Volcanoes of lanzarote

The people of Lanzarote love parties and the celebrate many festivals thorughtout the year. One  very important
and special festival is the Fiesta de la Virgen de los Dolores - The virgin of the Volcanoes. According to the legend, in 1824 the Tinguaton volcano erupted near the village of Mancha Blanca. Hot lava was coming down the village. The villagers prayed to the Virgin, asking her for help. They walked thorugh the streets of the village carrying the virgin´s picture. Amazingly, the hot lava suddenly stopped near a church and started moving towards the sea.
The lava never reached the village. Since then, people have had a festival in honour of the Virgin of the Volcanoes once a year. The local people wear traditional costumes and thousand of people come the area for the festive celebrations. These usually begin on 15th September and continue for a week. They include a folklore festival, an arts and crafts fair and tradicional sports competitions.