Algharb.Come is inspired by the cultural roots of the Lower Guadiana and Andalusia and is based on a reinvention of traditions. But it is also a project «made by all of us, who live here and want to have a different kind of tourism», said Ana Quinteliano, coordinator of this project designed by young people, who will use fado, flamenco and the Mediterranean Diet to promote non only a territory, but also its products and who creates them.
This event, which starts in November and only ends in May, during which it will pass through several locations in the Eastern Algarve, but also in Lisbon and Seville, is one of the novelties of the second edition of 365Algarve, cultural program promoted by the Secretariats of State for Tourism and Culture.
O Sul Informação went to Vila Real de Santo António, to the headquarters of Backup, the youth association that promotes Algharb.Come, to understand what this initiative will be, highly praised by Dália Paulo, commissioner of 365Algarve, in the presentation of this cultural program.
The project's premise is simple: to make known local products, those who make them and the territory of Baixo Guadiana, in events where fado or flamenco will also be present.
“The project has several phases. In 2017, there will be a test phase with the Municipal Markets. This is because it is important to meet local producers and boost our markets. Both we and tourists, when we visit a place, go looking for what is most typical. And in the squares we have this experience», explained Ana Quintelian to Sul Informação.
The first experience takes place at the Municipal Market of Vila Real de Santo António, on the 4th of November. «will have a showcooking, will have fado, which will also be, at night, at the Restaurante Os Arcos», explained the coordinator of Algharb.Come.
«It has been a fantastic experience, because we had the opportunity to map the markets and that's when we really started to feel the project. We spoke with all operators and it is with them that we are trying to build these dynamics. We didn't get there to impose something, we involved them in the execution of this project», he said.
«Let's promote showcookings, always with a Head from the Algarve Hotel and Tourism School, our partner, but also with chefs of our typical restaurants. And this is where the reinvention of the Mediterranean Diet will emerge. Our typical restaurants serve cataplanas or other traditional Algarve dishes, but we want to reinvent them, with the help of new people, who have been leaving the Hotel and Tourism School», said Ana Quintelian.
In addition to the VRSA market, the project will include its counterparts in Castro Marim, Altura and Vila Nova de Cacela. Each one will host “more than one round”. «By the end of 2017, it will be fado . In 2018, the second time we come back, we will already bring flamenco. The idea is that there will always be this merger here», he explained.
In all sessions, the same logic is applied: whenever there is a visit to one of the squares involved in the project, there will be a concert at night in a restaurant in that location, in the same musical style.
This concept will be maximized in a festival that will take place on the 19th and 20th of May, at the Revelim de Castro Marim, which will highlight “our products and producers, bringing them closer to consumers”.
Here, musical spectacles will also be “served”, “which are expected to be innovative”, since Backup is “strongly betting on what is a reinvention of our heritage”.
Before this final event, the promoters of Algharb.Come will leave the Lower Guadiana to take the initiative to Lisbon and Seville, as well as other places in Andalusia.
«Why are we going to Lisbon, to the Fado Museum? Because fado is a heritage of humanity and this museological space is a kind of headquarters for the candidacy that was approved. We are developing contacts so that the Museum assumes a leading role in a partnership with us, which will open doors for us and bring a series of advantages»
“And there is Spain, the flamenco side, which will allow 365Algarve to leave its territory once again. Backup had already promoted this cross-border cooperation last year, at Borders, and will do it again this year».
This project, in addition to uniting Andalusia and the Lower Guadiana, also brings together three elements that have been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Heritage of Humanity: fado, flamenco and the Mediterranean Diet.
“It wasn't on purpose, I confess (laughs). The project emerged as fado, flamenco and gastronomy, with the latter serving as a bridge, since it is at the table that good friends are made and good business is done. In a phase already after the application, in the work that we developed in the field, we came across the Mediterranean Diet. It was not thought of, but it turned out to be a happy coincidence», he explained.
To be able to offer so much, Backup bet on several partnerships, starting from the music sector. «The Fado shows, at a local level, will always have the partnership of the Associação de Fado do Algarve. The idea is to always have the artists that are ours. In each market, we will try to have fadistas who are from the land», explained Ana Quintelian.
«In the area of flamenco, we are still developing contacts. We are talking to “Huelva Gastronomia 2018”, which presents itself as the capital of gastronomy, which opens doors to flamenco names. However, we have already managed to speak with a Portuguese group and we hope to be able to have the Sangre Ibérico sponsor our project», he added.
Music and gastronomy will also serve to make known the Baixo Guadiana, from VRSA to Alcoutim.
«We have a key partner here, Odiana, who knows the territory. In February, we will have the tour of the almond trees, a pedestrian route that will allow tourists and residents to have experiences such as baking bread or getting to know the whole phase of the almond tree. The routes always end with gastronomic experiences», said Ana Quintelian.
"In April, we will have a route that will be a little different, that at each stop will have either fado, flamenco, or gastronomy," he concluded.
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