The programme of the International Sea Fair includes, around the Sanapú area from 22 to 24 May, visits to Salvamento Marítimo and Navy vessels, sailing taster sessions, on-water displays and the usual boat trips inside the Port
A total of 54 exhibitors will be taking part in the fair, including companies from the marine and maritime sector, nautical businesses, fashion brands, public institutions, and academic and sports organisations
The Fundación Puertos de Las Palmas building will host a parallel event this Thursday, 21 May, with a delegation from Martinique as the guest territory, to explore ways of working together with the Canary Islands on the development of the blue economy and tourism

From the variety of species found along the islands’ coastline to the sand of Las Canteras. And from the environmental evolution of the marine environment to the use of artificial intelligence to predict it. Around thirty experts and specialists, many of them from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, will share at Fimar 2026 all the knowledge gathered around Canarian waters through a programme of talks and presentations open to the public. Scientific outreach, together with the professional opportunities linked to these fields, is one of the main attractions of the 15th edition of the International Sea Fair, taking place from 22 to 24 May at Sanapú quay, in the Port of Las Palmas.

The fair programme, which is free to attend, includes the usual boat trips inside the Port, sailing taster sessions and on-water displays, children’s activities and visits to Salvamento Marítimo and Navy vessels, as well as a helicopter sea rescue demonstration. In addition, 54 exhibitors will be present, including companies from the marine and maritime sector, nautical businesses, fashion brands, public institutions, and academic and sports organisations.

The International Sea Fair is promoted by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council and Puertos de Las Palmas, and organised by Infecar, Feria de Gran Canaria, together with the City Council’s Ciudad de Mar department.

Talks to share ocean knowledge

In this edition of Fimar, experts from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) will address topics such as where the plastic we throw into the sea ends up, the chemistry between ligands and iron that makes marine life possible, minimum size studies for fish species in Canarian waters, seahorse breeding in the islands (the JANTO project), innovation in artisanal fishing (the ILUMINA project), the use of marine invertebrates in food, maritime traffic, Portuguese man o’ war, sand movement on Las Canteras beach, and the prediction of ocean behaviour using AI, among many other key issues affecting the marine environment of the archipelago.

In total, around thirty university specialists will give 27 outreach talks open to the public between Friday 22 May and Sunday 24 May, always from 10:30 onwards.

These talks will be joined by the opening lecture by Jorge Rapp Cabrera, researcher at the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands Consortium (PLOCAN), entitled Ocean Mission: learn, create and help, on Friday 22 May at 10:30. Also scheduled is the talk RedPROMAR: citizen science in action to protect the ocean in the Canary Islands, by Héctor Toledo Padilla (Department of Environment, Climate Change and European Projects, Las Palmas), on Saturday 23 May at 10:30.

The full programme of talks and presentations, taking place in the dedicated space within Fimar, can be consulted on the fair’s official website.

Exhibitors

In total, Fimar 2026 will feature 54 exhibitors with spaces distributed across the fairgrounds, which will also include a food area and live music. Fashion and art will share this space with companies from the marine and maritime sector, nautical businesses, boats and accessories, different ULPGC faculties and programmes, sports organisations, professional and civic associations, insurance companies, and brands linked to tourism, nature and the sea.

The full list of exhibitors can be consulted on the fair’s official website.

Nautical activities

The International Sea Fair is designed as a full experience for people who enjoy the marine environment, to be enjoyed with the family and with free access. Activities scheduled from 10:30 to 18:00 on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 May include sailing and Latin sailing taster sessions, adapted sailing displays, radio-controlled boats, canoeing, sailing and Latin sailing.

On Sunday 24 May, there will be a final round of sailing taster sessions from 10:30 to 14:00, as well as a Grand Nautical Parade from 11:00 to 12:30, once again offering one of the fair’s most iconic images at sea.

Boat trips

Fimar 2026 will once again offer visitors the chance to discover the Port of Las Palmas from the inside through the free boat trips organised by the fair. On Friday 22 May, departures are scheduled for 12:00 and 16:00. The same activity is planned for Saturday 23 May at 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 17:00 and 18:30, and for Sunday 24 May at 10:30, 12:00 and 13:30.

No prior registration is required for these trips, and access to the boat within the Fimar area will be on a first come, first served basis.

Visits to Salvamento Marítimo and Navy vessels

As in previous editions, Fimar visitors will also be able to explore the interior of the Miguel de Cervantes, the tugboat of the Spanish Maritime Safety and Rescue Society (SASEMAR). On Friday 22 and Saturday 23 May, access to the vessel will be available from 10:30 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00. On Sunday 24 May, the public will be able to board the Salvamento vessel at 10:30 and 13:00.

The Navy will also make one of its vessels available for public visits at Fimar, on the same schedule.

Helicopter rescue demonstration

On Sunday 24 May, from 12:45 onwards, Fimar has scheduled a Salvamento Marítimo display: a helicopter rescue operation that will show the public how emergency situations at sea are handled.

Children’s workshops

The great sea fair in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will feature a wide range of activities in the children’s area set up at Sanapú, for children aged 0 to 3 and up to 6 years old. Sea- and environment-themed crafts, family games, scooter and minicar circuits, and a soft-play and construction area will ensure fun for younger visitors this year.

These children’s activities will be available from 10:30 to 20:00 on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 May, and from 10:30 to 15:00 on Sunday 24 May.

Sessions for collaboration with Martinique

Before the main programme begins, the Gran Canaria Marine-Maritime Innovation Centre, located in the Fundación Puertos de Las Palmas building, will host a parallel event on Thursday 21 May במסגרת this year’s fair theme: Outermost Regions and the Sea.

The event is scheduled from 9:00 to 13:00, opening with remarks by Pedro Quevedo, Councillor for Ciudad de Mar of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; Patricia Telle, President of the International Cooperation Committee of the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique; and Elba Bueno, Director of the Maritime Cluster of the Canary Islands.

In this context, a delegation from Martinique, including representatives from both the public and private sectors, will exchange knowledge in different presentations with specialists from Ciudad de Mar of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the TIDES Institute of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Maritime Cluster of the Canary Islands itself, and companies from the islands, on the characteristics of both territories, the development of the blue economy, and tourism linked to the marine environment.

This event is organised in collaboration with the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, the Economic Promotion Society of Gran Canaria (SPEGC), and the Marine-Maritime High-Tech Incubator (IAT).