The Noche de los Finaos in Lanzarote falls on the eve of All Saints’ Day, the night of October 31 into November 1. It is the Canarian way of remembering the dead: families gathered to talk about those who were gone, tell stories and share roasted chestnuts, nuts and sweets. Today several of the island’s towns keep it alive with theater, traditional music and food in their squares.

What the Noche de los Finaos is

“Finaos” is the everyday Canarian way of saying “finados,” the departed. In the rural Canary Islands, the night of the finaos was an evening for remembering them: the elders told stories about family members who had died and about their ancestors, people ate and drank, and the conversation ran late. The next day, November 1, the All Saints’ Day holiday, many families visit the cemeteries.

The Cabildo de Lanzarote describes it as one of the most deeply rooted celebrations in Canarian popular culture. Remembering the dead was also a way of celebrating life, and the evening mixed reflection with company. That is how the town councils present it today: as an occasion for the whole family, for residents and for visitors alike.

What people eat at Los Finaos

Roasted chestnuts are the food most tied to the date. Lanzarote’s municipal celebrations also serve dried figs, cheese, roscas (ring-shaped pastries), mistela (a sweet fortified wine), white wine and traditional sweets, and in Femés the children’s workshops end with mantecados and hot chocolate. In the past, the evening came with walnuts and other nuts.

→ More about the island’s cooking in our guide to Canarian food, and about its wines in Lanzarote wines.

Ranchos, songs and ánimas

Music is part of the night. The ranchos, groups that sing traditional verses, are tied to the old finaos celebrations; the Haría town council describes them as a symbol of the bond between the spiritual and the earthly. In Tinajo, the Rancho de Pascua sets off from the door of the San Roque church, and parrandas, folk bands, close the night in several squares across the island. The ánimas, the souls of the dead, give their name to events such as Teguise’s Laberinto de las Ánimas.

How to experience the Noche de los Finaos in Lanzarote

Every year, several town councils hold their own celebration between the last days of October and November 1. Programs are usually published in the second half of October, and dates and times change from year to year. These are the formats that come back:

• Tinajo: the San Roque square hosts children’s workshops, theater, the Rancho de Pascua and a parranda, usually on the afternoon of November 1.
• Teguise: the Laberinto de las Ánimas de los Finaos, a walk through traditional tools, songs, food and stories at the Casa-Museo del Timple in La Villa, with days for schools and others open to the public.
• Femés (Yaiza): storytelling, lantern-making workshops, folk music and theater in the square by the chapel.
• Tías: finaos theater in the square of the San Antonio church, folk music and a tasting of chestnuts, dried figs and roscas.
• Haría: finaos stories and legends, rancho singing and a tasting of local produce.

Some years the Cabildo de Lanzarote adds a traveling theater show, La noche de finaos, in the historic town centers. Each year’s program appears in that month’s Lanzarote Cultural Agenda.

Practical tips

Most events are free, outdoors and in village squares, and start around dusk. Workshops and some performances have limited capacity, first come, first served, so arrive early. Late-October nights turn cool inland: bring a jacket if you are heading to Tinajo, Haría or Femés. November 1 is a national holiday in Spain.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Noche de los Finaos?

The night of October 31 into November 1, the eve of All Saints’ Day. In Lanzarote, the municipal events are spread across the last days of October and November 1.

Is Los Finaos the Canarian Halloween?

They fall on the same date. Los Finaos is a Canarian tradition of remembering the dead, with family, food and traditional music. Some town councils schedule both celebrations on different days of the same week.

Can visitors take part?

Yes. The municipal celebrations are open, almost always free and designed for families, residents and tourists alike.

More information

Other island traditions with their own guide: the Romería de los Dolores, for Lanzarote’s patron saint; the San Marcial del Rubicón fiestas in Femés; and the Diabletes de Teguise. What to expect from the month in Lanzarote in October, and an overview of the island in things to do in Lanzarote.

Published: Oct 18, 2026. Official sources: Cabildo de Lanzarote, Ayuntamiento de Tinajo, Ayuntamiento de Teguise, Ayuntamiento de Tías.