The magician’s proclamation George Blass this Friday in the Plaza del General Vara del Rey will kick off the most traditional festivities in the capital, the triad of San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and La Paloma.
The most traditional Madrid, the one whose day to day Benito Pérez Galdós recounted in his novels and takes place between the streets of Oso, Mesón de Paredes or Argumosa, has already placed manila shawls, lanterns and pennants in its streets to celebrate these summer festivals .
San Cayetano, August 7 marks the start of the trio of popular festivals on the calendar (with San Lorenzo on the 10th and La Paloma on the 15th) that transform the capital into a verbena for more than a week, a hallmark that its essence with a program full of activities after overcoming the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The General Vara del Rey and Arturo Barea squares and the gardens of Las Vistillas will be the settings for San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and La Paloma, respectively. Solemn masses will continue, and this year the traditional processions return, suspended in the previous two years due to Covid-19.
San Cayetano
Open the festive calendar San Cayetano, from August 4 to 7, with two main stages, Plaza de Cascorro and Plaza del General Vara del Rey. Various activities are planned in these two places.
In that of Cascorro, There will be workshops organized by neighborhood associations and entities. On Thursday 4, Recycle and replant (from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and DJ for young people (8 p.m.). On Friday 5, Paint your shirt (from 11 am to 2 pm) and, again For young DJs (8 pm).
On Friday 5, in the Plaza del General Vara del Rey, to warm up the engines before the proclamation, the children’s concert, ‘Arigato’ (7:30 p.m.) and, at 8:30 p.m., the election of the traditional characters La Casta, la Susana, Maja de Lavapiés, Don Hilarión, Julián and Señá Rita.
After the proclamation, the first musical performances will arrive with the cupletista Olga María Ramos (10 p.m.) and the cantaora Estrella Morente (11:30 p.m.).
On Saturday the 6th, the puppet show will take place on this stage The princess said no (8pm) and performances by Mari Pepa de Chamberí (9pm), Calle Godó (22 hours) and Anne War (11:30 p.m.).
That same day, there will be proposals in different locations in the Embajadores neighborhood. In the Casino de la Reina park, table tennis tournament for pairs (from 11 am to 9:30 pm). In Cascorro, neighborhood aperitif (13 hours), frog championship for children and adults (20 hours) and the delivery of the Neighborhood Awards (22 hours).
On Calle del Oso, residents can enjoy free lemonade with music (20 hours) and a traditional star performance Tribute to our Emy and company (from 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.).
San Lorenzo, until the 12th
The Festival of San Lorenzo they will have the Plaza de Arturo Barea as their main stage, although the performances will ‘sprinkle’ other parts of the neighbourhood. On Thursday the 11th, the performances will begin with the theater show for the whole family ‘El ingenioso Ulises’ (8:30 p.m.), followed by the copla de Lola Lopez and Pablo Hernandez. The day will end with the performance of the malagueña The Mari who will perform songs from both his time with the group Chambao and his solo repertoire.
On Friday, the 12th, the little ones in the house will enjoy La banda brat (20 hours), followed by musical performances by Flowclorica and Grex (at 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., respectively). The day will end at 11:30 p.m. with a performance by the Madrid band black seed that will cover pop rock of the movement of the 80s and 90s.
As for sports and other activities, on the 10th, sports competitions and traditional games will be held at the Casino de la Reina Basic Sports Facility, between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. And in Cascorro, a chotis 2.0 contest, as well as an intergenerational workshop and another contest, in this case remixes (between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.), all organized by the CDE Dragones de Lavapiés.
And as a creative proposal, the fourth edition of the artistic intervention Bolardo voy, bolardo vengo, organized by the Association Esto es una Plaza (from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. hours). In Calle del Olivar, you can enjoy the popular lemonade (9:30 p.m.) by the Association of Madrileños and Friends Los Castizos.
On the 12th, between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., at Doctor Fourquet 24, there will be proposals for all ages, from the petanque tournament, popular games such as marbles, pins or sack carts, to comic book and graphic novel readings, drawing contest and sonidera action, organized by the Association Esto es una Plaza.
The Dove, from 13 to 15
The last of the celebrations is the Virgin of the Dove and, as is tradition, its main stage will be the gardens of Las Vistillas. On Saturday the 13th, there will be proposals for all audiences with the clowns.
On Sunday 14, family and children’s performance Pim, pam, pum, game (8:00 p.m.), followed by the Agrupación Castiza de Madriz al Cielo (9:00 p.m.), the awarding of trophies for the various contests and competitions (10:15 p.m.) and, to finish, the performance of Nancys Rubias, commanded by Mario Vaquerizo. In the Plaza de la Paja, the Castiza de Madriz al Cielo Group has organized the Chotis and Pasodobles Contest (9:00 p.m.).
The big day, Monday 15, will begin with the floral offering to the Virgin of La Paloma, at 12:30 p.m., on the façade of the Colegio La Salle-La Paloma (Calle de la Paloma, 19-21), as a prelude to the mass. At 2:15 p.m., one of the most emotional acts of these commemorations will take place, the lowering of the painting of the Virgin by the picket of the Madrid City Council Fire Department.