XXXIX Suelta del Perro Maldito – Release of the Cursed Dog – Street Theatre | Valsequillo

The 39th annual “Release of the Cursed Dog”, a street theatre performance, is one of the most interesting celebrations on Gran Canaria. This is part of the Patron Saint festivities of San Miguel Arcángel in Valsequillo.

Suelta del Perro Maldito – The Release of the Cursed Dog is held, as it has been every year, on the night of September 28th, the eve of Saint Michael’s Day, attracting thousands of visitors to the town. This tradition has its roots in 1803, when the sculptor Luján Pérez carved the only wooden image of Saint Michael the Archangel. Instead of a dragon, he subdues a dog as a representation of evil. Diseños y Espectáculos Tembrujo will handle the artistic direction of this edition. 

“Local legend tells that every Saint Michael’s Eve, this demonic dog would break free from its chains and roam the streets alongside witches and spirits, in a mixture of rituals, fear, orgies, and struggles between good and evil. Over the centuries, the performance transformed into a popular spectacle, establishing itself as one of the most unique and popular cultural events in the Canary Islands.”