This morning, the Alameda Carabela Pinta in Baiona (Pontevedra) hosted the presentation of the 31st Mussel and Cockle Festival in Vilanova de Arousa. The event will take place between 7 and 10 August and will feature a varied programme of activities. The Baiona councillor, Jesús Vázquez Almuíña, and the new director of Tourism for the province of Pontevedra, Romina Fernández Pena, took part in the event, which was presided over by the mayor of Vilanova de Arousa, Gonzalo Durán Hermida, and the councillor for Tourism and provincial deputy, Javier Tourís Romero.
In his speech, Gonzalo Durán highlighted that both Vilanova and Baiona have ‘many things in common,’ but especially their location on the Portuguese Way along the coast. ‘We are two seaside towns with a lot of history and on the same Way,’ he said. He also highlighted the high quality of the municipality’s star products, inviting all those attending the event to taste the tapas prepared by the Mar de Santiago Hospitality Employment Workshop, ‘which has been around for a long time and has a well-deserved reputation’ for its good work.
Jesús Vázquez also highlighted these points in common, saying he was ‘delighted to host the presentation of the 31st Mussel and Cockle Festival. We are very close to Vilanova, because it is a town with characteristics very similar to our municipality and we have a special relationship,’ he said. The Baiona councillor also took the opportunity to congratulate Durán on his ‘30 years as mayor, making him one of the longest-serving mayors in Galicia’.
Javier Tourís took the opportunity to invite citizens and visitors to come to Vilanova between 7 and 10 August. ‘We will have four days full of activities, with great musical shows and, of course, a food tent where you can taste our products’. As a preview of the programme, the Vilanova Councillor for Tourism indicated that there will be renowned orchestras such as Panorama, which is already a classic at the Mussel and Cockle Festival; traditional groups with a long history, such as Milladoiro; and leading artists such as Roi Casal, as well as a parade by the Mekánika Rolling Band.
For her part, Romina Fernández, who confessed that this was her first event as director of Tourism for Pontevedra, stated that ‘Vilanova and Baiona are two municipalities that represent the identity of our territory very well.’ In this regard, she confirmed the provincial authority’s support ‘for events such as this, as they highlight festivals with soul, which combine tradition and modernity, attract visitors and reinforce a sense of belonging to a destination’.
Tasting of mussel and cockle tapas
As a brief preview of the versatility of both of the municipality’s star bivalves, a tasting of tapas prepared by the 20 students of the Mar de Santiago Hospitality Employment Workshop was offered. Among the dishes on offer were the following: mussel and avocado tartare; crispy nori seaweed taco with mussels; mussels marinara and vinaigrette; mussel salad; mussel dip; white bean, cockle, smoked salmon and mango salad; and mussel and light tuna pie. These delicacies were enjoyed by dozens of attendees at this morning’s presentation on the Alameda Carabela Pinta in Baiona.
The presentation of the 31st Vilanova de Arousa Mussel and Cockle Festival continues the promotion that began last year, when the event was presented in A Guarda. ‘We want our gastronomic celebration to be known beyond our borders, and both Baiona and A Guarda are strategic locations for attracting visitors, especially from northern Portugal, who are among the tourists who often choose our municipality for their summer holidays,’ explained Gonzalo Durán.
All the information about the 31st Vilanova de Arousa Mussel and Cockle Festival can be found on the website www.festadomexillon.com, as well as on the event’s Facebook and Instagram profiles.