Tenerife to Host Canary Islands’ First ‘Mi Pueblo Lee’ Literary Festival
Tenerife’s town of El Sauzal will host the Canary Islands' first "Mi Pueblo Lee" festival from April 9th to 11th, bringing national literary programming to rural communities.
Spain’s push to bring culture to rural areas is reaching the Canary Islands. Tenerife’s town of El Sauzal will host the island’s first "Mi Pueblo Lee" (My Town Reads) festival from April 9th to 11th. The initiative, which recently received the 2024 National Award for the Promotion of Reading, aims to close the gap between big-city literary access and smaller, peripheral communities.
Organized alongside the Debrigode Cultural Association, the festival has already held 44 successful events on the Spanish mainland. El Sauzal was chosen as the inaugural Canary Islands location to help build on this track record of promoting reading outside of major capitals.
The festival’s program blends traditional education with modern formats. It kicks off at the CEIP Samoga school, where storyteller Pepe Maestro and writer Marta Robles will meet with students. Later, the Casa de Cultura will host a presentation and public book signing for Amada Carlota (Espasa, 2025), a new historical study on Carlota of Mexico.
The event also embraces digital culture. On Friday, the El Sauzal Theater will host a live recording of the "Solo Palique" podcast, featuring improvisation and discussions with local authors. The festival concludes on Saturday at the Plaza del Príncipe, which will host a book fair with continuous activities running from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Backed by the Cabildo of Tenerife, the Government of the Canary Islands, and the Ministry of Culture, the festival is more than just a weekend of entertainment. With appearances by figures like Sonsoles Ónega and artist Errecé, the project serves as a model for making national literature accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live.