With the Carnival celebrated and immersed in the upcoming Easter Week, preparations for the May Festivities are around the corner. This event, under the direction of Javier Caraballero, formerly the artistic and programming director and currently in a political role, faces a paradox similar to the success he achieved in February with the carnival celebrations. The decisions made by the set designer were well-received, including featuring four themes in the murga competition, and children opening the parade…
For the Santa Cruz patronage festivities, Caraballero has also aimed to revitalize one of the highlights of the program, the traditional plant and craft exhibition – with fewer flowers each year – held in García Sanabria Park. After conversations with past participants and drawing from his organizational experience, Javier Caraballero has decided to shorten this year’s fair, reducing the duration from seven days to five of activity. The reason? Entrepreneurs, particularly flower producers, highlight the economic strain of being open in the park for a whole week, citing other similar events that last only three or four days.
In an effort to boost the presence of flower stalls, Caraballero has opted to shorten the duration of the García Sanabria fair, taking advantage of the fact that most of the planned days, from May 1st to 5th, coincide with public holidays or rest days, such as May 1st, leading into a three-day weekend with Friday the 3rd being a public holiday in Santa Cruz, and Sunday the 5th celebrating Mother’s Day.
The duration of the flower, plant, and craft fair will not interfere with another traditional event during the May Festivities: gorgorito, as aside from Thursday, May 2nd, a double bill program is scheduled for the remaining days with the Maese Villarejo company.
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The May Festivities will kick off on Thursday, April 18th, with the opening speech taking place at the former San Carlos Barracks square, an unprecedented location in the programme that will surprise with its beauty in an area where the Los Llanos neighbourhood once stood.
On Friday, April 26th, the election gala for the festival queen will be held under the direction of Paula Álvarez, a regular in Caraballero’s team and a guarantee of success in all events she has previously organized alongside Yeray Piñero. The following day, Saturday the 27th, will see the selection of the children’s magician.
The illustrator Nareme Melián, who made his debut in the Television Carnival as the stage designer, will also be responsible for creating the decor at the Candelaria square. The magician’s dance is scheduled for Thursday, May 2nd, and the cross exhibition on the same day. Registrations for the contests will open next week.
