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Festivities and Pilgrimages
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Home -> Festivities and Pilgrimages -> Gastronomic Festivals

Gastronomic Festivals

Silleda forms part of inland Galicia and as a result of its primary dedication to livestock and agriculture, it provides visitors with a cuisine based on the superb quality of its meats and horticultural products.

The hospitality of its people is reflected in the festivals and pilgrimages where gastronomy plays a leading role, it is one of the municipalities with most gastronomic celebrations in Galicia. Although not long ago, there were scattered around the district twelve festivities associated with lunch or dinner outdoors or at home. Even today tourists can learn about our geography through the palate, table and tablecloth.

  • Festa da
    Empanada
  • Festa da
    Rosquilla
  • Festa da
    Tortilla
  • Festa do
    Lacón
  • Festa da
    Castaña
  • Festa da
    Paella
  • Festa da
    Carne ao Caldeiro
Location: Carballeira de Silva and Valladares.
Location: A Bandeira
Date: 3rd Saturday
Month: August
Age: 1st edition 1974
Coordinates: X: 556.925 Y: 4.731.012 H: 29

Importance: declared Festa of Interest to Tourism by the Xunta de Galicia council meeting of June 17th, 1999.

Ceremony: Speech. Pie tasting, Prize giving. Auction of winning pies, association dinner and Esmorga Folk Festival of traditional music.

The festa has been celebrated since 1974, and is among the most talked about festivities in Galicia because it the first to extol sucha Galician product and for the uniqueness of the events organized, by the Asociación de Amigos da Empanada and the close on 150 groups and associations which register every year.

Organization: Basically it consists of a pie competition with categories for restaurants and housewives the contest goes through the stages of product presentation, selection of finalists, sampling and evaluation by an expert panel.

Then it culminates with the auction of the pies and their subsequent consumption by groups of people organized under the name of "Peñas".

During the day various events occur such as popular performances by bands, regional dance groups and traditional music, as is stated in the statutes of the organization.

The Esmorga Folk Festival

Today this festival has a clear ¨Celtic¨ identity incorporating its popular musical roots it began the same day as the Festa da Empanada, and for years has been held the day before the big culinary festivity. This festival has seen performances by some of the biggest national and international musicians, Carlos Nuñez, Leilía, Mercedes Peón, Xosé Manuel Budiño, Quempallou, A Roda, Os Cempés, Milladoiro or  the Chieftains are some of the groups that have attracted thousands of people to this festival.

Speech Givers and Prestigious Guests

The importance of this event can be measured by theprices achieved by the wining pies around 3, ooo euros on one occasion, and the names of the speech givers who sing the praises of this exceptional product. Prominent cultural figures such as Camilo José Cela or Alfredo Conde and political ones the likes of Manuel Fraga, Xerardo Fernández Albor, Xosé Cuiña, José Luis Barreiro ... Also prestigious journalists, such as Fernando Onega, Maria Rey, Pilar Cernuda, Pepe Domingo Castaño, José María Carrascal, Luis Rial ... and celebrities from the world of film and theatre, Carlos Blanco, Luis Zaera, Mela Casal, Gloria Ferreiro, Xacobo Pérez and many more.

Another fundamental collaboration has always been in the design of the poster, created by famous artists, standing out is the contribution of Saavedra Pita, a great friend of the Festival, and the painters Fondevila and Marisa Miguélez among the friends of the Empanada (pie) and its council.


Location: Festa Field.
Location: Abades
Date: Easter Sunday
Month: April
Age:1st edition 1988
 Coordinates: X: 557.107 Y: 4.733.622   H: 29

Importance: This is a festivity which exalts one of the most typical biscuits bar none, a staple of traditional Galician pilgrimages (romerias) which in this council is known as a 'Melindre". There is written evidence of making this dessert in the19th century as it was awarded prizes in various regional competitions and exhibitions (1880 and 1909), this gives an idea of the antiquity and crafts man ship involved in its making and the great ambassador it had in the figure of Candida Tábora.

Ceremony: popular pilgrimage with a solemn Mass, procession and offering of biscuits, contest and auction.

Organization: As one would expect, this delicacy found its advocate in the Virxe do Carme of Abades Sanctuary, where on Easter Sunday, the pilgrims and housewives come to makean offering of the "bolos" to later take out in the procession.

Once the religious acts are finished the"bolos" (trays which contain 50 beautifully displayed Melindres) are exhibited in a competition where prizes are awardedfor the taste and presentation. They are then auctioned off in the festa field and the proceeds go to cover expenses. Anecdotally, a bolo was auctioned at 210 € (edition 2008).

Location: Castro Carballeira.
Location: Freixeiro-Laro
Date: held on the first Friday
Month: August
When the weekend coincides with the 1st and 2nd its brought forward to the 31st of July.
Age: 1st edition 1989
Coordinates: X: 563.357 Y: 4.720.014 H: 29

Importance: This is a very popular food festival and a fixed date on the calendar. Each year some 10,000 people gather to savour about 2,000 servings of tortilla (potato omelette) and 1,000 litres of wine, free of charge. The festival dates back to 1989, with the 20th edition in 2010.

Ceremony: Proclamation by guest speaker. Tasting, Auction of winning tortillas. Dinner in the "carballeira” (wood) and performances by traditional music al groups and orchestras, etc...

Organization: Each year the organizing committee, housewives and householders strive to have ready hundreds of tortillas in all possible variations: with salt-cod, peppers, sausage, beef, shrimp...

About 2,000 portions are served, as many people bring food from home, and there is about 1,000 litres of free wine for those who buy commemorative cups and jugs.

The cups are sold for two euros while the jug with cup costs ten. There are also for sale t-shirts, polo shirts, crocks and tortilla tossers.

The festa organisers also have special buses which run from Silleda, A Bandeira and Lalin to Laro.


 

 

Location: Praza da Feira Vella.
Location: Silleda (vila).
Date: 1st Friday (Summer Festa).
Month: July
Age: 1st edition 1999
Coordinates: X: 561.779 Y: 4.727.882 H: 29

Importance: Since 1999 the town of Silleda has held a fiesta exalting the qualities of ham, a typical product of the area.

Ceremony: Tasting of the typical dish in marquee. Traditional music groups entertain the diners and to round off the night a closing performance by well-known orchestras.

Organization: Dinner begins at ten in the evening under the marquee set up in the Praza da Feira Vella. Average attendance is about 1,500, which gives an idea of the prominence it has acquired in such a short time. The difficulty of preparing the dish in two styles, boiled or roasted, is exceeded by the collaboration of the bakeries that generously offer their ovens at no cost and a Lalín company who prepares the boiled product. Thus, the 270 lacones (hams) are ready to serve.

The Organization advises to reserve early and pay in advance in the usual places.

Other details:
Start time: 22:00 h.
Menu: Roasted or boiled ham, cheese with quince jelly, bread, wine and soft drinks.
Note: It is advisable to book a table in the usual places.


 

 

Location: Community Center
Location: Field of the Festa. Breixa
Date: last Saturday
Month: October
Age: 1st Edition 2000

Importance: The years that have passed since the first edition only go to show the support this Festa has as a showcase for a Galician product par excellence, always present in the Galician kitchen as an ingredient in numerous dishes, until the arrival of the potato in the 15th century. Each edition illustrates the culinary worth of one of the main products of the Galician Autumn.

Events: Gastronomic dinner held at the Social Centre and roasted chestnuts tasting, over 100 kg, bacon with bread rolls, wine, coffee and liqueur. As one would expect, A cake competition is organised with the main ingredient being chestnuts. The fiesta ends with traditional music and dancing...


 

 

 

 

Location: Social centre field.
Location: O Burgo. Cortegada
Date: last Friday
Month:
 July
Age: 1st edition 2001
Link: www.festadapaella.es
Coordinates: X: 563.237 Y: 4.724.290 H: 29

Importance: This is a very popular food festival anda fixed date on the calendar. Each year about 1,600 people gather to enjoy the biggest paella to be made in Galicia, with 1,000 kg of rice. The festivity dates back to 2001, with the 10th edition in 2010.

Ceremony: A grand tasting of mixed paella  comprising of meat, chicken, mussels, tomato, beans and rice in a crockpot  and eaten in the fiesta marquee, live performances by traditional groups.

Organization: The Organising Committee contracts the making of one of the largest known paellas, using 1,000 kg of rice in a single paella pan over a wood fire. With a well-organised distribution system, in commemorative earthenware plates, about 2,000 people wait in the shelter of a large marquee to enjoy this well-known dish.

Other details:
Start time: 22:00 h.
Menu: Paella with souvenir earthenware plate, cheese and quince jelly, bread, wine, soft drinks, coffee with liqueur.
Note: We advise table reservations through the establishments as outlined previously
Information: festadapaella@gmailcom


 

 

Location: Festa Field.
Location: Piñeiro
Date: to be determined.
Month: March-April
Age: 1st edition 2002
Coordinates: X: 555.430 Y: 4.733.454 H: 29

Importance: The story says that this dish was born as a result of the fusion of the culinary expertise of the carters, when they met at fairs, markets and festivals, bringing on the one side the fresh meat and potatoes of Galicia, and on the other the paprika and oil from Extremadura. Since 2002, Piñeiro, located on the Camino de Santiago, pays tribute to this dish so ingrained in Galician gastronomic culture.

Ceremony: dish tasting in marquee. Traditional music groups entertain the diners and orchestras offer a closing show.

Organization: Dinner begins at ten in the evening in the marquee set up in the Field of the Festa. Average attendance is about 1,200 people, all seated and well protected from the cold before the forecasted consumption of 700 kg of meat.

Other details:
Start time: From 21:30 h.
Menu: boiled beef with potatoes, paprika and oil, cheese and quince jelly, bread, wine and soft drinks, coffee and liqueur.

This is a very simple dish to make and can be eaten at any time of the year. For four people the recipe is as follows.

Ingredients: 1 kg of beef and Galician veal, 4oo gr of large potatoes, 50 grams of pork fat (lard), sweet or spicy paprika (to taste), olive oil and coarse salt.

Preparation: Cut the meat into quarters and place it in the bottom of a pot with pieces of lard on top. Add a little water and heat until the lard breaks up. Then cover with water and boil for at least one hour.

Later, add the potatoes whole. When we see that the meat is cooked, remove the potatoes, cut them and arrange them on a plate as a bed for the meat. To finish preparing the dish, put the meat on the potatoes with some of the cooking juices and sprinkle with paprika, oil and a pinch of coarse salt.

 

 

 

 

View Resources Map
Festa do Lacón<br>Encontro Coral “Tardes de Primavera<br>Festival de Bandas de Silleda Festa da Tortilla Festa da Paella Festa da Castaña Festa do Melindre (Rosquilla) Festa da Carne ó Caldeiro Romaría do Rapaz<br>Romaría da Saleta Romaría Santa Sabela Entroido / Alto do Xenerais Entroido / Alto do Xenerais Entroido / Alto do Xenerais Entroido / Alto do Xenerais Festa da Empanada<br>Festival Esmorga Folk<br />Certame Azaloira<br />Concurso de Gaiteiros Solistas<br />Festival de Bandas da Bandeira<br />Mostra de Baile Tradicional Romaría San Lourenzo de Carboeiro<br>Encontro de Música Tradicional Santa Ferreña