San Juan de la Rambla Hosts Third Annual Mazapé Poetry Festival
The third annual Mazapé Poetry Festival in San Juan de la Rambla is revitalizing the town’s historic center through a diverse program of literary performances, workshops, and community-focused cultural initiatives.
Canary Island towns are increasingly using culture to breathe new life into their historic centers. A prime example is the third annual Mazapé Poetry Festival in San Juan de la Rambla, running from this Thursday through Sunday. This year’s "Biblio-edition" centers on the newly opened Casa de los Pérez Municipal Library, highlighting how reading spaces can bring communities together.
Organized by the Department of Culture and led by Juan Siverio, the festival goes beyond traditional poetry readings to focus on social impact. The event kicks off with "Captive Verses," a project that brings creative writing to inmates at the Tenerife II prison. The festival also features a photography exhibition on libraries by Carlos Schwartz, supported by the CajaCanarias Foundation and the Martín Rodríguez Cultural Association.
The lineup features a mix of nationally recognized poets—such as Miriam Reyes, Mario Obrero, and Corina Oproae—alongside local talents like Rafael-José Díaz, Katia Vázquez, and Covadonga García Fierro. The full schedule, available at mazape.com, blends literature with music, including performances by singer-songwriter José Artiles and the vocal group Irremediables.
To support the local publishing scene, the festival will host a pop-up bookstore and offer training workshops on Sunday. Events will be spread across the La Alhóndiga Cultural Space, Rosario Oramas square, and the new library. Through this approach, the local council aims to boost the town’s economy and social life, establishing a model of cooperation between the government, local groups, and private partners to make the municipality a key hub for contemporary literature in the Canary Islands.