The normally quiet town of La Oratova on Tenerife opened its doors to the La Semana de Juventud y Cultura or Youth and Culture Week that concluded on 23rd October.

The idea behind the event was to celebrate the young people of the island and give them an opportunity to show their creative talents. For visitors it was a perfect opportunity to see how much the islanders love their art and to appreciate some of the younger creative minds at work. There were photographic exhibitions, galleries of illustrative work, plus music workshops and concerts. A rock and pop concert concluded the week's events on 23rd October at the Cultural Park Dona Chana. The concert showcased several local bands, one from Gran Canaria and two from Tenerife.

La Oratova was once the centre of activity on Tenerife, when many of the island's wealthiest and most influential residents made their homes there. Many have now moved closer to the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife, but the town is still one of the largest communities on Tenerife. It's now regarded as the centre of the busy banana growing area.

La Oratova is a pretty town with a picturesque main square. It is famous for its flower festival held every year during June, when residents create flower carpets or pictures and designs on the streets and pavements using petals, stems and moss grown and gathered from the local area. Sand is also used for a particularly large piece of artwork in the main square. In 2007 the sand tapestry that was created was judged to be the world's largest sand painting ever made by the Guinness Book of Records.

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