The inclusion of the Tavira Municipal Market in the list of spaces where the Mediterranean Diet Fair arrives and many activities for the youngest, including a concert for them, are the highlights of another edition of this event, which will take place from 6 to 9 September in Tavira.
The 2018 edition of the event was presented this Friday, August 24th, in Tavira. And it was clear that the organization of the fair, a joint effort of ten partners, including public institutions and regional associations, will once again invest heavily in the entertainment component, which will be a constant and will have its high point in the night concerts, which will bring big names to the historic city center.
António Zambujo (Thursday 6th), Andalusian Diego el Cigala (Friday 7th), Carminho (Saturday 8th) and Agir (9th Sunday) are the headlines of the musical program of the fair. But the public will be able to count on «a varied entertainment, with 40 shows of various kinds, over four days», revealed the mayor of Tavira.
On the sidelines of the session, Jorge Botelho summarized for journalists the main highlights of the 2018 edition of the Mediterranean Diet Fair.
«This year we gained another space, the Municipal Market, which is the traditional market for vegetables and fish, which will have a set of cultural activities, namely a photography exhibition with the participation of people. We will also have many projects in the area of childhood, which is very relevant», he said.
This blink of an eye to the younger ones is evident not only in the activities aimed at them – there is, as usual, a space dedicated to children -, but also in the event's musical program. “The Agir concert is thinking of young people and those who like to move”, he revealed.
Still regarding the main concerts, which take place every night in Praça da República, between the City Hall and the River Gilão, Jorge Botelho highlights the presence of Diego el Cigala, «perhaps one of the greatest flamenco singers of today», a Andalusian well known «in the world of world music and which has an important fan base and many views on youtube».
The Tavirese mayor does not hide that the option for a musician from the neighboring country is closely linked to the strategy of bringing visitors from Spain, namely from Andalusia. Even because “an effort is being made to promote” the event, across the border.
This fair serves to celebrate the Portuguese Mediterranean Diet, recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Heritage of Humanity, which has its representative community in Tavira. To celebrate this heritage, there will also be space for others who deserved the same international recognition.
“We're going to have, throughout the day, shows of fado and Alentejo singing, very important expressions,” said Jorge Botelho.
On the other hand, there will be a bet on groups coming from countries that share the Intangible Heritage of the Mediterranean Diet with Portugal. “This year, the stage at the Castle will be turned to proposals from other Mediterranean countries. We will have music from Greece, Morocco and Italy,” he added.
The animation component is just a small part of this fair. Over the four days, there are also several conferences, commented visits, exhibitions and gastronomic demonstrations, the latter at the Mercado da Ribeira.
And there are traditional products, in the agri-food and handicraft areas, which can be found in 117 of the 155 stands that will exist at the fair. Also strong is the institutional component, which will occupy 29 stands.
Among the entities that will be officially represented at this event are those that, for ten years, joined Tavira to achieve recognition by UNESCO and, later, in the organization of the Mediterranean Diet Fair.
The main protagonists of today's press conference were, in addition to host Jorge Botelho, the regional director of Culture Alexandra Gonçalves, Fernando Severino, her counterpart in Agriculture and Fisheries, the president of CCDR Algarve Francisco Serra, the president of RTA João Fernandes and the vice-rector of the University of Algarve Ana de Freitas.
Also present in the room were other partners, such as the Algarve Hotel and Tourism School and the In Loco association.
“The big news that there is, from year to year, is this persistence and cohesion between the partners, which has lasted for ten years”, illustrated João Fernandes, an idea that was reinforced by other members of the table.
Alexandra Gonçalves drew attention to the event that will take place at the Municipal Market, in which photographs of the operators of this space will be added to proverbs, in a proposal that will be “completely new”.
Another area that has had a strong expression since the first edition of the fair is Agriculture. In 2018, the Regional Directorate of Agriculture and Fisheries reopens the doors of the agrarian post of Tavira to those who want to know firsthand the collection of traditional fruit trees, a treasure that this entity has been guarding with zeal.
This collection of endemic varieties turns out to be a symbol of what Fernando Severino considers that this fair «is, more and more»: a space «of sustainability and the lights of the future».
The complete program of the VI Mediterranean Diet Fair can be consulted here.
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