Fiesta of La Cruz - Los Realejos

FIESTAS OF LA CRUZ

The Fiesta of La Cruz has been held for almost three hundred years. The programme of events takes place mainly in Calle del Medio and Called del Sol.

The Fiestas start with a fireworks display considered one of the biggest in the Canary Islands. The fireworks, paid for by residents of different streets, come from two manufacturers: Hermanos Toste and Caballer. The rivalry between the two is the driving force behind the offering the local population make to La Cruz, without any kind of official subsidies.

On the evening of the 3rd of May, Los Realejos is always full of visitors from different parts of the Island that flock here to watch the fireworks display that lights up the procession of La Cruz along the two streets. The fire, smoke and explosions are never-ending. Floral carpets are made to decorate the altars of all the chapels of the two main streets. There are also recreational, cultural and sporting events, a potato bake in every street and the "battle of the flowers" with decorated cars roaming the streets.

May festivities of Fiestas de la Cruz y Fuegos de Mayo declared of Tourist Interest in September 2009: the Tourism Department of Los Realejos Town Council asked the Directorate General for Tourism of the regional government of the Canary Islands to declare the town’s Fiestas de la Cruz y Fuegos de Mayo (May festivities of the cross and firework displays) a festivity of Tourist Interest in the Canaries. On 2 December 2009, a decree was issued and the declaration was made.
Los Realejos is the first town in the Canary Islands to be awarded this declaration, which was created by the regional government in 2008.

The Ministry of Tourism declared on March 30, 2015 the "Cruces y Fuegos de Mayo" Festival of National Tourist Interest.