Let's start with the most recent: FESITVAL de PARDIÑAS
For the past 38 summers, Galician folkies, Celtic music fans, arts and crafts hunters, and anyone looking for a family-friendly fest have flocked to Pardiñas. It's one of the oldest music festivals in Galicia. And yet, music doesn't even begin to cover it. This year was my first time. The concerts start Saturday night, so I was surprised when we arrived by lunchtime. But plenty of others got there early too; the bar/tent sponsored by my bf's favorite social center was bumpin. Imagine a music festival, plus a bit of county fair with food stands, plus a few cafe/bar tents with food, plus dozens of craft stands in a field, plus tents of traditional Galician instruments, plus, plus, plus!
It's a good thing we arrived early in the afternoon, because Saturday they held a billarda tournament. While it looks like billiards in English, it's got nothing to do with it. Players in a field or court have a stick that's about 2 feet long. They hit a different, 6¨ stick lying on the ground so that it jumps up, and while it's in the air they swing at it. The goal is to hit it across the field, between two poles to score a point. It's an individual sport, and scoring...well I'm not 100% sure, but obviously whoever gets it in with the least amount of strokes wins. Anyways, the tournament was open to the public (I was too shy to try). Lo and behold, my boyfriend was the champion. Que enxebre, ese mozo! By the time billarda was over, the concerts began. It's not merely Galician folk music. There were also singers and bands from Canada, Mexico, Portugal, and Ireland. And at most rock concerts where there's a mosh pit, here there was a ¨muiñeira pit¨ where people danced to traditional Galician music. We, too, got our dance on--but mostly paso dobles and invented jigs. The music and festivities went on into the wee hours both Saturday and Sunday. But I can really only handle one night of fun, and even though my friends ¨came to visit¨ for the concerts Sunday night, I only lasted til about 1 AM. Oh well. Next year I will pace myself!
