Musical groups such as Fangoria, La Guardia, Rozalén, and Ismael Serrano will be the star performers at the patron saint festivities in honor of Saint Bartholomew, which were presented this Tuesday by the mayor, Pascual Lucas; the head of Festivities, María Jesús López; and the president of the San Bartolomé Brotherhood. The city's associations once again play a vital role in the program with activities such as the crazy car race by Los Dormis (Sunday, the 28th), and the Magdalena monologues. After the pandemic break, the traditional float parade will also return (August 28th in the afternoon).
The Cieza Fair will be held from August 23rd to 31st, featuring highlights from La Guardia, Fangoria, Rozalén, and Ismael Serrano. Beforehand, the Brotherhood of San Bartolomé will hold its opening speech on August 15th, which this year will be delivered by Cieza priest Mariano Caballero, head of the Piedras Vivas soup kitchen.
The kick-off will be on August 23 with the Tío de la Pita and the traditional fireworks display.
Concerts, Plaza de España and the Era
The youth area of La Era is being revived by the Youth Council with DJ sessions, a moon party, a pirate party, and the Urban FEST on Saturday night. The Socialist Youth returns with the successful Bocateo and the Meabe Red Festival, its eighth edition, which will take place at the Gabriel Celaya.
The La Era soccer field stage will feature musical performances by Fangoria, Rozalén, and Prok.
The Plaza de España will feature evenings of Spanish copla, La Guardia, a pasodoble concert by the Municipal Band, a tribute to number one hits, a concert by the Ars Nova choir with "Legendary Melodies," the musical "We Love Rock" by Yllana, music by Pancho Varona and the band of Pirata Cojo, an evening of boleros, and the finale with a Retropop concert on the 31st.
The Capitol Theater will open its doors to the zarzuela "Azucarillos y Aguardiente," the children's musical "Kimba," and a concert by Ismael Serrano. Meanwhile, the Gabriel Celaya Auditorium will revive its traditional monologues with the Brotherhood of Santa Maria Magdalena.
Sports
There will also be sporting events organised by the Department of Sports, with the "Memorial Fernando Túnica" football tournament, a water festival at the Esquina del Convento, a charity Zumba masterclass, the 2nd Compact Sporting Cieza Fair Competition, a cross-training competition, a radio-controlled car exhibition, a Cieza Fair swimming championship, a table tennis tournament, a domino open, the 3x3 San Bartolomé competition, and a chess tournament.
Traditional and long-standing activities are being revived in our program by Los Dormis with the seventeenth edition of the "Ciudad de Cieza" Wacky Race. The outdoor paella competition is also returning, and a special focus will be placed on the float parade.
Tourism and the Tapas Route
Likewise, tourism and local heritage play an important role in the festivities, with the Department of Tourism offering tours of local heritage sites and dramatized performances at the Medina Siyâsa site, featuring the San Bartolomé theater group under the direction and texts of Tony Salmerón.
Culture and Museums has also scheduled children's workshops throughout the fair, treasure hunts for children, the traditional outdoor painting contest, and special activities at the Siyâsa Museum.
The patron saint festivities will also feature the return of the tapas route, featuring a tour of the best local cuisine, and the purple point to raise awareness and condemn any type of sexual assault or demonstration during the festivities and in the municipality.
Brotherhood of San Bartolomé
Finally, the Brotherhood of San Bartolomé's program will be central during the fair, with events centered specifically around the patron saint. For example, on August 24th, there will be a gathering followed by a Mass in the Orchards at the Basilica of the Assumption starting at 11:00 a.m. Following this, San Bartolomé will be carried out in procession through the streets of the old town. Throughout the festivities, the brotherhood has prepared a series of evening events that will take place at the Balcón del Muro (Balcony of the Wall). These events will conclude on August 31st with a solemn procession and the blessing of the fields, also featuring the image of the patron saint.
María Jesús López described the program as "very broad, with the involvement of public services, businesses, civil servants, association members, and volunteers essential. I'm convinced it's a great fair and that we're going to put our hearts into enjoying it to the fullest."
The mayor, for his part, stated that "we once again have a full program of Fairs and Festivals in honor of Saint Bartholomew, without restrictions. The fair, organized in honor of Saint Bartholomew, will once again bring us together around music and dance, and, more importantly, it will bring us together to enjoy our cuisine, traditions, and culture as we always have. This fair is organized with heart, and it couldn't be any other way, because heart is precisely what we Ciezans always put into our hearts when we talk about our roots."
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