The 2016 Maspalomas International Carnival now has its official theme: Hollywood.

After 20 years of delays, the Tauro artificial beach project is on; Grupo Anfi now has final approval from Spain's Costas department to make the beach and a 50-year concession to exploit it commercially. It expects to spend 6 million euros on the project and to be finished by the end of 2015. 

The new Tauro beach (which Grupo Anfi are imaginatively trying to brand as Anfi Tauro) will be twice the size of the existing pebble beach at 300 metres long and 50 metres wide. It's expected to be made from white sand imported from the Caribbean (like Anfi beach) rather than the coarser sand at Amadores beach (which was dredged from off Pasito Blanco). The initial project also seems to include a seafront promenade linking Tauro beach to Amadores.

Local footballer David Silva (a former sponsor of Anfi and investor in the Amadores Beach Club) has already christened the new beach by adding the first spadeful of sand at a press conference at Tauro beach this morning.

Anfi also plans to build a 400 berth marina at Tauro beach, along with 7,500 hotel beds and an 18.500 square metre recreational area (shops).

The Gran Canaria Porretta Soul Festival will be held on San Agustín beach, according to the San Bartolomé de Tirajana mayor Marco Aurelio Pérez Sánchez and local promoter Dania Dévora.

Las Canteras beach, with its 3.5km of golden sand sweeping down one side of the city, is the jewel of Las Palmas. However, it is just one of five beaches in the capital city. Here's everything you need to know about them all.

For serious Gran Canaria shopping, a trip to the capital Las Palmas is always a good day trip. As one of Spain's ten biggest cities it's got the island's biggest malls, one of the country's top outdoor shopping areas and so many authentic cafes and restaurants that you'll struggle to stay focused on the task at hand.

Gran Canaria is now officially on alert for hot weather as of Monday July 6 2015.

Gran Canaria is a lot of fun in July with water and apricot festivals, the Fiestas del Carmen marine parades and firework displays, and a series of local fiestas or romerias. Here's a guide to July events in Gran Canaria.

Gran Canaria is to host the Spanish edition of the famous Porretta Soul Festival at an as-yet-unknown beach on the island, according to local producer Dania Dévora.

Maspalomas has its own palm tree oasis, lagoon and sand dune system. It's basically a miniature desert by the sea rather than a beach. It even has camels (which you can ride) but unlike a desert, there are convenient snack stands, comfy sun loungers and trained lifeguards.

These super-useful weather resources are what we use to check the daily weather forecast all over Gran Canaria.