SUPERMARKET TROLLEYS LEFT BEHIND AFTER LANZAROTE'S LOS DOLORES PILGRIMAGE RAISE CONCERNS
The annual Romería de Los Dolores has once again brought thousands of people to Mancha Blanca in Tinajo — but the celebrations have also left behind an unexpected problem: supermarket trolleys abandoned around the pilgrimage route.
The Romería de Los Dolores, one of the biggest and most important traditional events in Lanzarote, took place on Saturday, 12 September, with thousands of residents and visitors making their way towards Mancha Blanca to take part in the annual pilgrimage and pay tribute to Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores, also known as the Virgen de los Volcanes.
The official pilgrimage began at 4:30pm from the football ground in Tinajo, with pilgrims travelling towards the church and festival area at Mancha Blanca. The event once again attracted people from communities across Lanzarote and La Graciosa, with traditional costumes, music, decorated carts and offerings forming part of the celebrations.
A MOUNTAIN OF SUPERMARKET TROLLEYS
Municipal workers and local police were left dealing with supermarket shopping trolleys that had been taken along the pilgrimage route and subsequently abandoned around Mancha Blanca and the surrounding roads.
Reports from local media put the number collected at between approximately 70 and 80, while other reports have described the accumulation as exceeding 100 trolleys. The difference appears to reflect the fact that collection was still taking place and that trolleys were scattered across different areas.
The trolleys are reportedly used by some people to carry food, drinks and other supplies during the long walk to Mancha Blanca. However, shopping trolleys are not permitted inside the main event area, meaning some are left outside when pilgrims reach the destination.
For Lanzarote residents, the issue is more than simply an untidy aftermath. Supermarket trolleys are commercial property, and their removal from shops without permission creates an additional problem for local businesses.
TINAJO MAYOR CALLS ON SUPERMARKETS TO ACT
Tinajo mayor Jesús Machín has called on supermarket chains across Lanzarote to take greater responsibility for controlling the movement of their trolleys around the dates of the Fiestas de Los Dolores.
According to reports, the mayor has given supermarkets approximately one week to recover the abandoned trolleys. If they are not collected, the Ayuntamiento de Tinajo has warned that it may have to dispose of them.
Machín has also called for supermarkets to introduce better controls around the annual event to prevent the same situation from happening again.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER TO LANZAROTE?
The Romería de Los Dolores is an important part of Lanzarote's cultural identity. It is not simply another festival aimed at tourists; it is a deeply rooted local tradition that brings together residents from across the island.
The pilgrimage is closely connected with Lanzarote's volcanic history and the story of the Virgen de Los Dolores, whose sanctuary at Mancha Blanca has become one of the island's most significant religious and cultural landmarks.
Lanzarote's natural landscape is one of the reasons millions of people visit the island, and maintaining that environment is a shared responsibility between residents, businesses and visitors.
A REMINDER FOR VISITORS TO LANZAROTE
For tourists experiencing the Los Dolores celebrations in Lanzarote for the first time, the abandoned trolleys also highlight something worth remembering when attending large local events.
If you're joining a pilgrimage, festival or outdoor celebration, plan what you need to carry without taking supermarket equipment away from the shops. Reusable bags, backpacks and suitable personal carriers are much better options.
And if you're visiting Mancha Blanca, Tinajo or other parts of rural Lanzarote, please take your rubbish with you or use the appropriate bins provided around the event.
The overwhelming majority of people attending the Romería de Los Dolores do so respectfully, and the event remains one of the most spectacular opportunities to experience authentic Canarian culture in Lanzarote.
But with thousands of people taking part, small individual actions can quickly create a much bigger problem.
An AI Generated Image has been used in this Article.
