The 41st Lestedo Festival broke all records. “For the first time we have significantly exceeded the 100,000 filloas distributed, half of them today on Sunday and the rest during the different parallel activities that we have been organizing in the last month,” says José Manuel Canabal, president of the Cultural Association of La Filloa.
The coincidence with election day did not affect the fiesta at all, except perhaps for the fact that the fairground began to fill up a little later than usual, which also allowed the filloeira machines to work at full capacity and not have to wait for them, at five euros for a pack of ten filloas. This year, in addition to the two filloeira machines in operation, we had to add the filloas cooked on stone (at two euros), made in a stand in the fairground; a stall selling stuffed filloas and, for the first time, the sale of gluten-free filloas in Lestedo’s social centre.
At 12:00 p.m., the 7th Parade of Ulla Generals took place, which left the Hotel Restaurant Vía da Prata towards the fairground preceded by a group of bagpipes from the Mestre Manuel Gacio Cultural Association and by the official delegation of authorities, led by the mayor of Boqueixón, Ovidio Rodeiro Tato, and the president of the Cultural Association of La Filloa, José Manuel Canabal. More than half a hundred of Dispatch Riders and Ulla Generals from Touro, O Pino, Santiago de Compostela, A Estrada, Vedra, Teo and Boqueixón took part in the parade.
Among the authorities present were Carmen Pita Urgoiti, Director of Promotion of the Galician Tourism Agency; María Carmen Martínez Ínsua, Director General of Cultural Heritage; José Luís Cabarcos, Director General of AGACAL; Miguel Ángel Paredes Marín, colonel-in-chief of the Santiago Military Aerodrome; José Antonio Rivero Zobra, captain-in-chief of the Third Company of Santiago; the opening speaker Javier Olleros; Luís Rial, son of the honoree Luís Rial Suárez; and Nuria Colmenero, head of Food Safety of the Galician Celiac Association, replacing the president of the association, Gloria Bernárdez Beltrán.
Speeches
The mayor of Boqueixón began his speech by thanking “the work and involvement of his fellow residents and the Cultural Association of La Filloa in the organization of this festival” but wanted to make a special mention of the journalist Luís Rial, “a person closely linked to this festival since its birth. He was the presenter of this Festival for many years and a true ambassador of the Lestedo Filloa. The opening speaker in 1994, on this same stage he made one of the most memorable statements in this festival: when he proclaimed that the Lestedo Filloa is Galicia’s national dessert”.
Ovidio Rodeiro also joked about the coincidence of the Fiesta with the elections, saying that “it has been too many years organizing this party on Piñata Sunday to have to change the date for an election,” recalling that this already happened in 2009. Finally, he introduced the opening speaker Javier Olleros, “a leading chef in sustainable, local, and environmentally friendly cuisine. Look at you, just like our filloa: sustainable: it’s a simple recipe from ancient Rome based on wheat flour, eggs, salt, and water; proximity: all the products are from Lestedo and the water even comes from the summit of the legendary Pico Sacro; and, above all, respectful of the environment, a fundamental value of the municipality of Boqueixón.”
For his part, José Manuel Canabal stressed that “the filloa began as a festival of the parish of Lestedo, in which the locals made the filloas at home. Then we took them to the beach bars and they gave them away with the drinks. Today it is a Festival of Galician Tourist Interest that works for its recognition as a Festival of National Tourist Interest.” Of course, he recalled that “no matter how much the Filloa grows, no matter how many recognitions we receive… in the end, the success of this festival lies in the same point as it did 41 years ago: the effort of the residents of Lestedo.”
Opening speech
In his speech, Javier Olleros highlighted “cooking as a small lifesaver and as a fiesta to share around a table.” Thus, he assured that “the Lestedo Filloa Festival is an example of establishing relationships based on the trust and solidarity of all those who are part of it, and of which I already feel like a small ambassador.” Likewise, he said that “I learned to make filloas by listening, breaking many, practicing, and with love and respect as a fundamental ingredient.”
After the opening speech, which for the first time was given in sign language thanks to the collaboration of the Association of Deaf People of Santiago de Compostela (APSSC), came the awarding of the three Aprons of Honour of the Filloa: Javier Olleros, Adolfo Gacio Vázquez, former mayor of Boqueixón, and Nuria Colmenero, head of Food Safety of the Association of Celiacs of Galicia, replacing the president of the association, Gloria Bernárdez Beltrán.
Then, the spokesperson of the Cultural Association of La Filloa, Xosé Manuel Lobato, read a remembrance of Luís Rial Suárez, presenter of the Filloa Festival in its beginnings and its opening speaker in 1994, and gave a tray of recognition to Luís Rial, son of the deceased journalist.
Xosé Manuel Lobato stressed that “today we are paying tribute to a great professional who was always linked to our fiesta. A union that began in the eighties and that Luís always maintained. That is why he was the Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Filloa and the opening speaker in 1994, as well as a tireless promoter of the festival.” For this reason, he conveyed to his family “the intense affection of the people of Lestedo, as well as of all of us who are part of the Cultural Association of La Filloa. Forever with us, friend Luís.” For his part, Luís Rial expressed thanks for the tribute and said that for his father “the Lestedo Filloa Festival was the most important in Galicia. His enthusiasm was contagious and his joy was unmatched.”
Finally, José Manuel Canabal awarded the decoration of “General of the Filloa 2024” to José Manuel Iglesias Gómez.
Satyrical “antranques” of Dispatch Riders and Generals
Once the event was over, at 2:15 p.m. the traditional satirical “atranques” by the dispatch riders and Generals took place, in which two couples of dispatch riders participated (Aroa Peña–Andrea Seoane; Rebeca Rey Vázquez-Lucía Noya Vázquez) and five couples of generals (José Insua-Andrés Lareo; Aroa Estévez-Esteban Estévez; José Canabal-Javier Saavedra; Olaia Canabal-Gerardo Canabal; and the long-awaited Uxía Canabal-María Mera).
This last satirical “atranque” was one of the most applauded and expected, as it had been promised two years ago by the presenter, who in 2023 gave a small advance, but from the stage. On this occasion the “antranque” was on horseback, starting with a surprising and current “Zorra,” in reference to the song chosen for Eurovision.
Once the “atranques” were over, the performance of the Ibiza Group took place. At 6:00 p.m., the orchestras París de Noia and Origen put the finishing touch to the 41st Lestedo Filloa Festival.
