Formentera celebrates Balearic Islands Day with full month of activities

foto-2020-dia-illes1Formentera’s president and culture secretary, Alejandra Ferrer and Susana Labrador, respectively, plus Miquel Àngel Coll, the director general of the institutional relations division of the Balearic government, met today at the head office of the Consell de Formentera to unveil the programme of activities lined up to celebrate Balearic Islands Day on Formentera.

This year’s tag line —“the union starts with you”— instroduces a bill of nearly 300 activities across the archipelago revolving around the culture, history and heritage that, as Coll pointed out, Mallorca, Menorca, Eivissa and Formentera share. Inter-island agreements have allowed island councils to tailor programming to reflect the activities most suited, and deeply rooted, on each island.

“Balearic Islands Day is about strengthening what unites us”, proclaimed Ferrer. “Formentera’s activities programme may be anchored by sport, culture and learning, but, whether it’s the Cantada Pagesa last Saturday or the demonstrations of homespun dance adding flair to our official celebrations on 1 March, tradition is never too far away”.

Insisting an array local groups had been crucial to putting the Balearic Islands Day programme together, Labrador reviewed the activities that have been teed up for the occasion.

THURSDAY 27 FEBRUARY
ROUND-TABLE: Antonio José Viñaràs presents ‘Balearic autonomy in the Second Republic: An Autonomy Statute for Eivissa and Formentera’ at 8.00pm in Sant Francesc’s Marià Villangómez library.

FRIDAY 28 FEBRUARY
Pilar Mena & Bro’s represent Formentera and Ana Martí bears the standard for Mallorca as the Dia de les Illes Balears concert takes place in La Mola’s Casa del Poble. The venue co-sponsors the Formentera show, which starts at 8.00pm and occurs simultaneously with other concerts across the Balearics.

SATURDAY 29 FEBRUARY
Saturday comes with the ninth FORMENTERA ALL ROUND TRAIL. Covering 72.5K of meandering trails along Formentera’s coast, the FART both starts and ends in La Savina port. All the details and information on how to sign up can be found at www.elitechip.net.

SUNDAY 1 MARCH
Formentera’s official celebration of the Dia de les Illes Balears will include an address from President Alejandra Ferrer, entertainment from local dance troupes Es Xacoters and Es Pastorells and a sampling of signature Formentera products. The event will take place at 12 noon in Plaça de la Constitució.

SUNDAY 8 MARCH
Two options —a 10K run and a 5K walk— are open to participants in the sixth Charity Run for the Woman (Cursa Solidària per a la Dona). Both circuits start and finish at Plaça de la Constitució in Sant Francesc and have a registration fee of €10 entitling participants to a commemorative T-shirt. Proceeds go to benefit the Spanish Cancer Association (AECC). Signups can be completed during regular hours of operation at Poliesportiu Antoni Blanc. The event is co-sponsored by the Consell de Formentera, AECC, Espai Dones and Grup Esportiu Espalmador. A paella will be held from 2.00pm in Sa Senieta tent, near the car park. The €10 paid by adults (or €5 for kids) also go to benefit the AECC.

SATURDAY 14 MARCH
Family-friendly shows are up next. When Clownómadas stage a 6.00pm performance of Utopía in the Sala de Cultura (Cinema), the troupe traces the tale of a clown who has spent years travelling the world and sought magic in everything around him. The varied act features live music, magic, juggling, illusion and —the performer’s innovative specialty— smoke charming. The fun-for-families show runs 50 minutes and tickets cost €5 for kids (accompanying adults get in free).

SATURDAY 21 MARCH
Closing out the programme is Formentera’s third Festival Folklòric. The event gets under way at 12 noon in Plaça de la Constitució and includes dance demonstrations from Es Xacoters and Es Pastorells, plus guest performances from an A Coruña-based troupe of gaitas players and dancers called Concello de Abegondo and folk group Les Camaraes from Vinaròs.

There will be bands from Formentera performing on the other islands as well, not to mention traditional dancers, street dancers and hometown artists. Always falling on and around 1 March, yearly Balearic Islands Day celebrations commemorate the 1983 proclamation (and 2007 renewal) of the Balearic Islands’ Statute of Autonomy.

24 February 2020
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera