'A sea of piques' that will fill Easter at the XXXIV Lace Exhibition Provincial Council of A Coruña

The XXXIV Camariñas Lace Exhibition of the Provincial Council of A Coruña has begun, an edition that will be held from today, Wednesday, April 16, to Sunday, April 20 and that, with the motto 'A sea of piques', seeks to highlight the strong connection that exists in the town between the sea and lace, nature and tradition. 

The mayor of Camariñas, Sandra Insua; the president of the Provincial Council, Valentín González Formoso; the deputy delegate of the Government, María Rivas; and the general director of Commerce of the Xunta de Galicia, Gabriel Alén, were in charge of cutting the lace ribbon that symbolically marks the start of the Mostra.

Sandra Insua stressed that “this Mostra, like all others, is a celebration, yes, but it is also a tribute, a recognition of our history, our tradition and, above all, the women who made it possible for Camariñas lace to reach this far”. “What our lacemakers do is art, it is technique, it is heritage and it is the future. They are brave, wise, determined and free women, who have known how to transform something domestic into an avant-garde element, that is why we say that the Mostra is an act of feminist vindication, because here the leading role belongs to women, to those who were before us, and to those who come after, learning, proud of what they have left them”, she stated. 

In her speech, the mayor also wanted to recognize "all the people who work in our sea. Those people who, in silence, build Camariñas day after day. With effort, with humility and with a pride that is not announced but that is felt." 

"I am especially proud that this year the image of the Mostra is made by people from the Costa da Morte. A wonderful poster by the illustrator Laura Suárez from Ceuta, a beautiful video directed by Diego Alonso from Camariña, with music by our dear brothers Fran and Carlos Barcia Trashorras and with the voice of our neighbor from Buría, Carla Valiña," she explained. 

In addition, Insua recalled that "during these five days Camariñas will once again be the national capital of fashion, lace is no longer just tradition, it is avant-garde, it is art, it is design, it is urban fashion. And that is why we will continue to surprise, because Camariñas is capable of uniting the old and the new, the craft and innovation, the local and the international".  

He also thanked the "constant support of the Provincial Council of A Coruña, which has been part of the official name of the Mostra for years. Thank you for the commitment, for the commitment to our culture and for the trust in a small town, yes, but with an immense soul woven with chopsticks." 

For his part, Valentín González Formoso, indicated that “this is an event that no longer belongs only to Camariñas, but is a recognized symbol of Galician culture and an international reference for crafts with soul”. “From the Provincial Council of A Coruña we have been supporting this exhibition for more than thirty years because we know what it means for Camariñas, for the Costa da Morte and for Galicia Enteira. We feel that supporting the lace is supporting the territory, it is generating economic activity and defending a way of doing and being that defines us as a people”.

Gabriel Alén highlighted that “lace represents the craftsmanship not only of Camariñas, but of all of Galicia and the world” and acknowledged “those people who value lace, especially women, to whom we owe the conversation about a traditional craft so important for Galician craftsmanship”. 

Finally, María Rivas expressed that “it is an honor to be in Camariñas today”. “Women of Camariñas, I want to convey to you the recognition of the Government of Spain for the work you do to immerse Camariñas and the entire Costa da Morte in a sea of piques. You are an example for the women of Galicia, Spain and the entire world”, she stated.

After the relevant visit to the different stalls and stands located in the two municipal pavilions set up for the occasion, the authorities will witness the inaugural catwalk of the Mostra with the 'Pequencaixe' and 'Grandes Deseñadores' parades in which the participating firms will show for the first time the collections they have prepared for the Mostra with lace as the protagonist. The inaugural parades will be enlivened by the music of Fillas de Cassandra. 

XXXIV Lace Exhibition

During the five days the signatures of the category of 'Great Designers' The following will take to the catwalks of the Mostra to show their creations with lace: Ana Cabranes, Andion Clothing, Claudina Mata, Devota & Lomba, Franco Quintáns, Anamingo, Dolores Cortés, Esteban Freiría, Jose Matteos and OSE Couture. 

The 'ArtEncaixe' parade, which continues to gain ground in the programming, will premiere on Thursday, April 17, at 12:45 p.m. The artisans will arrive from different parts of Galicia to demonstrate that lace is versatile and can be adapted to different materials: Alfarería La Cacharrera, Lola Logaro, Ondas do Mar, O Rulo, Suso Calo, Encaixa_T, Michael Pérez, Ana Miguéns, Estilo Aramar, Mariví Santos Atelier, Risco Estudio, Tendataller Feituras – María Canedo and Ene de Toba. 

That same Thursday, April 17, the participants in the XXXI New Designers Competition in which a total of 4,500 euros in prizes will be distributed and a total of 41 young people who are taking their first steps in the world of fashion will participate. On Friday the 18th at 8:30 pm the meeting between great and new designers will be held and on Sunday the 20th, from 5:00 pm, the jury's decision will be announced. 

The big news of this edition is the 'Emerging Brand' parade, will be shown for the first time on Thursday, April 17, and will be repeated on Friday, April 18, and Saturday, April 19. 

Once again, the international delegations will return to the Mostra. On Friday the 18th at 12:45 pm, the first parade of the 'International lacemakers' delegations'. They will repeat on Saturday the 19th at 6:00 p.m. Participants are Argentina (Buenos Aires), Bulgaria (Sofia), Hungary (Kiskunhalas), Italy (Novedrate and Trapani), Portugal (Peniche and Serra D'El Rei), Poland (Bobowa) and Spain (Arenis del Mar).

One of the most anticipated moments of the Festival are the fashion shows. 'Small box'. The girls and boys from the Municipal Schools create their own lace throughout the school year to later design the dresses and parade in the Show. They become lace makers, designers and models. 

The same thing happens in the parade of 'Senior Lacemakers of Camariñas' which will take place on Sunday the 20th at 7:30 p.m. during the closing ceremony of the event and in which residents of the municipality show the public the creations they have made throughout the year. 

Daughters of Cassandra, Budiño, Soledad Vidal, Rocío Camaño, David Amor and other outstanding actions of the program

This year, attendees will be able to enjoy the music of the duo from Vigo Cassandra's Daughters (Wednesday 16th at 6:00 pm during the inaugural parade of the Mostra), from the concert 'Cantares Atlánticos' by the soprano Soledad Vidal and Aurelio Viribay (Thursday 17th at 8:15 p.m.); or the performance of Rocio Caamaño (Friday 18th at 4:45 p.m.). The closing concert of the Mostra will be performed this year by Pudding (Sunday 20th at 7:30 p.m.). 

Furthermore, continuing the tradition of recent years, they will be able to laugh out loud with David Love and his monologue 'Love is in the air' which will take place on Saturday, April 19, at 8:30 p.m. on the catwalk itself. In addition, on Friday the 18th at 8:30 p.m. There will be theater by the group Os Contos non Enchen and their play 'First Lerias'.

During the five days, the folklore of the villages will be heard in the pavilions of the Mostra, mixed with the sound of chopsticks. groups Abrindo Rejo, Golpe de Mar, Con toda en banda, Vaiche Boa, Mar Devalado de Camelle Association and As Cansorriñas AssociationAlso the VIII Coral Meeting in which the Santa Cecilia Polyphonic Choir of Coristanco, the Alecrín Polyphonic Choir of Brión (Ferrol) and the Brisas do Mar Choir of Camariñas will participate (Sunday 20 at 12:30 p.m.).

The event will be used for presentation of books and publications such as 'Men and Women of Salt and Iron' by Xesús Búa (Thursday 17 at 12:00), 'Cantareiras' by Icía Varela and Xosé Manuel Varela (Thursday 17 at 12:30), the book 'From a Craftswoman to a Woman' by Josefina Campaña (Friday 18 at 12:00), the guide 'Camariñas, a Sea of Lace' by Xan Fernández (Friday 18 at 12:20), the new edition of 'El Cementerio de los Ingleses' by Alfonso de Sas (Saturday 19 at 11:40), and the book 'Mar de Ardora, Mar de Galicia' by photojournalist Ana García (Saturday 19 at 12:00).

The closing ceremony of the XXXIV Camariñas Lace Exhibition will take place on Sunday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m.

'Gourmet among laces'

The City Council will repeat this year at the XXXIV Camariñas Lace Fair of the Provincial Council of A Coruña the 'Gourmet among laces', a space dedicated to the food sector in which sales stands to the public can be installed.

This new area, which will also house the Mostra bar, will have a special environmental decoration and will have a space with tables and chairs so that the public attending the Mostra can taste the products they buy right there.

Throughout the exhibition there will also be gastronomic tastings of powder, by Frigoríficos de Camariñas (Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m.) and turbot, by Stolt Sea Farm (Saturday, April 19 at 2 p.m.).

There will also be craft demonstrations and parents will be able to leave the little ones in the Children's Park with qualified monitors.