The Cantada d'Havaneres festival in Calella de Palafrugell

Discover the emotional singing of Habanera songs in this town in Girona, Catalonia in July 2018 / Pexels

27 June 2018, 11:04

Cantada d'Havaneres festival

When: 7th July 2018
Where: Calella de Palafrugell, Spain
Website: www.havanerescalella.cat

The Cantada d’Havaneres de Calella de Palafrugell festival takes place the first weekend in July each year. It was first held in 1966, when a very special meeting took place in the Can Batlle tavern between different singers of ‘Habaneras’, a type of Cuban song.

They met just to sing and have fun, but a year later the event was held again in a more organised and formal manner on the beach of Calau on the Costa Brava. Some time later, the proceedings were moved to the Port-Bo square in the town, where it is still held to this day. The Cantada d´Havaneres, which translates to The Singing of Habaneras in Calella de Palafrugell, is an unparalleled show, providing a captivating encounter with live artists in a unique seaside setting.

Calella de Palafrugell, a fishing village with music in its veins

Calella de Palafrugell is a town belongs to the province of Girona in Catalonia and is an old fishing village that still tries to preserve its past. It has a very attractive atmosphere as it is one of the few places that still maintains the typical two-storey fishing houses and narrow streets.

This small town has little coves and is a splendid natural setting for cycling or hiking, not to mention a lot to offer music lovers. During the summer months, you can attend both the summer concerts held in the church of Sant Pere and the Cap Roig music festival, which brings together renowned artists from all over.

The hows and whys of the Cantada d'Havaneres

The origins of this curious music festival come from a meeting of ‘Habanera’ singers in the tavern of Can Batlle. It was 1966 and the following year they couldn’t help but repeat the meeting, it was so successful, this time in a public way, on the beach of Calau. The event was a hit thanks to the dedicated audience, who loved the soulful Habanera songs, and it continued to be held every year after that, eventually moving to Port Bo square.

What started out as a meeting of friends has now turned into an incredible festival attended by thousands and thousands of people. There is an amazing spectacle among the event’s new traditions, as a fleet of boats approach the stage in a magical festive ritual.

Given the popularity it has now acquired, in the eighties, the Municipal Tourist Board decided to take charge of the organisation of the event, and years later began to be broadcast live on the TV3 Spanish television channel.

The place where the “Cantada" is now celebrated was once inhabited by fishermen, which is why it became an important centre of commercial marine activity. The Port Bo beach is part of Calella de Palafrugell, a charming district that preserves part of its origins in the layout of its streets, for example, or in the white buildings located on the beachfront.