Beñesmer Festival 2025 – El Agujero, Gáldar
Plaza Mr. Leacock and Bocabarranco Beach, in the coastal neighbourhood of El Agujero, will once again host the Beñesmer Festival, which will be held on August 8 and 9. Inspired by the ancient Harvest Festival, during which the Canary Islanders thanked the earth for the fruits gathered under the August moon, the Beñesmer presents a diverse program that combines culture, reflection, tradition, and outreach. It is intended as a meeting place for the recovery of the archipelago’s heritage.
– Archaeology, cinema, a craft fair, Tagoror, traditional games, and live music make up a program that celebrates the identity, culture, and collective memory of the Archipelago.
Friday 8 August:
The festival kicks off on Friday with a presentation exploring the historical significance of the Beñesmer region. The session will include special recognition for María Isabel Quintana González, one of the driving forces behind the Temosen project, an initiative linked to the defense of food sovereignty and the recovery of Canarian barley. The public will also be able to enjoy a tasting of barley gofio.
The opening day will also feature a space for dialogue with young researchers, in collaboration with the Palique Divulgativo collective, and a screening of the documentary “Magas y Mauras,” followed by a film forum featuring some of the film’s protagonists and farmers. The evening will conclude with an interpreted astronomical observation from the beach, which will explain the traditions related to astronomical knowledge on the island’s peaks, led by researcher Sarai Cruz Ventura.
Saturday 9 August:
Saturday will open with a Canarian crafts fair, bringing together more than 25 stalls selling traditional crafts, agricultural products, and local creations. Guided tours will also be offered to the archaeological sites of La Guancha and the ancient troglodyte settlement, Barrio Hospital de Gáldar. There will also be exhibitions and participatory workshops such as shepherd’s jump, stone lifting, traditional games, and the Majiñeñe music workshop.
One of the central spaces on Saturday will be Tagoror, a format of short talks that will bring together critical thinking and young voices around topics such as education, culture, and the role of identity. During the afternoon, the festival will host a Canarian whistle workshop, organized by the Yo Silbo association, as well as family and cultural activities such as storytelling, a Tifinagh alphabet writing workshop, and a Canarian wool workshop.
Beñesmer 2025 will culminate with music and collective artistic expression through traditional dance by the Tambor de Cabra group and a performance by poet Yeray Rodríguez and the Generación 21 group. As is the case every year, the festival seeks to revive memories, open spaces for learning, and strengthen ties to the land and history, connecting the past and the present.
Highlights:
From 10:00 Artisan Fair
10:30 Guided visit to la guancha
11:00 Exhibitions of Sheppards’ Leap
11:00 Music workshops
11:00-13:30 stone lifting exhibition
12:00 tagoror 15′ talks
14:00-14:00 Siesta with music and foodtrucks
16:00 Sheppards’ Leap exhibition
16:00 Canarian whistle language workshop
18:00 family workshops with wool and Tifinagh alphapet writing
19:00 music by Tambor de Cabra
20:00 music Yeray Rodriguez and Generación del 21
