Alejandro Marichal: “Recognizing Nuria Medina Mejías is to value those who have left a deep mark on our towns through years of work, closeness and commitment to the people”
Yilenia Vega: “The Canary Island Sancocho once again demonstrates the enormous participation in these festivities, with more than 800 servings served in one of the most anticipated gatherings for the residents of Tunte.”
The Department of Festivals and Events of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council celebrated the main day of the Tunte Patron Saint Festivities in honor of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle this Monday, August 24th, with a day that brought together the principal religious and popular events of the program. From early morning, residents and visitors participated in a celebration that is especially significant for the town of Tunte, which began at 04:30 a.m. with the traditional floral parade and included among its main events the solemn religious service and procession, the traditional Canarian stew (Sancocho Canario), the "August Rains" open-air dance, and the grand finale dedicated to Nuria Medina Mejías.
The solemn religious service in honor of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle was held at 12:00 noon and was presided over by Alejandro Suárez Rosales, a Claretian missionary priest and coordinator of Pastoral Care at Claret School. Following the service, the traditional procession took place through the streets of Tunte, accompanied by the Banda Isleña band, on one of the central days of the patron saint festivities and one of the most significant celebrations surrounding the town's patron saint.
The First Deputy Mayor, Alejandro Marichal, emphasized that “today we celebrate the main day of our municipality and our patron saint, a very important festival especially for the residents of Tunte,” and congratulated all the residents of the municipality named Bartolomé on the feast day of Saint Bartholomew. Marichal also highlighted the friendly nature of the celebrations and the atmosphere experienced during these days, noting that “we have been able to enjoy a festival to have a good time, without violence or disturbances, respecting our traditions and with weather that has also been kind to us throughout the program.”
The festivities continued at 14:00 PM in Santiago Square with the traditional Canarian Sancocho, one of the day's main popular events and one of the most anticipated moments of the celebrations. Around 150 kilos of salted fish were prepared, and more than 800 servings were distributed to locals and visitors. Each dish consisted of salted fish, wrinkled potatoes, mojo sauce, and pella (a type of cornmeal porridge), maintaining the traditional preparation of this gastronomic event.
The Councillor for Festivals and Events, Yilenia Vega, highlighted the high turnout for the Canary Island Sancocho and noted that "it once again demonstrates the enormous participation in these festivities, with more than 800 servings served at one of the most anticipated events for the residents of Tunte." Vega emphasized the sense of community fostered by this tradition and the enthusiastic response from the townspeople during a day that combines devotion, gastronomy, and popular celebration.
After the Canary Sancocho, from 15:00 pm the Plaza de Santiago hosted the "August Rains" open-air dance, enlivened by Armonía Show, prolonging the festive and convivial atmosphere in the town center of Tunte throughout the afternoon before giving way, at 20:30 pm, to the Grand Closing Gala, conceived this year as a tribute to Nuria Medina Mejías.
The recognition of Nuria Medina Mejías will highlight a career spanning more than three decades dedicated to public service, culture, and citizen participation. Medina began her professional career at the City Hall in 1992 and carried out her work in various cultural centers and communities throughout the municipality, including San Fernando, El Tablero, Castillo del Romeral, Juan Grande, and Fataga, maintaining a particularly close connection with Tunte and Fataga.
Her work also extended to local, community, and intergenerational development projects, as well as the preservation and transmission of folk customs. Among these, the zanga stands out, a tradition she continues to promote and for which she has developed new initiatives aimed at passing it on to future generations. The gala will also feature Dani Calero and his show “Humor and Boleros,” and Tania Gil, who will present “A Night with Chavela.”
Alejandro Marichal noted that “recognizing Nuria Medina Mejías is to value those who have left a deep mark on our towns through years of work, closeness and commitment to the people,” highlighting that the tribute will allow the festivities to close by focusing on a person whose career has been closely linked to the cultural and community life of the municipality.
The Grand Closing Gala will conclude nine days of festivities in honor of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, which began on August 16th and included religious, cultural, children's, and community activities. This grand finale brings together the religious traditions surrounding the patron saint, the participation of hundreds of people in the traditional Canarian stew (Sancocho Canario), the "August Rains" open-air dance, and the tribute to Nuria Medina Mejías, who will provide the closing remarks for the 2026 Tunte Patron Saint Festivities.
