Music, wine and food, what more could you ask for (without being rude) if you take a stroll down to the promenade in Los Cristianos on a Thursday evening, you will find all of these at the Canarias Folk Fest, Arona council have started these weekly gatherings all the way through to 25 March 2010.

The first shock I got was they started bang on time at 8pm, that’s not very traditional, everything starts late here, in fact we are expecting Christmas Day some time next April. There was a large gathering and the restaurants were all benefiting from the interest, there was a real buzz about the seafront. The musiacal action centred on a small stage in the plaza where the fisherwomans statue holds court. Singers and musicians in full Canarian costume were belting out some fine tunes as dancers glided across the cobbles.

There is a whole range of dances, described in the official tourism leaflet, here is one example, the Folias. “A dance of love, it is slow and unhurried. The young men show their respect towards the ladies and never touch them.” Wow that sounds just like the scene in a Newcastle nightclub, well almost. As well as the music there is a row of food outlets, selling sauces, cakes biscuits, and of course local wine, all with plenty of FREE samples.

The entertainment lasted for just over an hour and ended with a volley of fireworks. It’s a good initiative to boost the local economy, tourists learn about culture and tradition, while Canarians learn that it takes a brave person to stand between a Brit and free food.