From dazzling drag queens to centuries-old processions, Gran Canaria’s year is one long celebration. And everyone’s invited!

If Gran Canaria had a national sport, it wouldn’t be football. It would be fiesta-ing. The island doesn’t just celebrate, it explodes with energy, colour, and a kind of joyous chaos that makes you wonder if anyone ever actually sleeps.

Almost every month brings something different, from saints’ processions winding through cobbled villages to world-famous carnivals that sparkle like a mirror ball under the Atlantic sun. The beauty is that you don’t have to plan your holiday around a festival, because on this island, the odds are you’ll bump into one anyway.
 
Festival Internacional de Música de Canarias
When: January–February
Where: Las Palmas and across the Canaries
The International Music Festival of the Canary Islands brings world-class orchestras and performers to the archipelago each winter. Concerts are held in stunning venues like Las Palmas’ Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, where waves crash dramatically against the glass backdrop. It’s proof that the island can do high culture as gracefully as it does chaos.

Carnival: Glitter, Beats, and a Lot of Feathers
When: February–March (dates vary)
Where: Las Palmas
Gran Canaria’s carnivals are legendary, each town hosts its own, but the biggest and loudest is in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the island’s capital. Imagine Rio meets Ibiza, with a dash of Spanish flamboyance and a sprinkling of glitter in every crevice.
The city transforms into a week-long street party with parades, concerts, drag queen galas, and more sequins than a Strictly final. The Drag Queen Gala, in particular, is the showstopper - an outrageous, joyous, high-heeled celebration of creativity, identity and self-expression that draws thousands from across Europe.

LGBTQ Pride Maspalomas: The Island’s Rainbow Heart
When: Usually May
Where: Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés
Not to be outdone, Maspalomas Carnival (usually in March) takes the LGBTQ party vibes up another notch. Expect beach floats, rainbow parades, and an atmosphere so welcoming and open-hearted it could melt a cynic. If ever there was a party that sums up Gran Canaria’s inclusive, free-spirited nature, it’s Maspalomas Pride. Each May, the resort becomes a carnival of colour - a ten-day celebration of love, identity, and unity.
Think pool parties, drag shows, beach concerts, and a parade that rivals any in Europe. People of all backgrounds, genders, and ages join in - there’s no judgement here, just joy. And when the music dies down, the friendships (and hangovers) last a lifetime.

Fiestas de San Juan: Bonfires by the Sea
When: 23–24 June
Where: Las Palmas and island-wide
The Fiestas de San Juan mark the summer solstice with a night of fire, fireworks, and seaside revelry. Locals flock to Las Canteras Beach in Las Palmas armed with picnics, cava, and good intentions. Most of which dissolve around midnight when everyone charges into the sea to ‘purify’ their sins.
Bonfires blaze, music fills the air, and couples write wishes on scraps of paper to throw into the flames. It’s romantic, chaotic, and uniquely Canarian, a midsummer night’s dream with sand between your toes.
 
La Rama: Dancing with Pine Branches
When: 4 August
Where: Agaete (north-west coast)
Of all Gran Canaria’s fiestas, La Rama in Agaete is the wild child. It dates back to pre-Hispanic times, when locals danced with pine branches to coax rain from the gods. These days, it’s more about thousands of revellers waving branches, dancing through the streets behind brass bands, eventually heading to the sea to ‘offer’ their pine boughs to the waves. It’s exuberant, loud, and utterly unforgettable. Just wear comfy shoes and prepare to get swept along, literally.

Fiestas del Pino: A Pilgrimage of the Heart
When: Early September
Where: Teror
The Fiesta del Pino is the island’s most sacred celebration, honouring Our Lady of the Pine, the patron saint of Gran Canaria. Thousands of pilgrims walk from every corner of the island to the mountain town of Teror, carrying flowers, candles and offerings.
Even if you’re not religious, it’s moving to witness - the camaraderie, the music, the sense of devotion. Streets bloom with colour, the air smells of roasted almonds and churros, and locals welcome strangers as though they’ve been part of the family forever.
 
Fiesta del Charco: Mud, Fish, and Laughter
When: 11 September
Where: La Aldea de San Nicolás
This one’s delightfully bonkers. Each year, locals gather around a shallow lagoon - El Charco - and, at the signal, hundreds charge into the muddy water to try to catch fish with their bare hands. No nets, no hooks, just pure mayhem.
It’s a tradition with ancient Guanche roots, and though you may not catch dinner, you’ll catch the spirit of the island - cheeky, earthy, and completely unpretentious.
  
Romerías: The Heartbeat of the Villages
When: Spring–Autumn (varies by town)
Where: Across the island
While the big carnivals grab headlines, the real soul of Gran Canaria beats in its romerías - small village pilgrimages where locals dress in traditional costume, decorate ox carts with flowers, and share food, wine and song.
There’s dancing, laughter, and a lot of generous pouring of homemade rum. The Romería de San Roque in Firgas and Romería de Santiago in Gáldar are particularly charming, showing how deeply Canarians treasure community.
 
Whether you’re catching fish with your bare hands, dancing with pine branches, or twirling under a confetti cannon at Pride, Gran Canaria has a way of reminding you what celebration truly means. Here, every festival feels like a big family reunion, one where no one minds if you can’t dance, sing, or even remember the words. Just smile, join in, and let the island’s rhythm sweep you away.