Tenerife Projects Itself to the World with the Boreal Festival from 17th to 21st September
Five days of music and arts from local, national and international realms once again bring this internationally acclaimed eco-festival to life.
The Noble Hall of the Cabildo de Tenerife hosted the official presentation of the 18th edition of the Boreal Festival this morning, 12th September, to be held from 17th to 21st September in the northern municipality of Los Silos.
This year’s international eco-festival will feature a total of 21 musical acts from Europe, America, Africa, and Asia, alongside a significant representation from the Canary Islands. Furthermore, Boreal once again opens its programme to a diverse array of artistic disciplines, prioritising inclusion, sustainability, and biodiversity as core themes.
In his official presentation to the media, José Carlos Acha, the insular councillor for Culture, Museums and Sports at the Cabildo de Tenerife, highlighted that “this festival embodies many values championed by the Cabildo: artistic expression, workshops, environmental awareness, and the promotion of local culture; objectives that it conveys to the public, establishing itself as a landmark for Isla Baja and beyond the borders of Tenerife.”
Javier Jiménez, the festival director, noted that “one important hallmark of the festival is that it has been held continuously for 18 years in the same location, without losing its roots. In its early days, it was challenging to find a festival that addressed socio-environmental issues, and we have succeeded in doing so, placing Los Silos on the international festival map, with significant milestones such as contributing 6% annually to the GDP of Los Silos.”
Ángel López, councillor for Local Development, Natural Environment and Water, remarked that “over the years, the festival has refined its approach to the point where there are few areas left for improvement; it’s a collection of details executed with great success. We can confidently say that it is an integral part of our municipality.”
The director of Institutional Relations of Tourism of the Canary Islands, Javier Prieto, acknowledged how the Boreal Festival “has established an innovative programme that combines music, art, sustainability, and social commitment over its eighteen editions, receiving numerous national awards.” Prieto emphasised that “the sponsorships from Tourism of the Canary Islands have proven to be a key tool for enhancing the quality of events held in the islands, enabling organisers to access more resources to attract a wider audience and ensure experiences that benefit both Canarian citizens and tourists.” He also highlighted that a non-capital municipality like Los Silos hosting top-tier cultural programming “provides a valuable opportunity to draw in tourist segments interested in authentic, sustainable, and territory-conscious experiences.”
Cristóbal de la Rosa, general director of Cultural Innovation and Creative Industries of the Government of the Canary Islands, remarked that “eighteen years ago, it was rare for a festival to defend environmental values, and we must commend the organisation for carrying this banner for so long. Additionally, the Boreal exemplifies that cultural showcases can achieve their objectives even with a smaller audience.”
Adal García, CEO of Sinpromi, was clear in stating that “the commitment of the Boreal Festival to inclusion, accessibility, and diversity has fostered this collaboration with Sinpromi. Boreal is a model for other festivals. Sinpromi is proudly participating in this significant event for the fourth time, and we are pleased to see Boreal embracing values that align with the Island Society for the Promotion of People with Disabilities.”
Ángel Montañés, general director of Ecological Transition and Climate Change at the Government of the Canary Islands, indicated that “from the very first year of our collaboration, we firmly agreed that we must continue to work with Boreal, which should be a benchmark for other cultural events on the Island.”
Boreal, Echoes of the World
The music performance schedule is as follows: on Friday 19th September, the Los Silos Stage will feature Cristina Mahelo –can- (18:30), Israel Fernández –esp- (19:45), Om Domínguez –can- (21:15), Califato ¾ -esp- (22:45), and Lapili –esp- (00:45), alongside DJ Juana la Cubana –can- (1:45).
Simultaneously, the Canary Islands Stage will host La Otra and Jhana Beat –esp- (17:00), La Valentina –col- (18:15), Isa Izquierdo & MVBA –can- (19:15), La Niña –ita- (20:45), and Girl Ultra –mex- (22:15). The Convento Stage will feature Nuria Herrero –can- (16:00) and DJ Andee –can- (20:00) will perform at the DJ Stage.
On Saturday 20th September, the spotlight will be on Pablopablo –esp- (18:15), Sara Curruchich –ctm- (19:45), Pongo –aco- (21:15), Kumbia Boruka –mex- (23:00), and New Regency Orchestra –uk- (00:45) at the Los Silos Stage, concluding with DJ Eva Olvido –can- (2:00).
The Canary Islands Stage will showcase Lula Mora –can- (15:30), Carmen Xía –esp- (17:00), Matah & Chalart58 –esp- (20:00), and La Cangreja –can- (22:00), while the Convento Stage will host singer-songwriter Laura Pérez –col- (13:00). DJ Andee –can- (20:00) will return for another session at the DJ Stage.
Additionally, the event will offer parallel activities such as exhibitions, an artistic residency, workshops, routes, and environmental and social awareness actions, maintaining its essence as a sustainable festival that values the natural environment, local culture, and global coexistence. The schedules for these parallel activities can be checked on the festival’s website: www.festivalboreal.org/ and its social media.
The Boreal Festival is organised by Folelé Producciones. It receives collaboration from the Los Silos Town Hall and sponsorship from the Government of the Canary Islands through Promotur Turismo Canarias. This project is subsidised by the Department of Culture and its Canary Islands Institute for Cultural Development (ICDC), the Department of Ecological Transition of the Government of the Canary Islands, the Insular Council of Tenerife through the Department of Culture, and the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Spain. It is also supported by Juventudcanaria.com through the IDEO Foundation, as well as the Social Action of the Cabildo of Tenerife through Sinpromi. Other organisations, entities, and businesses, such as the Sgae Foundation, Casa África, CoordinaCanarias, and the “la Caixa” Foundation through CaixaBank, also collaborate.
