The Virgen del Pino festival, also known as the 'Feast day of the Virgin of the Pine', will be taking place on the 8th of September in Terror, a beautiful village in Gran Canaria. During the time of this festival, a lot of flights to Gran Canaria bring thousands of pilgrims to this annual religious festival. If you really want to know more about the culture and history of the Island, then this is an ideal destination for your holiday.

Albeit this festival is in honour of the patron saint of the Canary Islands, the celebration is a combination of both religious ceremonies and worldly fun programmes. There are many entertainments and activities involved which are enjoyed by all and sundry. The legend that the image of the Virgin Mary appeared on top of a pine tree to a group of shepherds plays a huge role in the origin of this festival which later became very popular in the 18th century. Being the most important and the most celebrated festival in Gran Canaria, preparations often start two weeks before the key date.

The evening before the festival, there is usually a long procession with people bearing gifts and offerings to their patron saint as a symbol of appreciation for a bountiful year and for some, a time to offer prayers of blessings. Thousands of people participate in this long walk which could go on throughout the night to the next morning. The festivity continues the next morning with a church service, followed by a huge celebration involving music, dancing and singing. For tourists, these are really the major attractions of the festival. This is when the Canarians let loose their exuberant spirits for partying. The experience you get from this festival is no different from what you get from any Spanish celebrations. Highlights of the festival also include music concerts, sport ccompetitions and amazing fireworks display.

Other attractions you will find are food stalls displaying rich and varied Canarian cuisines and drinks. some popular specialties you might enjoy include Papas Arrugadas which is a wrinkled boiled potatoes encrusted in salt. This can be eaten with spicy or green Mojo sauce. If you are a sea food or fish fan, you might want to try Sancocho which is a delicious stew made from cod fish and sweet potato. You can finish your meal off with Marzipan, a favourite dessert amongst tourists.