Join the village of El Borge for a night of ancient folk music, dancing and a warm welcome

Be part of an autumn evening in a beautiful village square, filled with guitars, violins and tambourines while dancers in flower-decked hats twirl past. That scene returns to the Axarquia this Saturday. El Borge is holding its 16th Verdiales Festival, “Villa de la Pasa”, and everyone is welcome, whether you know the music well or have never heard it.

Five bands, three styles, one village square

Verdiales is a traditional folk music that is both sung and danced. It is performed by groups called pandas, the local word for a band of musicians, singers and dancers. Each panda usually has a leader who carries a ceremonial staff and signals when a piece starts and finishes.

Five pandas will play on Saturday, October 10 at 8pm in the Plaza de la Constitution, covering three regional styles:

Comares style: Panda de El Borge and Panda Arroyo Conca. This style uses the lute and the bandurria, a small Spanish plucked-string instrument.
Montes style: Panda Jotron y Lomillas and Panda Primera de Benagalbon.
Almogia style: Raíces de Almogia “El Negocio” (Roots of Almogia).

Hugo Fernandez, El Borge’s councillor for agriculture, said the festival is now 16 years old and has grown into a “Verdiales Week” over the last four. He hopes previous fans of the event and and curious newcomers will come and join in.

A hearty supper to finish the night

Once the performances end, just after midnight, the town hall will treat everyone to puchero, a warming stew of chickpeas, meat and vegetables. It comes with tostas de pringa, toasted bread topped with a soft spread of slow-cooked meats, you don’t get more Spanish than eating a stew at midnight!

Talk and song on Friday

Friday, October 9 brings a Comares-style singing contest starting at 9pm at the Posada del Bandolero. Prizes are €160 for first place, €120 for second and €80 for third.

El Borge is Spain’s leading producer of raisins, grown from muscatel grapes. It lies about 35 kilometres from Malaga city. Go along and get stuck into culture and tradition, enjoy the songs and dance the night away in the streets.