Numerous families from the municipality and also tourists enjoyed this Sunday the spectacular Christmas lighting proposed for the first time by the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council in the largest leisure area in the south
Amid great excitement, the mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Marco Aurelio Pérez Sánchez, presided over the traditional Christmas lighting ceremony in the municipality this Sunday in the Parque Urbano del Sur, a recreational space where the City Council has decided to centralise the light show this year for these festivities.
For the first time and at the initiative of the mayor himself, the Department of Public Lighting headed by the eighth deputy mayor, Araceli Armas Cruz, has transformed the entire interior landscape of the largest public and family leisure complex in the south of Gran Canaria into a huge amusement park dedicated entirely to the theme of Christmas.
More than 80 illuminated structures, between 1,5 and 12 metres high and in two and three dimensions, most of them walkable and even capable of serving as photocalls to immortalise souvenir snapshots for families and couples, have been strategically installed throughout the complex, making it an extraordinary visual spectacle and an unmissable event for Christmas lovers until 7 January. To make it easier to enjoy, from now on the lights will be switched on every day at 18:30 pm, and the Park's opening hours will be extended until XNUMX pm.
The new and eye-catching Christmas decorations in Parque del Sur are generating great excitement among families from all over the island. The young couple, Jonatán Reigosa del Pino and Lidia Esther Santana, were eagerly awaiting the inauguration of the lighting this Sunday. “Every Sunday we come here to walk with our children Julen and Lucas, who is autistic, and this idea of turning the whole Park into a Christmas space for children and families seems very appropriate and fantastic to us,” they said.
Christmas Island Reference
The Parque del Sur is very committed to the illuminated decoration, which draws attention from the main entrance portico to the complex, which is shaped like a large star. Inside, the most notable features for their size and beauty are the enormous castle of lights, the Christmas tree, the various fairytale carriages, a merry-go-round, the stars of Bethlehem and the Southern Cross, the passages of the Nativity and the arrival of the Three Wise Men, the various arcades and corridors, the giant gift boxes, the families of deer and fawns that graze freely on the grass and, among others, the good-natured figure of a smiling, friendly Santa Claus, which is almost two metres tall.
“This year we wanted to turn the Parque Navideño del Sur into a reference point not only for the residents of the municipality but for all the families of the Island who want to visit and enjoy it. In accordance with the strategy that is being followed in all the cities of Europe, the mayor considered that it was time for us to act as a municipality of the 21st century and centralize the spectacle of the Christmas lighting of the municipality and the family enjoyment of it in a strategic point, very well connected, with parking areas very close and with great accessibility for everyone, both towards the park and inside it,” says Araceli Armas.
With the aim of reinforcing the community spirit of the municipality and its tourist appeal, the festive Christmas lighting event began in an inclusive and exciting way for residents and visitors at five in the afternoon, with complementary activities such as children's workshops, inflatable mattresses and a parade, as well as a Christmas carol concert by the Gospel Choir. The organisers ask and request users and visitors of the site to formalise a friendly and respectful enjoyment of it.
In addition to this lighting, the Parque del Sur grounds will also be the setting for the fun and festive programme 'Navidades del Mundo' (Christmas of the World), which the Department of Culture, headed by Elena Álamo Vega and coordinated by Councillor Esther Delgado, will run for families and children from 21 December to 4 January, with a 200 m2 skating rink and a themed tour of the Christmas traditions of Germany, Italy, England, Finland, the United States, France and Spain.
