Alejandro Marichal: “This pilgrimage represents the pride of our roots, the work of many families and groups, and the strength of a people who continue to cherish their traditions generation after generation.”
Yilenia Vega: “El Tablero has once again demonstrated that traditions are still very much alive and that the sense of belonging among the towns of the municipality continues to strengthen thanks to celebrations like this one.”
The town of El Tablero once again became the epicenter of Canarian traditions this Saturday with the celebration of the Pilgrimage and Offering in honor of the Holy Trinity, one of the most crowded and participatory events on the municipal festive calendar, which this year brought together more than 6.000 people including residents, visitors, cultural groups and associations from different neighborhoods and centers of San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
The 2026 edition, dedicated to the memories of the El Tablero school and the generations of residents who have passed through its classrooms since 1925, also stood out for the growth in participation compared to last year, both in the number of attendees and in the number of carts and groups involved in the floral offering.
The pilgrimage began at 18:00 p.m. next to the El Tablero Sports Pavilion with a procession made up of 20 traditional carts, two more than in the previous edition, decorated with typical Canarian motifs, local products and decorative elements made by residents and families of the municipality.
Leading the procession was the cart of the Coordinator of Social and Cultural Groups of El Tablero, carrying the Rod of the Honorary Rosemary 2026, dedicated this year to Antonio Pérez Vega, popularly known as “Antonio SantaLucía”, in recognition of his involvement and career linked to the popular traditions of the municipality.
During the procession, the streets of El Tablero were filled with folk music, traditional clothing, and a festive atmosphere, in a day marked by community reunions and the revival of old customs linked to the town's local festivals. Residents and visitors shared typical products, dances, and revelry in a convivial atmosphere that once again solidified this celebration as one of the most beloved in southern Gran Canaria.
One of the most moving and applauded moments of the afternoon was the participation of the children from Güímar, who accompanied the pilgrimage dressed in traditional Canarian clothing and performed the traditional Ribbon Dance, a popular tradition with centuries of history linked to the religious and popular festivals of this Tenerife municipality. The colorful dance around the flagpole, accompanied by traditional music, added a symbolic and ethnographic element that further enriched this year's pilgrimage.
After the procession, the official floral offering began in front of the Church of the Holy Trinity, with the participation of the mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Marco Aurelio Pérez; the first deputy mayor, Alejandro Marichal; the councilor for Festivities and Events, Yilenia Vega; along with the rest of the members of the municipal corporation and neighborhood and cultural representatives from numerous neighborhoods and towns in the municipality.
This edition saw the participation of groups and representatives from various parts of the municipality, including the Santiago El Chico Cultural Association of Tunte, the Arteara Neighborhood Association of Fataga, the Ayacata Festival Committee, the Friends of San Fernando Festival Committee of Maspalomas, the Famara Neighborhood Association of Aldea Blanca, the Amurga Neighborhood Association of Juan Grande, social and environmental groups from Castillo del Romeral, the El Pajar-Santa Águeda Neighborhood Association, the Cercados de Espino Neighborhood Association, the Las Filipinas Neighborhood Association, the Ayagaures Neighborhood Association, the Montaña La Data Neighborhood Association, as well as the Coordinator of Social and Cultural Groups of El Tablero and the Casa del Mato Cultural Association, thus consolidating the growth and community involvement of this twinning initiative revived in 2024.
Each group made its floral offering before the image of the Holy Trinity, in an act full of symbolism that evoked the old visits between neighborhoods and towns during the patron saint festivities and that today reinforces the social and cultural ties between the different centers of the municipality.
The First Deputy Mayor, Alejandro Marichal, highlighted “El Tablero’s ability to keep traditions alive and make them a meeting point for the entire municipality.” Marichal noted that “this pilgrimage represents the pride of our roots, the work of countless families and groups over months, and the strength of a town that continues to cherish its customs generation after generation.”
He also added that "the increased participation demonstrates that local festivals continue to be fundamental spaces for strengthening community, identity, and a sense of belonging among residents of all neighborhoods in San Bartolomé de Tirajana."
For her part, the Councillor for Festivals and Events, Yilenia Vega, highlighted “the enormous community involvement and the continued growth of this pilgrimage year after year.” “El Tablero has once again demonstrated that traditions remain very much alive and that the sense of belonging and unity among the towns of the municipality continues to strengthen thanks to celebrations like this,” she noted.
The day concluded with a large public dance and the gathering of carts, revelers and pilgrims in the vicinity of the sports pavilion, putting the finishing touch on a night marked by tradition, participation and the collective pride of an entire town.
