Tenerife’s official public holidays for 2015

[Janet]

The Canarian government has fixed the calendar of public holidays for 2015.

- 1 January (Año Nuevo/New Year's Day)
- 6 January (Epifanía del Señor/Epihany)
- 2 April  (Jueves Santo/Easter Thursday)
- 3 April (Viernes Santo/Easter Friday)
- 1 May (Fiesta del Trabajo/Workers' Day)
- 30 May (Día de Canarias/Canarian Day)
- 15 August (Asunción de la Virgen/Assumption)
- 12 October (Fiesta Nacional de España/Spain Day)
- 2 November (Monday after Todos los Santos/All Saints Day)
- 8 December (Inmaculada Concepción/Immaculate Conception)
- 25 December (Natividad del Señor/Christmas Day)

The above dates are the fiestas for the Canaries together with the extra day which each island enjoys which, in Tenerife's case, is 2 February for the island's patron saint day, the Virgen de la Candelaria.

In addition to the 11 public holidays plus 1 island day, each municipality has its own two days bringing the total number of holidays to 14. It is the proliferation of these two local days throughout the island that gives the impression that it's the whole of Tenerife that is constantly on holiday. These local festival dates will be announced later this year. JA

[Janet]

Just a reminder that Monday, 2 February, is a Tenerife-wide public holiday in honour of the Virgen de la Candelaria. Many shops and businesses will be closed, as La Morenita (the Black Madonna) is the Canary Islands' patron saint, and she has particular meaning for Tenerife because her apparition is said to have taken place in 1392 in Candelaria, where her basilica is now located (see more HERE).

There is always a televised mass and procession in Candelaria itself, as well as in many towns throughout Tenerife, particularly in the north. There is also a tradition here of pilgrims walking from all over the island to Candelaria, and they are a regular sight walking in groups, even on the motorway, in the days leading up to the fiesta itself, though efforts have been made to stop this in recent years for the walkers' own safety. JA

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Oh, a televised mass! What more could I ask for?  LSD perhaps?