On Friday night at 9:00 p.m. on the stage installed in the José Ramírez Cerdá park next to the Music Kiosk, the 'XXX San Ginés Folk Festival 2024' was held. With the allowed capacity full and some followers around, the festival began with an emotional overture dedicated to the memory of a prominent recently deceased player and soloist, Eliseo Martín. The chords of the Isa de salón, a song to which Eliseo gave voice and the dance corps on stage, the members wanted to pay tribute to him. At the end of the piece, the applause of the public also joined the recognition. Then, Santiago Torres director and Moneiba Díaz, members of Coros y Danzas Arrecife presented a bouquet of flowers to his widow, Socorro,
The XXX San Ginés Folk Festival in this edition began with the performance of the Parranda Marinera de Buches who very excited went on stage for the first time at the San Ginés Festivities since its founding back in 1963. Its 35 members, men and women, directed in the musical part by Professor Roberto Gil and Vanessa Pérez in the dance direction, performed the most representative of their seafaring repertoire such as Niña Bonita, Querida Lola, Chiquilla Mía and a Vals Marinero. Los Buches filled the stage with color with their clothing and the colored ribbons that came out of their headdresses, always carrying the buche raised, an indisputable symbol of the parranda. During their performance, the public sang and chanted each of their songs, which were highly applauded.
Secondly, the representatives of the island of La Gomera, the Agrupación Folclórica Hautacuperche residing in San Sebastián, took the stage. Group founded in 1992 currently has 45 members distributed in the bodies of touch and dance directed in the musical part and dance by Ana Luz Arteaga. The Gomera representation conquered the public with its most representative songs and dances such as La Polca Gomera, Baile de Tambor, Aires de Lima or La Jota. This group was declared by the Ministry of Culture as a Representative Manifestation of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The public rewarded their performance with applause.
Thirdly, the 30 members of the Agrupación Folclórica Tetir from the island of Fuerteventura created in 1973 took the stage. For this occasion they wore the peasant clothing of the island, and are directed in the musical part by Tomás Perera and in the dance corps by Pedro Vera. Tetir performed the most representative songs and dances such as La Malagueñita de los Novios, Isa Corrida, Polca Majorera and Seguidillas. The Agrupación Folclórica de Tetir with its songs and dances won the affection and applause of the public during its performance.
The festival was closed by the hosts and organizers with the collaboration of the Arrecife City Council, the Agrupación Coros y Danzas Arrecife and that on this occasion featured the outstanding soloist of the Agrupación folclórica Los Campesinos, Daniel Betancort Elvira, one of the young voices of Lanzarote that preserves the legacy of the island singer. Coros y Danzas Arrecife is directed in the musical part by Santiago Torres and the dance corps by Pepe Morales.
Its members took the stage very excited and happy to be able to celebrate the '30th Anniversary of the San Ginés Folk Festival', which they prepare with great enthusiasm every year. Since its founding back in 1958, Coros y Danzas Arrecife has taken the name of Lanzarote and the Canary Islands to European and American countries and have been worthy representatives wherever they go. In this edition they performed Sorondongo Marinero, Isa en Red, Folias, Seguidillas ending with the expected Malagueña.
A little history of the Festival
Rescued in 1994 by initiative of Santiago Torres director of the Agrupación Coros y Danzas Arrecife and the Arrecife City Council, the San Ginés Folk Festival returned to be part of the program of festive events. A leading festival in the main festivals of Arrecife was fading away, disappearing from the program and for the good of all those who fight to keep the traditions alive, the San Ginés Folk Festival resurfaced like the Phoenix and during these 30 years has had the representation of the folk groups of all the islands and the support of a loyal public that every year attends the call to enjoy the most representative traditional songs and dances of the Canary Islands.
Minutes before the start of the event, the members of Coros y Danzas Arrecife invited the public with a homemade shortbread and a shot of blackberry liqueur. Among the public was also the mayor of the Arrecife City Council, Yonathan de León, the Councilor for Festivities, Echedey Eugenio, colleagues from the Municipal Corporation.
