At 20:30 on Friday, more than 500 drones will rise above Santa Cruz de Tenerife's waterfront. A second show will follow at 22:00. The displays will open the eighteenth edition of Plenilunio, which runs from 2 to 4 October 2026.
The show is called 'Los cuatro elementos'. Water, earth, air and fire will shape the images in the sky. Local reports from El Día and Canarias7 describe a citywide program with more than 100 activities. El Día and Diario de Avisos report that the 2026 display will use around 200 more drones than the previous year.
The viewing area will be the pedestrian esplanade on Avenida Marítima, beside La Gesta children's park. A DJ will perform on the same avenue in front of the Cabildo from 20:00 to 22:15. The festival opens beside the water.
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez said the aerial show had become one of Plenilunio's basic attractions. It returns because it brings residents and visitors to the start of the three-day event. The city government presents it as part of the festival, not as a separate performance.
Friday's program also moves indoors. At the Templo Masónico, participants will investigate and solve a mystery based on the building's history. Sessions will start at 18:00 and 20:00. The format lets visitors explore the monument through direct participation.
At Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, known as TEA, a guided tour of 'Un loro, tres bares y dientes de oro' will begin at 18:00. Pérez and Requena's exhibition looks at urban change and the hidden memory of El Cabo in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The arts centre now occupies that area.
More than one hundred activities will run across the weekend. Visitors can find workshops, artisan markets, street parades and performances by local urban artists. The schedule also includes historical recreations, guided tours, sports activities, concerts and gastronomy.
Family events will fill public spaces across the city. The drone display is only one part of Plenilunio.
The shopping offer arrives on Sunday through Bono Consumo Domingo. Vouchers will go on sale at www.bonoconsumosantacruz.com at 10:00 this Friday. Sales will close at 12:00 on Sunday. The vouchers can be used only on Sunday 4 October at participating businesses.
Each voucher is worth 25 euros. The Ayuntamiento de Santa Cruz de Tenerife will pay half, while the consumer pays 12.50 euros. Each person can buy up to two vouchers per Sunday with one DNI/NIE. The campaign sets a maximum of six vouchers per person.
The weekend will also have an information and support point for sexual and sexist violence. The service will advise and assist women who have experienced sexual violence. It was first planned beside the City Sightseeing Santa Cruz de Tenerife customer office and the Policía Local tourism protection unit in Plaza de España. The location has changed to Plaza del Príncipe with Valentín Sanz.
The local focus is clear. Unlike the border-related royal agenda described in an earlier report, the Santa Cruz program centres on public space, heritage, commerce and participation.
Sociedad de Desarrollo de Santa Cruz de Tenerife is organising Plenilunio. Promotur, identified through Islas Canarias, Canarias Latitud de Vida and Gobierno de Canarias, is providing sponsorship. The Cabildo and Comercio de Tenerife support 'El Suelo es Lava' at Parque Bulevar. Zona Centro and FAUCA are collaborating. The event's institutional structure also names Sociedad de Desarrollo as the organiser, with support from Promotur Turismo de Canarias and Islas Canarias.
Traffic changes are expected in central Santa Cruz. Reports indicate road closures and other adjustments from 1 to 4 October, with the greatest effect expected on the day of the waterfront show.
Full program details are available at www.pleniluniosantacruz.com. The site also lists hotel and accommodation offers and parking discounts. Organisers recommend public transport or bicycles. They also ask visitors to use designated waste containers, single-use cups and cardboard packaging.
