ARCHIVED - Until July 9 National Folklore festival in rural districts of Cartagena

Esparto grass workshops in Los Puertos de Santa Bárbara and a folk music festival in La Palma

The 28th edition of the National Folkore Festival of the countryside of Cartagena is now under way with a range of activities lasting until Saturday July 9 and opportunities to join in for all ages.

The festival was officially opened on July 2 at the Casa del Folclore in La Palma, where councillor Carlos Piñana offered a flamenco guitar recital before moving on to the Taller de Esparto in Los Puertos de Santa Bárbara.

On July 4, 5 and 6 there are evening esparto grass workshops at the Casa del Folclore, starting at 19.30, and on Wednesday July 6 there is also an open-air astronomy visit in La Plama starting at 21.30.

On Thursday July 7 a guided tour of the Casa del Folclore is offered at 20.30, before on the following evening the “Taller del Esparto” exhibition opens in Los Puertos de Santa Bárbara.

Music

On Friday July 8 Los Malagatos from Málaga and El Naán from Palencia perform outside Las Casas Grandes on the outskirts of La Palma, beginning at 22.30.

On Saturday July 9 the Folk music festival takes place at the Casa de Folclore in La Palma, featuring performances by the local children’s “Santa Florentina” group and the adults of the “Ciudad de Cartagena” group, the “Abuela Santa Ana entourage from Albacete, the “Francisco Salzillo” group from Murcia and the “Villa de Leganés” group from Madrid. The music begins at 22.00 with the official closing ceremony scheduled for midnight.

Entry to the events is free, and there is also a bar selling tapas and snacks run by the folklore group: allow a little time if you want to eat as the bar is generally busy, but bear in mind, buying refreshments helps to support the cost of putting on the festival, so be patient!

Note: Las Casas Grandes is essentially an agricultural research station, but it has a large outside garden area with a central courtyard in which a stage is erected and visitors can come along and enjoy the costumed dancing and regional folk music.

The Casa de Folclore is located at "Ciudad de Cartagena" de La Palma, Calle Progreso, 2, 30593 La Palma. Click for map.

For more upcoming events go to the What’s On section of Murcia Today.