Luis Fonsi headlines Fuerteventura’s biggest-ever concert and brings Arena Negra to a close

Gran Tarajal beach hosted one of the biggest nights ever seen in Fuerteventura on Saturday. The second and final day of the 2026 Arena Negra Festival drew a record crowd. The beach had never before seen such a turnout, which reached its peak during Luis Fonsi’s concert—the biggest ever held on the island.

The day’s music began with five acts in the Arena Negra by Day programme, bringing Latin rhythms, tropical sounds and music rooted in Canary Islands traditions to Gran Tarajal.

That evening, Los Secretos opened the concerts on the main stage. The band, a defining part of Spanish music history, delivered an exceptional one-off performance outside a tour, with their distinctive full-band sound and a setlist of songs that have become part of the musical memory of several generations.

The night’s centrepiece was Luis Fonsi. The Puerto Rican artist, whose career spans more than 27 years and includes international hits such as ‘Despacito’, brought his repertoire to Gran Tarajal, along with songs from his latest artistic chapter, featured on the album ‘El Viaje’. His performance drew a huge crowd that filled the beach, making the concert a historic event for live music in Fuerteventura. One of the night’s most special moments came when the singer invited Fuerteventura artist Gara Alemán on stage. He had met her during his appearance on the television programme ‘La Voz’. The Fuerteventura singer’s appearance added a particularly moving moment to a performance that will remain in the festival’s memory.

Next up was Málaga-born artist Delaossa, one of the leading names in Spain’s urban music scene. He showcased his distinctive blend of tradition and modernity, with a personal, intimate style and tracks from his album ‘La Madrugá’.

Lauta closed this year’s concert line-up with a set from Argentina blending pop, R&B and urban sounds. His performance brought another surprise, with the Canarian group Nueva Línea joining him on stage to close the music programme.

Once again, Óscar Martínez, DJ and presenter at LOS40, kept the crowd entertained with his sets between stage changes and before and after the concerts. Fuerteventura-born actress Mariam Hernández hosted the festival.

Gran Tarajal fills with music by day, too

The Arena Negra by Day programme drew hundreds of people to the daytime leisure area. Timbeque opened the programme at midday with a set combining traditional music from the archipelago and Latin American melodies, highlighting the musical ties between both sides of the Atlantic. Next, ContraVentura—the project led by Fuerteventura-born timple player David Rodríguez Santana, ‘El Majorero’—offered its own take on music rooted in Canary Islands traditions, blending the timple and the Fuerteventura-style contra with jazz, funk, rock and flamenco.

Andrea Rodríguez and Banda del Trópico followed with ‘Songo & Pambiche’, a musical bridge between the Canary Islands and the Caribbean that blends merengue, cumbia, timba, salsa, vallenato and son. Singer NIA then brought her experience in tropical music and salsa, linking Latin genres with contemporary sounds. Kilombo Improvisado closed the programme later in the afternoon with a festive, participatory set combining Latin rhythms, original songs and popular sounds.

Once again, Arena Negra turned Gran Tarajal into a meeting point for live music, bringing together different generations and styles by the sea and reinforcing its place as one of Fuerteventura’s major autumn music events. The crowd’s response and the record turnout for Luis Fonsi’s concert make this the festival’s biggest edition to date.

The Arena Negra Festival is organised by the Fuerteventura Island Council, with support from the Canary Islands Government, Tuineje Town Council, Cajasiete and the La Gavia Association.