In 2024, the Romerías de Canarias app was launched, available for both Android and iOS. It features over 400 festivals across the archipelago, including 25 in Lanzarote.

With more than 8,000 downloads nationwide, the app not only includes a calendar but also a chat feature for users to connect with others interested in these events, a blog with cultural content and curiosities, and a space to share images.

Origins of the App

“The idea originated from Fernando Schönfeldt, director of La Casa de los Balcones in Orotava, a 17th-century house turned museum,” explains Oliver Hernández, the Marketing and Communication Manager, in an interview with Ekonomus.

Hernández, who studied Journalism in La Laguna and later specialised in marketing, shares that the app was developed in 2019 for Tenerife with a grant from the Government of the Canary Islands’ Innobonos programme. Due to its significant impact and acceptance, it was decided to expand it to the entire region in 2024.

“Many people wanted information on the festivals in their island, particularly in Lanzarote,” he clarifies, also serving as the app’s manager.

Maintaining Current Information

“I conduct a weekly review, and even when I think the calendar is complete, new events keep appearing. Often, it’s the festival committees or even anonymous individuals who reach out to inform us about missing events,” he adds.

“We will soon add a section for traditional bars and guachinches”

A quick inquiry into upcoming festivals reveals that on 13th September, the Romería de Guatiza will be held in honour of the Christ of the Waters, along with the one for Los Dolores in Tinajo, featuring a traditional dance. The app provides descriptions and recommendations for each event. For instance, it notes that the Guatiza festival is “the oldest on the island.”

Promoting Lesser-Known Festivals

Hernández indicates that one of the primary objectives is to showcase festivals from the non-capital islands so that “the less common events receive attention” and to encourage travel between islands rather than solely visiting the festivals on one’s home island.

When asked about the distinctive characteristics of Lanzarote’s festivals, Hernández comments on “how well-dressed the participants are.”

“In Tenerife and Gran Canaria, people tend to be more casual, for example, with their footwear. Often, one item is well-presented, while another may be a bit questionable,” he illustrates.

Additionally, he points out that “in Lanzarote, and I would say in Fuerteventura as well, the headgear, the way people wear their scarves, as well as the hats, are quite distinctive.”

Future Plans

Looking ahead, the app manager reveals: “We will soon add a section for traditional bars and guachinches.”

The Romerías de Canarias app is free to use. To enhance it further, Hernández is establishing sponsorship agreements with the municipalities of key festivals, providing promotional materials, such as fans, and invites the municipalities of Lanzarote to join in.