The town of Yaiza adorned its animal-drawn carts, tightened ropes, tuned instruments, dressed in traditional attire, took a glass of wine to clear their voices, and took to the streets to fulfill their date with tradition in the offering pilgrimage in honor of the Virgen de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, the popular pilgrimage held this Saturday, the most participatory in ten years.
At least seventeen carts, about twenty music and dance groups, in addition to revelers from different towns and municipalities who came together for the Yaiza pilgrimage, accompanied hundreds of pilgrims on the road to the church that started from the football field parking lot.
The mayor of Yaiza, Óscar Noda, highlighted “not only the number of people of all ages who participated in the tribute to the patron saint, but also the joy, the atmosphere, and the fellowship that we were able to feel in the pilgrimage. It is also noteworthy that this year there were many more people dressed in traditional costumes from the Islands, a fact that gives visibility to the tradition, strengthening our customs.”
And Raquel Roger, a member of ‘Vecinos del Barranco’, a group of friends who “come together with enthusiasm to maintain our identity and culture”, referred to this issue. This group won the award for the best decorated cart, which was given during the same route by the jury composed of members of the Yaiza festival committee. Donkeys, horses, and camels recalled Lanzarote's connection with the primary sector.
Daniel Medina, Councilor for Festivities of Yaiza, thanked all the groups that decorated, sang, and danced non-stop in the pilgrimage for their participation and enthusiasm: “it would be unfair to give names, but from the City Council we want to exalt the joy of all the groups, pilgrims, and that feeling of emotion and willingness to take care of traditions and transmit them to the little ones, and the best way to do it, as we saw and experienced in Yaiza, is by involving the youngest population.”
The Yaiza pilgrimage was a large space for coexistence where we could see babies, young people, and their presence was very noticeable this year, adults with a musical background, and the group of elders from Yaiza, always highlighted for their vitality and contagious joy. In addition to the offerings of local products and basic necessities, the elders danced an isa in front of the patron saint.
The town had fun, generously shared homemade dishes and desserts, homemade wine made with work and love, and fulfilled the tribute to the patron saint who will return from the church on September 8, Yaiza's Big Day, a day of solemn mass and procession. After the pilgrimage route, members of the Yaiza government group accompanied the parish priest Jonathan Almeida in the act of delivering offerings.
Another remarkable reality is solidarity. As soon as they arrived at the church, pilgrims left kilos and kilos of non-perishable food that the parish will deliver to vulnerable families in the municipality in coordination with the City Council. There were also many people concentrated around the church who waited for the pilgrimage to see the offerings in the form of song, music, and dance.
The party continued in the square enlivened by the night of musical gatherings enlivened by the groups Gurfines Son del Puerto, Son del Norte, Pal’ Porrón and Sondemar. Before, Yaiza chose its 2025 magicians: Valentina Morales and Daniel Díaz, among the minors, and Violeta Santos and Lorenzo Martín, among the best dressed adults.
The City Council publicly thanks the work of the Yaiza Local Police, the Civil Protection Group and all the security and emergency forces that were part of the preventive services. Yaiza also praises the performance of the Festivities staff and their coordination with the festival committee and the entire team of municipal workers who were ready to serve the community.