The president of the Filloa Cultural Association, José Manuel Canabal, the Mayor of Boqueixón, Manuel Fernández Munín, and the Member of the Galician Parliament and president of the CRTVG Control Commission, Ovidio Rodeiro Tato, presented in the CIFP Compostela this morning the programme of the 40th Filloa de Lestedo Festival, which will be held on Sunday, February 26.
The Mayor of Boqueixón thanked the local residents and the Filloa Cultural Association for “preparing an extensive programme of activities linked to the 40th Filloa de Lestedo Festival and with a lot of new initiatives, such as the Filloña Festival for children, who are ready to take over as the next generation.”
For his part, José Manuel Canabal confirmed that the “Alto dos Xenerais da Ulla,” a Festival of Galician Tourist Interest, will again be held in the morning and that “as regards the filloa tasting, we will get back to normality with a free tasting at midday and then, throughout the day, all visitors will be able to purchase and try all types of recipes: sweet filloas, ones cooked on a stone, filled filloas…” Finally, Ovidio Rodeiro highlighted once again the work of Lestedo’s residents, “who have managed to link this town and this parish with one of Galicia’s most important food festivals.”
Parallel Programme
Today marks the beginning of intensive weeks of promoting the Filloa Festival. Monday, January 30, will be the first day for participating in the 3rd “Filloarte” Photography Competition, in which anyone can submit up to two pictures of filloas being prepared, plated filloa presentations, creativities based on filloas, etc. The only restriction is that the photos cannot feature any identifiable persons. Participants should email their pictures by February 17 to festadafilloadelestedo@gmail.com. The competition rules are available on: www.festadafilloadelestedo.gal.
On Friday, February 17, both the Filloa de Lestedo Festival and the Generals of Ulla will be featured on the Galician TV programme “Luar.”.
One of this year’s new features is the “Festa da Filloíña,” “which focusses on children, who are beginning to take over as Lestedo’s new generation, because we are proud to see these traditions being passed down from one generation to another,” declared Manuel Fernández Munín. The “Filloiña Festival” will begin at 5:30 pm on Saturday, February 18, in Lestedo’s fairground with performances by music groups (Lucerniñas, Luceiro, Luarada from the Mestre Manuel Gacio Cultural Association, As Travesas de Codeso, and Os Campiños de Sarandón), followed by the opening speech of the children’s festival.
At 6:30 pm there will be the “Atranques de Xenerais y Xeneraliños” event, continuing with a free filloa tasting and fancy dress competition, and finishing off with a children’s party. In the late evening, it will be the parents’ turn with the “Entroido da Filloa” event, featuring a fancy dress competition and an open-air dance with the Finisterre orchestra and the Origen group.
Finally, on the days leading up to the big festiva,l there will be a cooking show called “Gluten-free Lestedo.” On Friday, February 24, different recipes will be presented for those with gluten intolerance. This initiative is organised by the Galician Association of Celiacs. And on Saturday, February 25, at 6 p m, there will be a new food event called “Terra e mar” (Land and Sea), in which a prestigious chef will prepare filloa recipes with different sweet and savoury fillings, only using local and seasonal produce. The day will end with music thanks to the 1st “Filloa Folk,” which will be held in Lestedo’s fairground with the participation of the groups Raeira and Raiola (Mestre Manuel Gacio Cultural Association), Xabier Díaz & Adufeiras de Salitre, and the Requinta da Laxeira.
40th Filloa de Lestedo Festival
The 40th Filloa Festival will begin at 11 am on February 26 with the performance of music groups and the traditional Carnival party. At 12 noon there will be the Parade of the Ulla Generals as far as the fairground, which will be followed by the opening speech and the awards ceremony. At 1:45 pm the “Gran Alto de los Xenerais da Ulla” event will take place, featuring rhymed verses and a lot of irony and humour, centred on politics and current affairs. It will be presented by the actress María Mera.
The festival will get back to normality as regards the tasting of filloas, with a free tasting at midday in the fairground. Throughout the day, those visiting Lestedo can purchase and try all types of recipes: sweet filloas, ones cooked on a stone, filled filloas, savoury filloas, those made with the “filloeira” machine…
Music from Luz do Ilicino and the Ibiza group will bring this morning full of activities to an end. In the afternoon, the Coleguitas group and the París de Noia orchestra will liven up the open-air dance from 6 pm onwards.
