"We've thought of everyone and, therefore, we've developed a program for everyone. We want all the people of Cieza to find their place to enjoy it. It's a program created with all our passion and enthusiasm, the result of the joint work of different municipal departments," emphasized the Councilor for Festivities, Amparo Belmonte, referring to the Fair and Festivities in honor of San Bartolomé 2023, whose presentation was attended by the Mayor of Cieza, Tomás Rubio; the Councilor for Culture, María Turpín; the President of the Brotherhood of San Bartolomé, Cristóbal Herrera; and the head of the Choir and Dance Group, Jesús Saorín, on behalf of the group responsible for announcing the celebrations this year.
Performances in Plaza de España and in the Youth Space of the Era
With the festivities come free concerts in both the Plaza de España and the Youth Center. Groups for all tastes and ages with an air of familiarity that will delight Ciezans and visitors alike. On this occasion, the organizers continue to give importance to local associations, which are involved in the management of the bars, street entertainment with contests and competitions, parades and performances, leaving an exceptional prominence for evening shows such as Tribute to Abba (August 23), Mojinos Escozíos with José Antonio Abellán and Sevilla (August 24), Retropop (25), David de María (26), Natalia + Kike Ruiz (27), a Charo Trigueros show (28), Orquesta La Mundial (29), a pasodoble concert by the Cieza Municipal Music Band (30), and Miami Show (August 31).
The fair is associated with music, culture, sports, and, of course, religious celebrations, in which devotion to Saint Bartholomew becomes the key point of the festivities. The prelude will take place on August 15 at 8:30 p.m. with the procession of the sacred image from its shrine to the Plaza Mayor, where the opening speech will be given by the Choirs and Dancers of Cieza.
As a new feature, the Brotherhood of San Bartolomé will celebrate the traditional mass at 6:30 p.m. in the Basilica of the Assumption. The main day's events will conclude with a procession along the traditional route. The return of San Bartolomé to his hermitage on the afternoon of August 31st, which includes the blessing of the fields, will conclude the celebration.
According to the Councilor for Festivities, there are many activities for young people because "we wanted to focus on them." Among them are those scheduled at the Youth Space, located in La Era, where youngsters can enjoy their own space with themed parties and lots of musical entertainment such as H Sound Onda Cieza and the session by Andrés Honrubia and Esteban Molina (August 23), Remember Forever with Eloy Verdú, Juan Dj, and Rafa Ortiz (August 24), La Jungla (25), DJ Live Brothers (26) or DJ Iván Oliver (27), among others.
The venue's opening hours will be from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m., except on Fridays and Saturdays of August 23rd, when they will be open until 5:30 a.m. The Meabe Red Festival is also scheduled for August 24th at a location to be determined.
Cultural visits to the Medina Siyâsa site
For its part, the Department of Culture will be adding performances, guided tours with theatrical reenactments of the Siyâsa site, and other activities to its program over the next few days. The program aims to bring quality content to the public, diversifying the offering while encouraging citizen participation in cultural activities.
The first performance will be at the Capitol Theatre on August 26th at 10:00 PM, with "Anthology of Zarzuela" by the Friends of Zarzuela Lyric Company and the Valle de Ricote Symphony Orchestra. This same municipal venue will host "Legendary Melodies" on the 27th, by the Ars Nova Choir, and "Mary Poppins" by Taules Teatre on the 28th. The Gabriel Celaya Auditorium will host the stand-up comedy show starring Comandante Lara, Antonio Treviño, and David Navarro (tickets already sold out).
For the mayor of Cieza, "the patron saint festivities are more than just celebrations. They're a legacy we've inherited from our elders and one we must cherish. It's a way of building community. I encourage all residents to experience them intensely from the very beginning, with the traditional Tío de la Pita parade and subsequent fireworks display."
The mayor took advantage of the presentation to reiterate his congratulations to the Choirs and Dances of Cieza for their appointment as town criers, while also expressing his congratulations to the Councilor for Festivals for the work done in preparing the program. In his words, "We had very little time to pull off the fair. I appreciate your dedication in coordinating the various departments that made this broad and varied program of activities possible."
Source: Cieza City Council.
English 
Spanish