Avelino Vicente Square in A Guarda has just hosted the presentation of the 30th Mussel and Cockle Festival of Vilanova de Arousa, which will be held between August 8 and 11. This initiative is part of a promotional exchange between the two municipal districts, after A Guarda presented its Lobster Festival in Valle-Inclán’s hometown.
The event was chaired by the mayors of Vilanova de Arousa, Gonzalo Durán Hermida, and A Guarda, Roberto Álvarez Carrero, as well as other representatives of both town councils. In his speech, Vilanova’s mayor highlighted that “this thirtieth year of the Mussel and Cockle Festival of Vilanova has several new features. One of the main ones is the event’s updated image, promoting it even more as a landmark event within Galicia’s festive summer of Galicia,” he said.
Options for all tastes and audiences
Regarding the festive program, Durán indicated that it will begin on August 8 with the opening of the gastronomic tent in Plaza do Castro at 1:00 p.m. and the official visit at 1:30 p.m. “We hope to exceed 5,000 diners during the 4 days of this thirtieth year of the festival, setting a new record of attendees to this space where the most varied recipes with mussels and cockles can be tasted,” explained the mayor.
Friday, August 9 will begin with the opening of the traditional Opportunities Fair, which brings together about twenty local shops associated with Vilanova Centro. They will set up their stalls on Avenida do Recheo and will offer great discounts on all kinds of items, especially clothing, footwear and accessories.
The second big event of the day will be the performance of the Panorama Orchestra. It will take place at 11:00 p.m. in Parque do Cabo.
The music will continue on Saturday, August 10 with a concert by Antonio Barros & Lis Pardo, at 10:00 p.m. in Plaza do Castro. Saturday will feature, as is the tradition, the maritime procession in honour of the “Virgen del Carme.” The boats will get dressed for the occasion to accompany their patron saint during the journey along the Ría de Arousa as far the bridge that connects Vilanova with Illa de Arousa.
The big day of the 30th Mussel and Cockle Festival of Vilanova de Arousa will be on Sunday, August 11. The main feature will include the reading of the opening speech and the awarding of the Gold and Diamond Badges, which will take place at 1:30 p.m. in Plaza do Castro.
The finishing touch to the program will come from Roi Casal. The artist will give a concert at 9:00 p.m. in Jardín Umbrío.
Gonzalo Durán stressed that “all the activities included in our fiesta’s program of our party are free of charge.” In this sense, he encouraged residents and visitors to come to Vilanova in the second week of August to enjoy a food event that will leave an excellent taste in their mouths.
8-course tasting
The presentation of the 30th Mussel and Cockle Festival of Vilanova de Arousa was completed with a tasting of dishes prepared by the students of the “Mar de Santiago III” Restaurant and Cuisine Employment Workshop. These recipes highlighted the gastronomic versatility and quality of the municipal district’s two star products. The following eight dishes were prepared by the 20 participants in this initiative:
- Moules mariniere
- Mussels in vinaigrette
- Mussel dip
- Salad with white beans, cockles, smoked salmon and mango vinaigrette
- Mussel and light tuna pie
- “Empanada” (Galician pie) with mussels and cockles
- Mussel croquettes
- Peppers stuffed with mussels and cockles
The mayors of Vilanova and A Guarda thanked students of the “Mar de Santiago III” Employment Workshop for their good work and for promoting Vilanova’s two star products by means of these delicious recipes.