PICK OF THE WEEK: Andorra (Pyrenees)
Main places:
Andorra la Vella, Escaldes-Engordany, San Julia de Loria, La Massana, Ordino, Encamp, Canillo, Pas de la Casa
FESTIVALS
LAST DAY OF FESTA MAJOR D’ANDORRA LA VELLA, 2021
Monday, 9th August In various areas of Andorra la Vella, Andorra la Vella
(The programme of the Festa Major may be subject to change depending on the evolution of the pandemic. See possible changes at andorralavella.ad )
MONDAY
v 11h: Sand castle competition. Central Park beach volleyball courts.
12h and 18h: Sardanas with the cobla La Principal de la Bisbal. Plaça del Poble.
19h: Small rhythms. Concert for children with the group Pastorets Rock Kids. Plaça de l’antiga Caserna de Bombers, (Old Fire Station Square).
20h Here we go’, circus and theater show with the company Guga & Silvia. Limited capacity. Plaça Guillemó.
20.30h The concert of the Festa Major: Love of Lesbian. Tickets on sale at andorralavella.ad/entries Central Park parking
21.30h Organ concert by Juan María Pedrero. Free admission with limited capacity. More information at:
Església de Sant Esteve.
FESTA MAJOR, D’ENCAMP, 2021
From Friday, 13th to Monday, 16th August
FRIDAY
v 20h Batucada (drum band) with Bandarra Street Orchestra, in the village streets.
v 20.30h Concert with the group La Traca in the Pl. de St. Miquel
v 21h Youth Dinner in the Party Room of the Sports Complex. (Dinner price + t-shirt: 35€. Registration at the Encamp Tourist Office. Mandatory antigen test available from pharmacies.)
SATURDAY
v 10h Yoga in nature at Solanelles. Ascent with Funicamp. (Registrations at Tel. 732,700)
v 11h – 13h and 15h – 19h, Children’s games with Pedala i Pinta and Andròmines in the Pg. of Alghero, Pl. of the Arínsols.
v 16h Surprise Rally in the streets of the village. (Inscriptions on the Instagram of the Festival Commission)
v 19h Peeling of the church bells to start the Festa Major at the Church of Santa Eulàlia
v 20.30h Dance with the group Hashtag in the Pl. of the Arínsols.
SUNDAY
11h – 13h and 15h – 19h Inflatable water and Andfusta Games, Pg. of Alghero, Pl. of the Arínsols.
12 noon Mass of the Virgin Mary in the Church of Santa Eulàlia
15h botifarra (popular, traditional card game) competition in the Café del poble.
18h Dance with the group Music Lovers in the Pl. Sant Miquel.
20.30h Dance with the Sixtus Orchestra in the Pl. Sant Miquel
NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY
MONDAY, 16th August
12h Mass of Sant Roc in the Church of Santa Eulàlia.
12:30h Recognition to the oldest citizens of the parish in the Casa Comuna.
16h BMX acrobatics show in the Arínsols area.
17h Dance with the group Van’d Bolo in the Pl. Arínsols.
23h End of Festa fireworks at the Riberaigües Bridge.
MUSIC
v Monday, 9th August at 21.30h at the Church of Sant Esteve, Andorra la Vella. XXII International Organ Festival &nd Principality of Andorra Concert with Juan María Pedrero (ES) Juan María Pedrero is Professor at the Conservatory of Granada. Artistic director of the International Academy of Organ of Granada.
Programme: Garden in variations: Pasacalle, choir, xacona, litanies, with works by Raison, Bach, Franck, Reger and Alain
(Free admission. Limited capacity. Prior reservation at [email protected] Reservations made here will be given priority (please specify name, surname and telephone number, and date of the concert you wish to attend). For this reservation to be effective, you must arrive well in advance; the organization guarantees the reservation of the ticket only up to ten minutes before the concert begins.)
v Wednesday, 11th August at 21h in the Plaza Mayor, Ordino. (Free activity – Prior reservation required. Tel 878 173) 25a. Open Nights with Shuffle Express. Strongly influenced by the blues, both traditional and contemporary, the band has a wide range of references, played throughout his career, such as Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Willie Dixon, Elmore James, Johnny Otis, Bobby Troup, Roy Montrell , Freddy King, Louis Jordan, Amos Milburn, Junior Wells, Little Walter, Buddy Guy and T-Bone Walker. The band, which was inspired by the streets of Ordino for the images on their first album “Old man Blues”, will fill the main square with their songs such as Big Red Flower, I’m Thirsty and Mongrel Dog
Musicians:
Paul DeVille, guitar and voice
Marc Milian, bass and double bass
Dante Falótico, drums
Virginia Yañez, keyboards and voice
v Wednesday, 11th August at 21.30h at the Church of Sant Esteve, Andorra la Vella. XXII International Organ Festival &nd Principality of Andorra: Micha Ł Markuszewski (PL) Titular organist of the Reformed Church of Warsaw. Professor of organ, improvisation and liturgical performance at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.
Programme: Gardens in time: from the baroque to the present day. With works by Bach, Böhm, Balbastre, Pierné, Böely, Guilmant and Markuszewski.
(Free admission. Limited capacity. Prior reservation at [email protected] Reservations made here will be given priority (please specify name, surname and telephone number, and date of the concert you wish to attend). For this reservation to be effective, you must arrive well in advance; the organization guarantees the reservation of the ticket only up to ten minutes before the concert begins.)
v Thursday, 12th August at 18.30h in the Giberga Restaurant, La Massana (l’Aldosa) Shuffle Express concert at the Parc Giberga Restaurant (with pool) (Free activity. English versions. Telephone contact for registration: 840 172) The weekend kicks off this Thursday on the terrace of the Parc Giberga Restaurant, where you will find the best plan to recharge your batteries with Blues, Rock, Funk and Swing. We invite you to enjoy a concert of your own themes and versions of traditional and contemporary blues with some surprises that will make you dance!
Musicians:
Paul DeVille (guitar and vocals),
Virginia Yañez (keyboards and vocals),
Marc Milian (bass, double bass and vocals),
Dante Falótico (drums, percussion and vocals)
v Thursday, 12th August at 19.30h in the Plaça Sant Miquel, Encamp. Encamp in Clau de Llum: with Pamela Magal in Concert .
v Thursday, 12th August at 20h in the Plaça de Les Fontetes, La Massana. (Free admission. Limited capacity.) Thursday in the fresh air! Concert by the Trio Desconcierto. Presentation of the first album recorded by the trio of classical guitars entitled Cantos y danzas and recorded during lockdown. This work brings together songs and dances from around the world with arrangements created especially for the occasion.
Musicians: Simón Maisano, Giancarlo Scevola, David Font Bernet
v Thursday, 12th August at 20h at The Roof Top Van, Escaldes-Engordany. (Free activity. Limited entry. Prior reservation at: Tel. +376 760 760 or [email protected]) Think Twice Acustic in concert. Come and enjoy live music with the performance of Think Twice Acustic
v Thursday, 12th August at 21h at the Andorra Park Hotel, Andorra la Vella. (NOTE: Check the schedule on instagram @andorraparkhotel. For registration: +376 877 777) 5th edition of the La Pèrgola Jazz cycle of the Andorra Park Hotel: Jazz d’Andorra. On Thursdays, from 21h, the gardens of the Andorra Park Hotel are filled with music. Throughout the different sessions you can listen to jazz melodies from Brazil, romantic, modern, flamenco, Andorran, soul and classical.
v Thursday, 12th August at 21.30h at the Prat del Roure, Escaldes-Engordany. (Limited capacity. Reservations at the Tourist Office, at 890 881 or at [email protected] ) Picnic with Passion and tangos. The Story: in a bar in Buenos Aires, some dancers relive the minutiae of the most poignant love to the beat of the tango passion. Who hasn’t fallen in love with the rhythm of Carlos Gardel’s classic Río de la Plata tangos, or with the rhythm of Astor Piazzolla’s most innovative tango? A story of love and lovelessness danced to the sound of a quartet starring the sound of accordion, guitar, violin and double bass by the ONCA. Plus, you can enjoy this outdoor concert with your picnic.
v Saturday, 14th August from 17h – 23h in the Vall d’Incles, Canillo.
Free activity. Mandatory use of masks on the sites. Sixth edition of the Esquella Incles Walking Music Festival. A proposal that includes a tour of the Incles de Canillo valley with musical performances by: 17h The Scarlett Brotherhood 18h Trio D3 19.30h Old School 21h Manu & The Vozka’s 22h Punkers Love the 80’s, closing the route at the end of the valley.
v Saturday, 14th August at 21.30h at the Church of Sant Pere Màrtir, Escaldes-Engordany. XXII International Organ Festival & nd Principality of Andorra with Olga Witte (DK) & Jordi Gendre (AND) Organ & Flute.
Programme: three hundred years of music for flute and organ. With works by Bach, Krebs, Donjon, Pessard, Martinussen, Ribas, Witte and Nørholm. (Free admission. Limited capacity. Prior reservation at [email protected] . Reservations made here will be given priority – please specify name, surname and telephone number, and date of the concert you wish to attend. For this reservation to be effective, you must arrive well in advance; the organization guarantees the reservation of the ticket only up to ten minutes before the concert begins.)
v Sunday, 15th August from 17h – 21h in Canillo. (Free activity. Mandatory use of masks in the enclosure.) Street music festival
2021. The streets of Canillo will be filled with live music: 17h. BSharp in Plaça del Pui, their repertoire revolves around jazz standards, travelling through different eras and influences. 18.30h A&K Duet in Plaça del Molí Vell, with pop hits from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s from the perspective of jazz, combining them with versions of the best-known standards, to the purest jazz through the bossa nova and Latin music.
20h JAMP in the Plaça of Sant Serni, with own versions and rock-pop versions of all time. (In case of rain, the activity will be moved to the Perecaus building.)
DANCE
v Monday, 9th August at 19h and 20h in the Parc de la Mola, Escaldes-Engordany. (Free activity. Limited capacity. Reservations at the Tourist Office, at 890 881 or at [email protected]) Work in Progress. A dance show choreographed by Marc Güell, accompanied by the sound space of Marco Michelângelo and the performance of Mònica Vega, Olga da Cunha, Cristina Mañosas and Anna Frases by the Cia. Liquid Dance.
v Monday, 9th August at 20h in the Lobby of the Lauredià Cultural and Congress Centre, Sant Julià de Lòria. Olor de Menta (The smell of mint). A dance piece based on the stage poetry of Joan Brossa and a movement and creation workshop in relation to the piece, by Lasúbita.
v Saturday, 14th August at 21.15h at the Sanctuary of our Lady of Meritxell, Canillo. (Free activity. Limited places. Prior reservation required by phone (+376) 836 908.) Summer Nights at the Museums. Contemporary dance: ‘Isadora’ by Mònica Bou. Original choreographies by Isadora Duncan, a forerunner of modern dance. Simplicity in art and life. Beauty, form, truth and emotion.
NOTE FOR YOUR DANCE DIARY
v Monday, 16th August at 18h at the Plaça Sant Roc, Sant Julià de Lòria. (Free activity.) The Fierce Wolf. The fierce wolf has been hunted. After eating the hood, the grandmother, six goats and almost three piglets, he has to face a popular trial, in which the mothers of these characters will testify. What will be the verdict? Is he really guilty, or maybe he was just really hungry?
v Monday, 16th August at 19h and 20h at the Parc de la Mola, Escaldes-Engordany. (Free activity Limited capacity. Reservations at the Tourist Office, at 890 881 or at [email protected]) Aseptic and Aeolus. The Lost Steps. Two proposals of contemporary dance full of beauty and inspiration: Aseptic by Rosa Ma Herrador and Aeolus Los pasos perdidos by Borja Fernández.
EXHIBITIONS
v Until 30th August at Les Fontetes Comic Museum, La Massana. (Free admission: limited capacity depending on the health situation.) Exhibition L’Alcazar by Simon Lamouret. Simon Lamouret, born in Toulouse in 1987, studied illustration at the prestigious Estienne school in Paris, Beaux Arts in Angoulême and Arts Décos in Strasbourg. He settled in Bangalore, India to teach drawing. From this experience, which took place from 2013 to 2018, two very important projects were born in his career: Bangalore (Warum, 2017) and L’Alcazar (Sarbacane, 2020). In this exhibition you can see more than twenty originals of the work of L’Alcazar and the rest of its production. Simon Lamouret still lives in Toulouse. Simon also collaborates with the Revue Dessinée, runs drawing workshops and participates in residencies in France and abroad (Mazé, Casablanca, etc.) L’Alcazar is his first graphic novel and published by Sarbacane editions.
v Until Wednesday, 15th September at Lake Engolasters, Escaldes-Engordany, Encamp. (Free Telephone / contact address for registration: www.andorralandart.com or [email protected] or Tel. +376 823 590.
4th ANDORRA L’ANDART INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL 21
What if we had to confine ourselves to the mountains? The 4th Andorra International Biennial L’Andart wants to answer a question that has arisen from the current situation that affects everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic has led us to rediscover nature, to contact an alternative route to the current model of life. The works exhibited in the surroundings of Lake Engolasters, want to accompany the visitor in a reflection on fear, loneliness and isolation, but also on the rereading of nature as a refuge and source.
v Until Saturday, 25th September at the Escaldes-Engordany Art Centre, Escaldes-Engordany. (Telephone / contact address for registration: Tel: 80 22 55 or [email protected])
Exhibition “Toulouse-Lautrec. The irreverent artist” A tour of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s engravings in an exquisite exhibition that transports us to the bohemia of Montmartre prior to the avant-garde of the early twentieth century, where Toulouse-Lautrec expressed his talent capturing the force of the nocturnal characters, the actresses of the cabaret cafés and circus performers.
The influence of Japaneseism, photographic framing, advertising posters and the work of daring aesthetics are the leitmotif of an irreverent artist who poured his experiences and traumas into a work that is synonymous with the anti-academic artistic revolution.
ACTIVITIES
· Guided tours for schoolchildren, individuals and groups.
· ON TUESDAYS: 31st August and 14th September. Night guided tours at 20.30h and 22h. (Free activity in Catalan. Many more activities to come while the exhibition lasts.) Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9.30h to 13.30h and from 15h to 19h. Sundays in July and August from 9.30h to 13.30H
v Until Sunday, 26th September at the Reig Factory Museum, Sant Julià de Lòria. Free. Dialogues between music and art in
Peralada. Stage of emotions and space of confluence of the arts. Since its beginnings 35 years ago, the Castell de Peralada Festival has emerged as a cultural event that has wanted to go far beyond the mere programming of concerts and shows, to become a space that generates new artistic proposals, where the different disciplines would find a point of confluence for dialogue and mutual enrichment.
One of the most representative examples of this spirit is undoubtedly in the festival posters. A graphic testimony not only of the image of each edition, but also of this complicity that Peralada has always wanted to establish with all kinds of creators, many of whom have returned to this stage to develop other projects.
Fruit, mostly, of direct commissions to recognized figures of the plastic and visual arts, so much of the national panorama as international, these posters conform today a unique and exceptional collection, inherited also, by own right, of the big poster tradition of Catalonia.
This exhibition, which brings them together for the first time, offers us a walk through the history of the festival through 30 posters. All the way to this year’s image, which greets us with this ray of hope, the light that opens before us after the darkness of the pandemic. Pass and see.
CINEMA
v Thursday, 12th August at 20.30h at the Cinemes, Illa Carlemany, Escaldes-Engordany. The Suicide Squad directed by James Gunn. Starring: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena. The Story: Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.
CHILDREN
v Monday, 9th August at 11h in the Church Square in Pas de la Casa, Encamp. Children’s entertainment. Play and create. We offer you an ideal combination to enjoy with the family, a different way to take home a memory of the party.
v Tuesday, 10th August at 16.15h at the Plaça dels Arínsols, Encamp. Children’s entertainment: Circus workshop. Enjoy the magic of the circus with this workshop.
v Wednesday, 11th August From 17.30h to 19.30h in the Prat Gran, La Massana. Children’s Wednesday in El Prat Gran! Giant games by Ludiespai (Free admission. Limited capacity.) Water games, learning games, games working on the sense of balance … Lots of things to spend an afternoon with the family. Original and refreshing games for a warm afternoon in the Prat Gran, come and cool off!
v Wednesday, 11th August at 18h in the Prat Gran, La Massana. (Free admission, Limited capacity.) Children’s Wednesday in El Prat Gran! Family dance workshop by the Liquid Dance School. Family dance workshop for boys and girls from 3 to 6 years old, accompanied by an adult (father, mother, uncle …). The workshop seeks dynamism, movement and knowledge of the body through dance and is taught by two teachers from the Liquid Dance School .
OTHER
v Tuesday, 10th August at 9h at Engolasters Lake, Encamp and Thursday, 12th August at 9h through Sant Joan de Caselles Canillo (3 h) Walks for the over 60s. The meeting and return point is in Plaça de Sant Miquel. It is recommended to bring:
– Comfortable clothes and sports shoes
– Sun protection, hat and sunglasses
– Water and something to eat
Limited seats and bus service.
v Wednesday, 11th August at 19h at Santa Coloma – all over the town, Andorra la Vella. (Price: 5 € – 4€ with Carnet Jove. Limited places. Reservation required either at Andorra la Vella Tourist Office or by phone (+376) 750 100.) The Saint, the Russian and the Count. A theatrical visit to Santa Coloma. Three very representative characters from Santa Coloma will guide us, through an unusual visit, through the singularities of the town in a tour that will review the most fascinating moments in the history of Andorra.
v Thursday, 12th August at 21.30h at the Engolasters hydroelectric road, Escaldes-Engordany. (Free activity. Limited places. Prior reservation required: (+376) 739 111 or [email protected]) Summer nights at the museums. Visit and observation of shooting stars. Do you want to experience a special night? Come and observe with us and the astronomers of the Montsec Astronomical Park the “tears of Sant Llorenç” in a magical environment. NOTE: It is advisable to bring a flashlight and a blanket or mat to sit on on the floor.
v Friday 13th & Saturday, 14th August at 20.30h Summer nights in the museums. Getaway game: ‘La Mina’. Mina de Llorts, Ordino. (Price16€ per person. Prior reservation required at: (+376) 355 451, (+376) 379 107.) The story: It’s the mid-nineteenth century. Prospecting is being carried out in Llorts and Sedornet for fear of exhausting the outcrop of the Meners pass. As a good miner, will you be able to find the new mine to be able to supply the entire Areny forge? Come and discover the Iron Route in a different way! Do you dare to play with us?
NOTE: It is advisable to bring a flashlight and comfortable shoes.
v Saturday, 14th August at 19h in the Old Quarter, Andorra la Vella. (Price 5€. 4€ with the youth card. Advance booking and sale of tickets at: Andorra la Vella Tourist Office. (+376) 750 100.) Summer Nights at the Museums. A theatrical event: Anton Fiter and Rossell await a visit. Dr. Anton Fiter i Rossell, episcopal veguer and author of the famous Manual Digest, is looking forward to the visit of a former fellow student at the University of Huesca. He wants to teach him about the country, but Dr. Picatoste, his friend, is no longer that good-natured young man with whom he shared a classroom.
SUMMER MARKETS
v From Friday 13th from 15h – 22h. Saturday 14th from 9h – 22h. Sunday, 15th August from 9h – 15h at the Plaça de Les Fontetes, La Massana. (Free.) Summer market in the plaça. The market will host twenty stalls, with a medieval atmosphere, selling handmade jewellery, gastronomic products, clothes and accessories, handmade toys.
Culturally yours,
Clare.
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Look for about the author of the blog Clare Allcard
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Look here for the whole blog “Cultural events in Andorra with Clare Allcard
See also Andorra travel guide
See also Pyrenees travel guide
See also France travel guide
See also Spain travel guide
