The Drago Park in Icod de los Vinos will become the setting for a weekend of storytelling, music, theatre and creative activities as the town launches “Cuentos bajo el Drago”, a new initiative aimed at bringing culture and heritage together.
The event has been organised by the local tourism department, led by councillor Gerardo Rizo, in collaboration with the Cultural Association for the Development and Promotion of Reading and Storytelling, an organisation with a long history of cultural activity in the Canary Islands and behind the International Storytelling Festival of Los Silos.
The programme is a fairly impressive mix. There will be storytelling for children and adults, musical-literary performances, theatre, creative workshops, activities in natural surroundings and guided walks.
The idea is to turn Drago Park into a cultural meeting point, while promoting an event that combines art, education and the area’s heritage.
Stories, Music and Art Under the Drago
The programme begins on Friday 4 November at 6:00pm with an opening event at Casa Lorenzo Cáceres.
It will feature Cecilia Domínguez Luis, one of the best-known figures in contemporary Canarian literature and winner of the 2015 Canary Islands Literature Prize.
An origami exhibition entitled “Snow White”, created by local artist Sara González Quintero, will also be unveiled, accompanied by a participatory creative workshop.
Afterwards, the local group Viridiana will perform in Drago Park with “The Great Book of the Drago”, a musical storytelling show inspired by classic children’s songs.
As the evening continues, Japanese storyteller Yoshi Hioki will present “The Flower that Beats”, a collection of stories for adults combining poetic and erotic elements.
Hioki is known internationally for his storytelling and for bringing audiences into the mythical worlds of Japan through his performances.
Something for the Whole Family
Saturday’s programme will include another appearance from Hioki with “Stories for Families”, an interactive session designed to encourage children and adults to tell stories together.
There will also be intergenerational storytelling workshops led by Mar González Novel and Xavier Aniceto Marín.
Local storyteller Laura Escuela will then present a family session combining traditional and contemporary stories with plenty of audience participation.
Later in the evening, “If They Speak to You of Love” will bring together narration and live music, with Ernesto Rodríguez Abad exploring different sides of love through literature and performance.
The day will finish with two rather different experiences.
At Casa Lorenzo Cáceres, “Erotic Iriarte” will explore the erotic poetry of Tomás Iriarte, while at the Cueva “Territorio Guanche”, audiences can settle in for something considerably less romantic with a session of terrifying tales.
A Final Day of Nature and Storytelling
The final day begins at 10:30am with a guided walk through Drago Park, combining environmental education with storytelling.
This will lead into the “Round of Storytellers”, giving participants the opportunity to share their own final stories.
The programme will then conclude with “The House of Silk Shadows”, a theatrical performance by Lucas Balboa exploring themes including beauty, honour, love and betrayal.
With its combination of storytelling, music, theatre, nature and local heritage, “Cuentos bajo el Drago” offers something a little different from the usual cultural programme.
And using one of Tenerife’s most recognisable natural landmarks as the backdrop certainly helps.
Full programme:
https://icoddelosvinosturismo.com/parque-del-drago/