La Laguna’s San Diego Festival Returns with Diverse Cultural Program

The San Diego festivities in La Laguna are returning with renewed energy, highlighting a successful model of neighborhood-led events supported by the local City Council. Running from October 29 to November 15, the program aims to blend the area’s rich history with modern entertainment.

The celebrations begin this Thursday at 8:00 p.m. at the local chapel. The opening event features a talk on the identity of Aguere by researcher Carlos García García, followed by a performance from musician Miriam Reyes. On October 30, the community center will host a lecture on local birdlife by Juan Pedro Rodríguez Rodríguez.

The main events take place during the first two weeks of November:

• November 6: The San Diego Sports Complex hosts the premiere of an animated documentary featuring local stories, followed by a concert by Los Sabandeños.
• November 7: A celebration of traditional music featuring various parrandas and folk groups.
• November 13: The highlight of the festival, the Pandorga parade, will travel through the neighborhood to Lourdes González square, ending with a concert by Josefina Alemán and Yuliet Abreu.
• November 14: The day includes a craft fair, activities for children, and a Eucharist featuring the Orfeón La Paz. The evening concludes with a street dance featuring Pepe Benavente and the Wamanpy orchestra.
• November 15: The festival closes with a community lunch and a street theater performance by The Momento Impro.

To ensure safety during these events, the City Council will implement traffic and parking restrictions around the chapel, Avenida de San Diego, and Camino La Cruz. These changes will be in effect during the Pandorga parade on November 13 (starting at 6:30 p.m.) and throughout the religious events on the weekend of November 14 and 15. These measures are standard practice to help balance the neighborhood’s cultural activities with local traffic needs.