The summer of 2020 will go down in history as one of the least party people that are remembered in the last decades. Despite the fact that from June to September most of the popular festivals and events in the Canary Islands are concentrated, this year the calendar of celebrations is blank due to COVID-19. Most of the municipalities and councils have already canceled their big parties, others are rushing the days, waiting for an improvement in health data; and a few have already decided to adapt them to comply with the measures of the state of alarm.
This year in La Graciosa the Fiestas del Carmen, which almost tripled its population in July, are canceled. In Lanzarote, the COVID-19 has ended with fPatron saint festivals such as those of San Ginés, during the month of August, or that of Los Dolores de Tinajo, in September. In La Palma, after 5 years of waiting, they have decided to suspend their Fiestas Lustrales from the Bajada de la Virgen de las Nieves. LThe Dwarves are left without their dance, for first time, since the first edition of the Fiestas in 1680. The Santa Cruz de La Palma city council hopes that they can be resumed before 2025.
In Tenerife, Puerto de la Cruz is still deciding what to do with the Fiestas del Carmen, although from the city council they want to readjust the celebration, not cancel it. In La Laguna, the Fiestas del Santísimo Cristo continue to await how the pandemic evolves in the Islands. Like the Fiesta de la Rama, in the Gran Canaria municipality of Agaete. The city council sees it difficult to be held but has not canceled this celebration in early August. In Teror, The traditional pilgrimage Offering to the Virgen del Pino on September 7 is canceled and now “we will have to find other ways to celebrate and pay homage to the patron saint of the Diocese of the Canary Islands,” according to the president of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales. In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria they have already decided to reduce their Founding Parties to the act of Honors and Distinctions. In 2020, no fireworks will be seen at Las Canteras Beach, nor will the usual concerts be organized during the night of San Juan.
Millionaires loses
The cancellations of the celebrations, in addition to a disappointment for its participants, is a severe blow to many companies. For example, those that are in charge of the light and sound of parties. In the audiovisual sector they are concerned that in the short and medium term there will not be mass events “and it is a delicate issue because it will be difficult for us to take away our fear to go to a party,” explains Bentujuí de la Guardia, head of Playsound Canarias . “Many technical, assembly partners and other suppliers who participate in setting up an event are affected. People who only receive aid for the cessation of activity, ICO credits and some benefits from the councils, but nothing specifically for the sector that right now has zero income. “
Other of the most affected companies are those dedicated to pyrotechnics. In summer they usually bill between 70% of their annual income. “No one expected this. The state of alarm began in March and many carnivals have already been suspended, which was a setback for us. Although the worst comes now without parties in the summer, we did not expect it to drag on so long,” he laments. Benjamín Dávila, from Pirotecnia El Pilar. The sector directly employs about 300 people in the Canary Islands who fear for their future employment. “Our income is zero and it will continue like this for a long time. But the fixed expenses are still there because the alarms of the deposits with the material must continue to be maintained. With the new regulations, our security is very great and we have to pay for it.” Dávila says.
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