Over the weekend of the 24th to 26th of January 2020 the village of Barranda, located in the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz in the north-west of the Murcia region, will be welcoming thousands of people to the 42nd edition of its annual Festival de Cuadrillas and folk festival.
This is the largest and most important gathering of traditional cuadrillas in the region, sharing and enjoying traditional folk music which has been passed down verbally for generations.
In addition to the music and dancing, the village hosts a market of countryside traditions which celebrates not only the crafts and skills passed down from one generation to another, but also the gastronomic traditions of Murcia, with workshops, crafts, demonstrations and plenty to eat.
Alongside the folk music and crafts is an ample programme of talks and readings related to folk music and associated subjects.
The date of the fiestas co-incide with the fiesta de la Candelaria, the patron saint of Barranda, and was given the status of “National Tourist Interest” in January of 2011, although the festival itself has been taking place since 1979.
Ethnic instruments museum
In homage to this large gathering of musicians, Barranda is also the home of the largest collection of ethnic instruments in Europe, the Carlos Blanco Fadol collection, the location of the museum selected because of this festival and its adherence to the traditional forms of music which constitute Murcia’s folk music.
It’s a fascinating museum to visit, with instruments from around the world, every single one of which has been played by Carlos himself, and is open on the day of the fiesta for visitors to discover and enjoy the diversity of world music. ( Click for map, Museum of ethnic instruments, Barranda)
Each year thousands of people make the journey to Barranda, which is only a small village at the best of times, so the celebrations spill over into the streets surrounding the village, filling the countryside with music, barbeques and people enjoying a day out. The music of the cuadrillas is infectious and upbeat, the singers “duelling “ with each other in battles of wit and improvised verse, many people joining in with the dancing or just enjoying the atmosphere.
Each year the Barranda Folk festival grows in importance, with a series of talks and educative activities preceding folk music in the evenings ( NB all of the associated activities are in Spanish), although the artisan market is only open on Saturday and the main day of the Encuentro itself on the Sunday.
Click for map, Barranda, Caravaca de la Cruz
Practical advice
The main encuentro is in the central streets of the town, with the market spread along the high street. The Cuadrillas split off and take up their positions at the end of the high street and in the streets behind, attendees moving from one group to another in order to listen to the music and watch the dancing. The back streets are packed absolutely solid, so wear flat, practical shoes, preferably covered, as feet will be trodden on!
The crowds are part of the fun of this, but if you want to be at the front, be patient, as onlookers tend to move on, so after each “set” it’s easy to move to the front in order to watch a performance. It is very crowded, so those with limited mobility are advised to stay in the main street, and be careful where you put your wallet. Jostling crowds always provide fertile ground for pick-pockets.
There is plenty of parking in the outlying streets, but as around 30,000 people attend this event, the later you arrive, the further out it will be necessary to park. Be there for 12 midday when the cuadrillas spread out and start to play.
There is plenty to eat and drink on offer. Bars are open, although busy, and there are many stalls selling food and drink. Family groups tend to set up picnics on the outskirts, with bread and artisan foods purchased from the stalls, or simply bring a picnic.
See separate article for programme of associated activities and talks which are part of the overall festival. NB All information is in Spanish and all talks are in Spanish
The main event which is of general interest and is non-language specific is Sunday:
Sunday 26th January the main Fiesta de las Cuadrillas
At 09.30 a musical mass is sung by Los Animeros de Caravaca
10.30 Official reception of the Cuadrillas by the municipal authorities, and welcome speeches
11.30 The Cuadrillas spread out around the village and play. Crowds form around them, and after a while people will start to dance, joining in with the songs they know, creating a comfortable atmosphere as people listen to the music, move around from one group to another, have a bite to eat, go to the artisan market, or wander off into the musical instruments museum.
14.00 Lunch. The Rondallas and special invitees are treated to lunch whilst everybody else fends for themselves. There are places to buy food, although a lot of people take picnics, set up barbeques out of the backs of their cars, and of course the Spanish being Spanish bring trestle tables, flasks of wine and huge loaves of bread, making a real occasion out of it.
At 16.30 what´s called the choque de cuadrillas takes place in Calle Mayor. This is really a battle of the Cuadrillas, an early version of "duelling". 2 cuadrillas meet face to face and duel, their singers throwing improvised verse back and forth in a battle of wit. Topics range from current affairs, local politics and domestic affairs, and if you can understand Spanish it’s a good way of gauging the mood of the nation, and very entertaining.
By 18.00 it’s getting cold and dark, so enthusiasts move into the salon social and continue with the dancing. All welcome, although space inside is limited.
Participating Cuadrillas 2020:
Mercado de oficios y tradiciones Campesinas
There is also an artisan market open during the day of the Encuentro and the day before.
This artisan market has a range of handicrafts, with live demonstrations and a display of traditional equipment. There is also a tavern area set up, authentic Murcian food, including Migas and a workshop showing traditional distillation of plants. Plenty of gastronomic goodies are on sale including artisan bread, cakes and local biscuits, cheeses, delicatessen, honey, local drinks made with honey, lemon and aniseed, as well as BBQ and Migas, so nobody goes hungry here. Prices are very reasonable.
Open on Saturday from 12.30 midday to 8pm and on Sunday from 10.30am to 9pm
Click for more information about the Caravaca de la Cruz municipality
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