunday at 9:30 pm.