Lanzarote: Island of Volcanoes and Festivals
In Lanzarote we love an open-air festival, whether on our streets or against the backdrop of our magical natural spaces. Here, music is synonymous with shared life and, of course, respect for the environment. There is as big a variety of stages as there are musical tastes: avant-garde trends in volcanic environments; pop-rock in the streets of Arrecife; and the most sophisticated indie sounds in the vineyards of La Geria. You’re sure to want to stay and experience life at our festivals.
Electronic music combined with tradition in May
If you visit us in May, you mustn’t miss out on the EMEC Festival’s artistic proposal. This event brings together ecology, electronic music and culture, and the venue is none other than the Castillo de San José, a unique location that combines history and modernity.
The EMEC Festival provides a unique opportunity to enjoy international DJs while sampling the local gastro offerreinterpreted by two Michelin stars. But if you prefer tradition, you’re in luck because on 30 May, Canary Islands Day, the whole island celebrates its essence with a multitude of demonstrations of folklore and local cuisine. Parrandas and sorondongos (Lanzarote’s traditional dances) can be seen almost anywhere, but at the Casa-Museo El Campesino you can experience the full extent of Lanzarote’s lively cultural heritage.
Now that you know what you’ll find on arrival, get into festival mode. Start the countdown: three, two, one… Let the show begin!
Sonidos Líquidos. La Geria is the headliner
Sonidos Líquidos is a festival with a difference, where the landscape is the protagonist. Nowhere else does live music go better with the local wines, born from the magma that gives its name to the local grape variety: Malvasía volcánica. In this indie-style musical event, also open to other genres, the stages are set up in the wineries of the natural area of La Geria. If you’re still on the island in May, you can attend one of the concerts in the beligueo programme (timed to go with Sunday brunch), which is held in the El Grifo winery. Make time to visit this bodega’s Wine Museum, which dates back to the 18th century.
- Sustainable art
Sonidos Líquidos is proof that we humans can develop our activities in nature sustainably. In 1992 Lanzarote marked a world milestone by becoming the first island to be declared a Biosphere Reserve in its entirety by UNESCO. Since then, the title has been a symbol of our character, and it is something we communicate through all our cultural events in public spaces. This festival alone has reduced the waste generated by its events to a minimum, and public transport is used to get to the concerts. Perhaps attending this festival will feed your desire to find out more about our environmental awareness. The answer to all your questions lies in the model of the Centres for Art, Culture and Tourism devised by the artist César Manrique. To understand the philosophy behind the art-nature relationship is to fall in love with Lanzarote forever.
Arrecife En Vivo. Follow Elvis
‘Juntos y felizmente revueltos’ (together and happily scrambled) is the motto of Arrecife en Vivo, voted several times the best small-format urban festival in Spain. The capital city takes pride in this musical gift that literally brings an invasion of a happy, dancing public to the streets of the city centre, going from one concert to the next in a parade enlivened by an orchestra. There are no wristbands, no tickets, just an Elvis with a giant index finger pointing the way along a pedestrian circuit that takes in the most attractive spots in vibrant Arrecife.
- Three ‘technical’ stops
As you take part in the conga that passes through iconic places, make sure you enjoy the sight of Arrecife’s marina, possibly the most spectacular in the Canary Islands, which offers views of the Puente de las Bolas, the Muelle de la Cebolla and the Castillo de San Gabriel, symbols of the city’s piratical and commercial past. Don’t forget to stop off at El Almacén, a centre of cultural innovation promoted in the 1970s by César Manrique, which attracts a lively social life around its exhibitions and its legendary bar. And, of course, make sure you make time to stop and sample the local tapas on the terraces of the Charco de San Ginés, the picturesque inlet that still preserves the seafaring essence of the capital.
Visual music. Creation before your eyes
The father of ambient music, Brian Eno, who together with Ildefonso Aguilar created the Festival de Música Visual (Visual Music Festival), says that “nowhere else are the creative processes so clearly visible as on the island”. Every year in this coming together of artistic languages we welcome avant-garde artists from all over the world, who bring their proposals to the island’s natural stage sets. The concerts in the Cueva de los Verdes, the Volcán del Cuervo and Jameos del Agua have turned the festival, which this year celebrates its thirty-fifth anniversary, into a legend.
Some practical tips
- Where to stay?
Our recommendation is that you book the type of accommodation that suits your needs in good time. Lanzarote’s accommodation is varied and of the highest quality, but it is advisable to plan your trip in advance.
- Zero Kilometre Festival
If you like the idea of actively participating in the Arrecife en Vivo festival in particular, it’s best to rent a bike to get around the city. It doesn’t matter if you’re staying in the nearby towns of Puerto del Carmen or Costa Teguise, because a cycle path runs along the island’s entire coastline.
- Open your mind & be eco friendly
Environmental awareness is a hallmark of Lanzarote. We protect the island by taking scrupulous care of the surroundings where the festivals are held. There will always be a litter bin at hand to prevent littering and you will be able to access the concerts in natural surroundings by public transport.
That’s all for now! You’re more than ready to enjoy Lanzarote, the island of volcanoes and festivals.