At the fiesta

Open-air bar kiosk

A kiosk or temporary open-air bar, on the beach or at the festival grounds, serving drinks and snacks.

Fancy dress contest

A fancy-dress contest, often themed, for children or adults, with prizes for the best costume.

Show night where local talent takes the stage

The Escala en Hi-Fi (also spelled Scala en Hi-Fi) is a talent-show-style evening, usually featuring the village's children or local talents performing on the fiesta's stage.

Foam party

A machine, the «cañón de espuma», fills the square with foam for kids and teenagers to dance and play in: wear a swimsuit or clothes that can get wet.

Water party

A summer party with water inflatables, water balloons, hoses and buckets, often alongside the foam party. You will get wet: bring a swimsuit and towel.

Course of games and challenges

A ginkana (or gymkhana) is a multi-stage course of games and skill challenges, aimed mainly at children and teenagers, in which participants compete individually or in teams by completing each station.

Bouncy castles for children

Inflatable castles and slides for children, the stars of the festival's kids' mornings and afternoons. Programmes also call them «colchonetas»; the «de agua» ones mean bring a swimsuit.

The small hours, between midnight and dawn

The hours between midnight and dawn. «Hasta las 4 de la madrugada» means the verbena carries on until four in the morning.

Open-air market

An open-air market with stalls of crafts, local produce, clothes or second-hand goods. At rural festivals the «mercadillo tradicional» sells the island's cheeses, honey, vegetables and crafts.

Face painting for children

Pintacaras is face painting: a children's activity where faces are decorated with colourful designs (animals, flowers, characters), typical of children's entertainment afternoons during the fiestas.

Charity raffle

A raffle with tickets sold to raise money for the festival, a club or a charity; prizes are often donated by local shops. «Sorteo» is the draw.

Party, lively get-together

A somewhat old-fashioned Spanish word for a party or gathering with music and dancing. Morro Jable's «Saraos» are afternoons in the square with tapas and live music.

Afternoon party with music and drinks

A recent Spanish trend: a party that starts in the early afternoon and ends in the evening, with music and drinks, instead of going on until dawn.

Evening dance in the square with live music

The verbena is the evening open-air dance with live music, often lasting late into the night: the social centrepiece of every Canarian fiesta patronal.

Daytime verbena, in full sun

A verbena a la solajera is an open-air dance held in the daytime, 'in the full sun' (la solajera), rather than at night: the same orchestra party as the evening verbena, but in the afternoon.