Day Of The Canary Islands

The Day of the Canary Islands, also known as Dia de las Canarias, is a public holiday that’s observed on the Canary Islands, Spain annually on the 30th of May. This holiday commemorates the culture of the island and commemorates the first session of the Canary island’s Parliament on May 30, 1983.

Since this is a public holiday on the islands, many schools, businesses, and government buildings will be closed on this day. It’s a day on which people attend a variety of parties, sporting events, and attend church services. If this day falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, businesses may also be closed on the Monday before or the Friday after.

The History Of The Day Of The Canary Islands

On August 10, 1982, the Statute of Autonomy was published in the Canary Islands. The purpose of this law was to recognize the right of the Canary Islands to be self-governing within the Kingdom Of Spain and under the Spanish Constitution.

This resulted in the first meeting of the newly formed Canary Islands Parliament to convene for the first time on May 30, 1983. This holiday commemorates that event.

Fun Facts About The Canary Islands

Below are some fun and interesting facts that we’ve located about the Canary Islands.

  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria share the status as the Capital of the archipelago.
  • The name of this archipelago is taken from the Latin term Insula Canaria. This means “Island of the dogs.”
  • The dogs referenced by the name of these islands refer to Monk Seals-which in Latin are known as “sea dogs.”

Observing The Day Of The Canary Islands

The seven islands of the Canary Islands come together to observe their rich culture on this day. This holiday is celebrated with food, music, and the Lucha Canaria-or Canarian Wrestling. People also use the hashtag #DayOfTheCanaryIslands on their social media accounts to spread the word about this holiday online.

Where is it celebrated?
Spain (Local holiday)
When is it?
This year (2024)
May 30 Thursday
Next year (2025)
May 30 Friday
Last year (2023)
May 30 Tuesday