The Ortigueira Festival of the Celtic World was founded in 1978 by the Bagpipe School of Ortigueira (Escola de Gaitas de Ortigueira) led by Xavier Garrote. The festival was supported by locals and took place every year between 1978 and 1987. Unfortunately, it had to be suspended for over 5 years due to lack of funding and official support from local authorities.
The Festival de Ortigueira was reinstated in 1995 and has since become one of the most important cultural events in the region and the highlight of Galicia’s summer festival calendar. It runs over four days in July, Thursday to Sunday. In 2003, the Spanish Ministry of Economy declared it an Event of National Tourist Importance. The festival attracts around 100,000 attendees every year.
The Ortigueira International Festival of the Celtic World focuses on Celtic music. It features artists from all over the world who come to Ortigueira to showcase their skills and introduce spectators to authentic music of the Celtic nations (Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man).
Concerts are held in several venues throughout the town. The main stage is located by the sea in the town harbor. It hosts headlining acts. Past headliners at the Festival de Ortigueira include world-class artists and bands such as Alan Stivell (France) and The Chieftains (Ireland). Some of the parallel events are held at the local theater. Besides, there are street performances in front of the Town Hall and throughout the town and the traditional parade that always takes place on Sunday.
In 2000, the festival inaugurated an annual competition for up-and-coming musicians aimed to promote new talent. The winner of the Runas Project gets a chance to perform on the main stage at the next festival alongside the headliners. The winners are chosen by an international jury. The competition is one of the festival’s main highlights. Even those artists and bands that don’t win gain new fans and valuable experience.
Photo: festivaldeortigueira.com
