Festivals on Tenerife – Santa Blues 2010

Great news for blues fans on Tenerife, it looks as though the Santa Blues festival in Santa Cruz is going ahead this year.
I don't know where Colin Kirby found the information for Tenerife Magazine as I've been scouring cyberworld for weeks looking for the merest mention of one of my favourite festivals of the year, but I'm cock-a-hoop that he did.

The festival seems to chop and change its format on a yearly basis; this year will be held over three consecutive nights between 24th & 26th June. As the San Juan celebrations take place on the 24th June, it promises to be one of the best weeks of the year on Tenerife.

Festival Details

24th June – American blues guitarist and singer, Larry McCray headlines with support acts from  Rojas Blues Band and Esther Ovejero.

25th June - American blues songstress Sandra Hall headlines with The Johnny Perez Trio as support act.

26th June – American swamp blues guitarist and singer Kenny Neal headlines on the final night of the festival with The Tina Rioro Quartet supporting.

Hot blues on sultry summer nights – my idea of festival heaven.

The music kicks off at 9pm each night and the whole shebang is free.

Food on Tenerife – Tapas Route in Puerto de la Cruz

What are they trying to do to us in Tenerife? Summer's on the doorstep, a time to be parading those six packs and shapely curves on the playas (I wish), and here they are tempting us with yet another tapas route.

The second Ruta de Tapas, 'Papeando entre Volcanes' started in Puerto de la Cruz yesterday and will continue until the 6th June by which time it'll be more a case of beer barrels and curves with the consistency of blancmange on the playas if the goodies on offer are anything to go by.

As the title suggests there's a theme running through the tapas on offer with dishes sporting intriguing and poetic names like secreto en erupción, litoral de lava and volcân de sabor y color.

Have a look below to see photos, ingredients and participating restaurants.

Each tapas is €4 including beer, wine or water. It's a bit of a price increase from previous routes, but I'll have to try one to see if it's because portions are bigger which from the look of the photos might be the case.

You need a passport to participate, but these can be picked up at the restaurants, Cámara office or the town hall.

Get these stamped at ten different restaurants and you enter a draw for a fabby prize.

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Concerts on Tenerife - Simply Red to Perform at Adeje Golf 2010

 Out of the blue it's been announced that Simply Red will be performing at Adeje Golf on 20th July as part of the Canary Island Festival.

Some tickets went on pre-sale on Thursday, but most will go on sale on 27th May and can be purchased via the Sun Live Festival site.

This is a definite one and has been announced on the official Simply Red website as an addition to their Farewell tour.

This might be one of the last chances you get to see them live...until they reform when the money's too tight to mention.

Culture on Tenerife - Free Entry to Museums on Tenerife

Okay it's a bit last minute, but this is Tenerife where last minute amounts to at least some notice. To celebrate International Museum Day, the Tenerife government have announced that entry to all of the Cabildo's museums on Tenerife is free tomorrow 18th May.

And with prophetic timing, Tenerife Magazine has listed the top ten museums on Tenerife which include quirky and the fun places to learn about the island and which are proof that museums don't have to be stuffy and boring.

Food on Tenerife – Tapas Route 'El Almáciga' in Arona

It's time for tapas lovers to salivate. These tapas routes are becoming more and more popular on Tenerife which is great news for the foodies amongst us. This one involves restaurants around the municipality of Arona in South Tenerife (if you're a bit fuzzy with your Tenerife municipalities, this is the one that Las Américas, Los Cristianos and Las Galletas are all in - although the participating restaurants are all in the towns away from the coast).

With tapas like pescado salteado con ajo y cebolla (salted fish with garlic and onion), cazuela de morcilla al camembert y azafrán canario (Canarian black pudding, camembert and saffron) and sorpresa de calamar de las 7 islas (It's squid, but you'll just have to try it to find out what the surprise is) on offer, methinks it's time to head into the hills.

Click here for list of participating restaurants and tapas dishes.

Dates: From 1st to 13th June

Price: €3.00 for a tapas with glass of wine, beer or water

Festivals on Tenerife – Ritmos del Mundo, Costa Adeje

When does spring end and summer begin? 20th June according to the Ritmos del Mundo poster. This year the all day DJ fest relocates to a little piece of Thailand where you don't have to worry about getting whacked by riot police, in other words Siam Park in Costa Adeje.

It's a perfect venue to bump, grind and shake those booties as Erick Morillo, Real El Canario and a whole host of other DJs bring the sounds of summer to Tenerife.

Tickets: From €26 Buy Your Ticket Here

Activities on Tenerife – Win 3 Free Rounds of Golf at Isla de Golf Courses

Bad news for golf widows, Tenerife Magazine's latest fab prize is three free rounds of golf on three different, stunning Isla de Golf courses (Buenavista Golf, Golf Costa Adeje, Golf las Americas, Golf del Sur and Tecina Golf).

Good news for golfers though, to be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is become a fan of Tenerife Magazine on Facebook.

Competition closes 2nd June 2010

Fiestas on Tenerife – Corpus Christi Flower Carpets, La Orotava

Want a sneak preview of this year's design for the huge sand and soil tapestry which is due to be laid outside the town hall in La Orotava to celebrate Corpus Christi? Admittedly, it's hardly a sneak preview now that the council have announced it on their website, but what the hell...it just sounds better.

This year to commemorate the year of the priests which ends on the 19th June, the theme of the design is the last supper. Well the last supper, a handful of flowers and 18 butterflies, which are a rather nice and colourful distraction from the religious solemnity of the main images.

Looks as though it's going to be one of the most vibrant sand carpets yet.

Concerts on Tenerife – The Beach Boys

Who needs Whitney when we’ve got the likes of The Beach Boys rolling into Santa Cruz on their surf boards (probably more like zimmer frames these days) in July to fill the capitol’s streets with their easy Californian sounds.

I wonder if they’ll sing ‘I wish they all could be Candelaria girls’.

Date: 7th July 2010

Venue:  Pabellón Insular de Tenerife Santiago Martín, Santa Cruz

Time: 9pm

Tickets: From €25 Buy Tickets Here

Concerts on Tenerife – David Bisbal in Santa Cruz

If you live on Tenerife and haven’t heard of David Bisbal then you clearly never, ever watch Spanish TV as his likeable mug is on at least one of the main channels every day of the week. He’s a sort of Spanish version of Robbie Williams but without the love it or hate it arrogance.
When English language speakers talk about big names playing Tenerife they often overlook the Spanish music scene – David Bisbal with his catchy blend of flamenco poprock is a big name and he’s singing somewhere in Santa Cruz in September.

Date: 25th September 2010

Time: 10pm

Location: Santa Cruz (possibly Parque Marítimo César Manrique)

Tickets: From €23 Buy Tickets Here

Fiestas on Tenerife: Romerías de San Isidro in Valle Guerra, Mercedes, Granadilla de Abona & Arguayo

I’ve got a question for anyone who lives on Tenerife who hasn’t actually seen a traditional romería – how have you managed to avoid them? From May onwards you can hardly go anywhere without tripping over a cart decorated with fruit and flowers pulled by a couple of seriously big bovines.

They’re great fun and will make anyone who believes that Tenerife has been completely engulfed by tourism think again. The real Tenerife is alive, kicking and having a whale of a time. If you don’t believe me head to Valle Guerra on 9th May, Granadilla de Abona on 15th May, Arguayo in the south west on 16th May or Mercedes on 30th May and you’ll see exactly what I mean.

Concerts on Tenerife – ‘El Barrio’ Modern Flamenco in Tenerife

On the travel forum Tripadvisor the question ‘where can I see flamenco music on Tenerife?’ often comes up – usually from people who haven’t sussed where the Canary Islands actually are.

Normally the answer given is the exuberant Carmen Mota Ballet in Las Américas, but this month there’s another option as popular Spanish singer/songwriter José Luis Figuereo ‘El Barrio’ brings his particular handclapping, guitar banging and heel stomping brand of 21st century flamenco sounds to Santa Cruz.

Date: 8th May

Time: 10pm

Venue: Parque Marítimo César Manrique, Santa Cruz

Tickets: From €20 Buy Tickets Here

Music on Tenerife – IV Arona Jazz Festival, Los Cristianos

It’s hard to beat a bit of cool jazz sounds on a sultry night so visitors to Los Cristianos are in for a bit of a treat this month.  The Plaza de la Iglesia in the centre of town is the setting for the Arona Jazz Festival which takes place on the 7th and 8th May.

Details: 7th – 9pm, Steve Sherriff and Arona Jazz Quartet; Anna Rodíguez y Eliseo Lloreda; 8th – 9pm, Canaries Jazz Orchestra

Shows on Tenerife: ‘Alma’ – The New Carmen Mota Spectacular in Playa de Las Américas

People who think nightlife in Las Américas consists solely of dated tribute acts and bars full of pissed up young Brits would have their preconceptions turned completely upside down if they turned up at la Pirámide de Arona for the brand new Carmen Mota show ‘Alma’ which opens from the 5th May.

This heady fusion of flamenco, classical and contemporary Spanish dance is a world class spectacle in a Las Vegas type setting which is guaranteed to delight audiences and confound some expectations…and afterwards you can head to a tribute bar just to reassure yourself that Las Américas hasn’t completely lost its cheap and cheerful side.

Tickets: €43 (€30 residents) On Sale Here

Times: 7pm (Mon to Wed), 10pm (Thur), 9.30pm (Frid & Sat)

Thanks to islandmomma for the new times as at 3rd August 2010: " Hi. Those opening times are out of date. Maybe changed for the summer? Now is Mon and Wed 7.30, Tues, Fri and Sat 9.30 and I think Thurs @ 10. info on their site, but just rang them to confirm."

Fiestas on Tenerife – Fiesta de la Cruz – Firework Fiesta, Los Realej

Don’t forget that one of Europe’s longest firework displays takes place on Monday 3rd May in Los Realejos.

When I say longest I mean it – it can last from somewhere between 9pm and 10pm (it depends how long the procession which precedes the display takes) until about 1am. Not that there are fireworks exploding consistently. The historic pyrotechnic battle between two rival streets in the town takes place in stages and there can be quite long gaps between displays.

Don’t forget to take a jacket as Los Realejos’ slopes are still a bit on the cool side at this time of year.