CIMCA 2026 will keep the two-stage selection process: a first online phase to select finalist ensembles through the videos submitted by them, and a second in-person stage with qualifying auditions and the grand Final, to which a limited number of four ensembles will be admitted. During the month of May, the Jury will review all submitted videos and carry out the first selection of 8 groups, which will then take part in person in the final phase.

CIMCA 2026 will be accompanied by a spectacular programme, turning this event into a unique occasion within the world of chamber music.

On Friday 3 July, the Casa de las Mareas will host the opening concert by the members of the jury, with the premiere of a commissioned work for the competition, composed by its chair, José Manuel López López. After that, the running order of the participating ensembles in the final phase of the Competition will be drawn.

On Saturday 4 July, qualifying auditions will be held at Casa de las Mareas, and on Sunday 5 July, the grand Final will take place in the same venue.

These are the main dates to keep in mind:

REGISTRATION: 12 January to 30 April 2026. Documentation and a performance video must be provided.

PRESELECTION (non-face-to-face): May 2026. The Jury will assess the videos without in-person meetings and will determine the ensembles (maximum 8) that will take part in the in-person phase of qualifying auditions.

OPENING CONCERT with the premiere of the work by José Manuel López López performed by the jury:        3 July 2026, 20:00. Casa de las Mareas (Soano).

QUALIFYING AUDITIONS: 4 July 2026. (In person – Maximum 8 groups)

GRAND FINAL: Casa de las Mareas (Soano) 5 July 2026, 18:00. (In person – Maximum 4 groups).

The Competition is endowed with the following awards:

FIRST PRIZE: €3,000 and an accreditation diploma, plus a remunerated concert in the “Ciclo creando futuros” of the Centro Botín.

SECOND PRIZE: €2,000 and an accreditation diploma, plus a remunerated concert in the programme “Marcos Históricos” of the International Festival of Santander.

«Ricardo Hontañón» Prize: €1,000 and a diploma,

«Jesús de Monasterio» Prize for the most outstanding violinist: Diploma and Concert, sponsored by the Real Sociedad Menéndez Pelayo.

Prize for the most outstanding Cantabrian group: Diploma and Concert at the Semana Inusual de la Música of the Conservatorio de Música “Jesús de Monasterio” in Santander, and a remunerated concert in the series “CASYC Young performers” organised by the Fundación Caja Cantabria.

The XXIII CIMCA has the support of the Centro Botín, the International Festival of Santander, the Real Sociedad Menéndez Pelayo, the Fundación Caja Cantabria and the Conservatorio de Música Jesús de Monasterio. With these partnerships, the CIMCA’s goal is fulfilled: to serve as a platform for contestants to kick-start their musical careers by offering them concerts in the best chamber music venues in Cantabria.

The age limit for competing remains set at 28 years, since this better fits the objective of promoting young performers: understanding that at that age they will already have received the appropriate training so that, even as young people, they can establish themselves as new values in musical interpretation.

For more information about registration: 0034-942677041 and email: amargallo@ayuntamientoarnuero.org  (Antonio).

Full rules and online registration on the website: https://www.concursomusicaarnuero.es/

Along these lines, the presentation that took place at FITUR 2026 was called “Ecoparque, Coastal charm among marshlands and heritage”, through which the public at the Cantabria Stand was shown a virtual journey that moved from the past towards the present, conveying how, through modernity, it has been possible to safeguard a culture, a landscape and a unique identity of the Ecoparque de Trasmiera.

The Ecoparque is addressing a third stage in its development, almost coinciding with its third decade of existence, and which aims to differentiate itself from the previous two precisely by putting the focus on offering residents and visitors cultural, natural and emotional experiences that complete the municipality’s splendid natural setting. While during the first decade of this century work was carried out on the restoration of natural spaces and the rehabilitation of cultural heritage, and during the second decade the Interpretation Centres and various cultural programmes were launched, in this third stage there is a strong push to connect with people through proposals and experiences rooted in the history and culture of the municipality. We could therefore talk about the Fairs of the Pepper and of the Wine of Isla and their appendix of gastro experiences in Isla Gastronómica, exciting experiences such as the dramatized staging of several visits to heritage sites or nature routes, and sensory experiences such as blind tastings or musical walks in which to discover our tradition and our nature. In this way, each tourist season the Ecoparque has been adding to the more traditional offering, a range of proposals that seek better connections with people, greater closeness to our territory and its traditions, modernisation through new technologies, and management of limited capacity through digitalisation.

Arnuero has set a clear direction in its commitment to a sustainable tourism model by strengthening a large network of green infrastructure that will become a network of Centres, footpaths, recreational areas, areas for physical activity and opportunities for contemplation. A complete connection with nature, to explore on foot or by bike. By opting for mobility with less impact and greater energy efficiency, which together with sensory and knowledge-based experiences offer a welcoming territory to live in and visit, in line with the slogan adopted in recent years: “Ecoparque, Vitamin Territory”

The presentation took place on Thursday 23 January at 18:00 at the Cantabria Stand, and alongside the municipal authorities, some members of the Ecoparque de Trasmiera team took part.

At the Ecoparque of Trasmiera, we propose a plan that has it all. You decide the order that best suits your preferences: whether to go to the beach in the morning or save it for the afternoon. But during the central hours, there are two must-attend appointments:

–Between 11:00 and 16:00 you can enjoy everything offered by the Wine Fair Costa de Cantabria. Some wineries from the IGP Costa de Cantabria will be accompanied by handmade cheesemakers and other stalls selling Cantabria products that pair wonderfully with our wines, and we’ll also have stalls from Isla’s farmers with their peppers and the rest of the market-garden produce. We’ll also feature the Contest of Ferroviarias Pots, which will focus on Isla beans, both the white and the carico. As the idea is that you can sample and try everything, at the Fair you can buy the vouchers for just €1, which will let you enjoy a tasting of one of the wines, or sample a small bean stew, or take some cheese bites or other products. You can try as many wines, cheeses and beans as you like at the incredible price of €1 per tasting.

We’ll have a parallel programme of activities, such as guided visits to the historic centre of Isla (11:30 and 13:00) with our Silent System headsets so you don’t miss a detail of our monumental heritage and the curiosities of Isla’s orchards and vineyards. There will be background music, raffles, and the Fair bar where you can round off a great aperitif.

-But you’ll also need to make time to go and have one of the menus/small portions/Fair tapas offered at different catering establishments in the municipality. Check the link above for all the available options from 12 to 21 September.

In the evening, a visit to one of our spectacular beaches, or an Ecoparque route, can be the perfect way to finish a pre-holiday Sunday. So get your things together and head to Isla to enjoy the best end-of-summer package, at your own pace and your own way. We’ll be waiting for you!

And we want to offer you an irresistible plan around our beloved Pimiento Fair of Isla.

If you’re one of those who come with lots of enthusiasm to buy the best Pimiento de Isla and other produce from the huerta, you’ll need to be an early bird, because the specialists in that are, and sales of this product begin as soon as the Fair starts—around 10:00 to 10:30am. Right before the Fair streets are packed with people, you’ll have the chance to see the stalls properly and decide who has the best products at the best price, although when it comes to peppers prices are usually fairly uniform depending on size. After that, a walk around all the stalls is inevitable, because you’ll find the widest range of Cantabrian products with the best producers from the region, who will be accompanied by stalls selling handicrafts, books, costume jewellery and all kinds of other interesting things.

But it won’t all be about shopping. Throughout the day, we’ll offer you different entertainment activities to suit all tastes. So don’t miss the programme we put down at the bottom in case you’re interested in taking part with the little ones in the children’s painting contest, or enjoying the dances of Isla, such as cutting logs live…

If you’ve come early in the morning, and had something at the Fair Bar, surely from 2:30pm onwards your body will be asking for lunch properly—and for that we have 8 establishments in the municipality that offer you Fair menus/rations/snacks, so check the link above and book in advance, because on this day we’re fully booked. The “Tasting Our Huerta” Food Days will be running from 12 to 21 September, and you can try different styles to sample genuine local produce in various preparations. Then you can make the most of the last rays of summer sun by having a swim in our beaches or simply doing one of our hiking routes. Shall we let you have a suggestion? The most natural for the occasion is a visit to the cliffs of Isla, see an impressive landscape on a route of just a few kilometres, where the cliff crags, the Bay of Biscay and the fields create a natural spectacle like no other.

If the idea is to come later because you’re not in such a rush to get hold of the best Pimiento de Isla, don’t worry—throughout the day you’ll always find good produce from the huerta and from other producers. Cheeses, wines, beers, honey, blueberries, bread, and lots of products always available. In this case you can organise your plan differently: start the morning with the beach swim or the route, then stop by the Fair for a while before lunch, take a break to enjoy an excellent menu, and return to the Fair to finish off your visit—or enjoy some of the afternoon activities like cutting logs live or the final Fair party.

So, a full plan that always includes the Fair, but which is complemented by a good meal and activities in nature, beaches and hiking. You won’t beat it!

PROGRAMME OF THE PIMIENTO FAIR OF ISLA

13 September 2025 from 10:00am to 9:00pm.

• Huerta and Pimiento Market of Isla.
• Agri-food products from Cantabria with a protected designation of origin, quality mark, organic or traditional (more than 30 stalls with a wide range of cheeses, wines, bread, cured meats, dairy products, desserts, etc…).
• Complementary area for handicrafts and books from Cantabria.
• Area for family games and children’s workshops in the new square of the historic centre.
• Dances of Isla and regional dances (at 1pm.)
• Prize for the best Pimiento of the Fair by public vote (all day)
• Children’s Painting Contest. Topic: “Pimiento Fair of Isla” (From 11:30am.).
• Cutting logs live (5pm.).
• Final Fair party with live music (8pm to 9pm)

Historic Centre – Quejo Transport

On the day of the Fair, there will be public transport to connect Isla Playa with the Historic Centre of Isla from the beginning until the Fair closes (every 30 minutes or so). Specific times at the designated stops in Quejo (Campo San Sebastián) and at Casco Htco. Isla.

For some years now, the Trasmiera Ecopark has been expanding its range of leisure and cultural activities, in a clear commitment to more personal experiences, closer to the participants and in small-group formats, to help create unique emotions and memorable moments that leave a beautiful mark on our visitors.

In line with this, we want jazz to be the connecting thread of UNUSUAL EXPERIENCES that take us to different settings around the municipality, where we will showcase our culture, gastronomy, nature and artisan producers. Because at the Trasmiera Ecopark, music can only be an excuse to enter a unique territory and get to know its soul.

A festival that, year after year, keeps growing, establishing itself as one of Cantabria’s most important summer highlights.

So, together with the major concerts held on the main stage in Isla’s church square, and with the idea that the whole municipality should be infused with the magic of jazz, the festival moves to Castillo to explore the farming and livestock world and some local cheese and beer producers, to the Bodegas Isla vineyard to learn about the revived wine-making tradition, to a lobster hatchery to discover the fascinating world of this well-known crustacean, or to the Joyel Salt Marsh to fuse music and nature. A whole world of alternatives around jazz to enjoy, big and small.

The programme will feature three main concerts in Isla’s old town:

MAIN CONCERTS (ISLA OLD TOWN – 21:30 HOURS)

Limited capacity.

Thursday 31 of JULY: The Cherry Boppers meet Patricia Reckless. The alliance between the fine singer and the seasoned black-music instrumental band creates new soul-funk-style songs and shapes a powerful live show: dancing, sweating and groove. The Cherry Boppers was born in 2004 in Bilbao. Their intention is clear from the very start: to enjoy spreading the wonderful black rhythms of past decades: the depth of jazz, the elegance of soul, the sweat-drenched funk dancing, etc.

Friday 1 of AUGUST: David Yanguas + “La Jose”. David Yanguas presents his first studio work, “From North to South”, drawing on his own process and his roots to create new compositions framed within the genre of flamenco jazz, with original and fresh textures. With a quintet format, they add la Jose, author and vocalist, to the show. Daughter of a lover of flamenco dancing and a Gitano (Gypsy) man in love with pure cante—an intermingled essence that carries past, present and future in a powerful and colourful stage setup

Saturday 2 of AUGUST. SOUL CITY CANTABRIA is born from the union of well-known musicians from the Cantabrian scene, with many hours on stage in different groups. On this occasion, they will surprise us with versions of the best soul classics, bringing back the golden years of this musical style, giving it a new feel through their three vocalists and nine instrumentalists, ready to give it their all on stage and treat their audience to an unforgettable experience.

UNUSUAL JAZZ:

30 July 20h. Natur Music. Casa Mareas de Soano. Experience concert at dusk for reconnecting with nature with composer and musician Pablo Burgués. Natural sound, without amplification—pure connection with the natural setting.

-31 July and 2 August. 19 h. Gastro-Jazz- Bodegas Viñedos Isla. Guided tour of Isla’s Old Town, the vineyard and kitchen gardens, brought to life thanks to Silent System equipment with great jazz tracks. Wine tasting and sampling of local products from the land at the winery.

-3 August. 20h. Seafaring Jazz. Hermitage Campo San Sebastián. An itinerary at the rhythm of jazz along the seaside promenade and old Quejo hatcheries, a visit to a lobster hatchery, and ending with a concert by the Sonia Vera Quartet at Hotel Astuy.  

-4 August. 19:30h. Agro Jazz. Hermitage of San Juan (Castillo). Visit an agro-livestock holding and concert by Lang Valley in the hermitage field, with cheese tasting from artisanal cheesemaker Siete Villas and craft beers Virtus.

-5 August. 20 h. Jazz and wine. Vineyards of Bodegas Isla. Concert by Trío Siguaraya, jazz salsa, in the vineyard with wine tasting. How about a little dancing among the vines?

+ INFO www.islajazz.es 

20 years after having exhibited in Arnuero, Cristóbal Toral returns with his suitcases to present “The journey of our time”, with a selection of 12 works that, from 1980 to 2022, maintain the same thread that has been constant in Toral’s creation: migration and travel.

A journey full of allegories and nuances, of mysteries, of noises and silences, but also of life and death. Toral, from the very beginning of his long artistic career, has focused on this vital transition—at times denouncing the injustices of immigration, other times alerting us to the exoduses caused by war conflicts, and still other times revealing scenes in which we can all feel recognised.

To unveil his message, the artist even turns suitcases and baggage into protagonists, without needing to include the human figure. Because, as José Saramago said: “A journey never ends. Only the travellers do. And they, too, can continue to exist in memory, in recollection, in narration. The purpose of a journey is only the beginning of another journey.”

The exhibition will include a carefully chosen selection of works from different years in which Cristóbal Toral develops the same theme of luggage, suitcases and solitude. From “Packed to travel” (1980) to “Ukrainian Station” (2022), we find various works that, in their own distinctive way, reinterpret what has almost become an obsession for the artist. Indeed, the artist himself publishes the book in 2003, “Life in a suitcase. Self-portrait of a painter”—a kind of autobiography in which he tells us why some of his favourite themes, among them his passion for suitcases, as the title itself attests, are accompanied by other travel elements such as stations and trains, with those sadly solitary women in the background.

On this occasion, under the title “The journey of our time”, Toral invites us to visit that journey he has shared for over 40 years with his suitcases, which fill everything: a room, a train carriage, or even a vast landscape of mountains. Eleven canvases and a sculpture, in which suitcases, packages and items ready to leave their usual dwelling—generally humble rooms in almost uninhabited houses—are present. And alongside this pile of suitcases, other icons from his visual creation, such as solitary women, take on understated prominence in the works, always in an attitude of waiting, and at times verging on the deepest despair or sadness. The final theme that also returns again and again is stations and train carriages—now not filled with suitcases, but with passengers who contemplate those abandoned pieces of luggage on the platform. The painter, then, transfers this metaphor to today’s most modern means of transport in his work “In the airport”, where the conveyor belt deposits dozens of suitcases surrounding a lone woman with her arms crossed, waiting for we do not know what. Toral does not fail to reflect, too, on one of the most brutal episodes of modern Europe: and thus in “Ukrainian Station”, the train—full of passengers—passes with indifference in front of a platform filled with luggage, and on this occasion too with fallen bodies, which form, in a severe and harsh way, a landscape of those who, sadly and unjustly, have not been able to reach the train of life in time to board it.

On Friday 27, with prior ticket reservation, a unique visit will be offered, with an immersive experience to move between art and gastronomy. “Sea Taste, see and eat the marshland in bites”, will take you from the canvas to eloquent appetisers.

The Art Observatory resumes its cycle of contemporary art exhibitions with someone “from the house” and a theme deeply rooted in our land: Luis Rivas and his proposal “mieses, marisma and patchswork”.

The exhibition will be inaugurated next Friday 20 June at 8pm. at the Art Observatory in Arnuero, as a special tribute from this centre to the summer solstice that begins that very weekend and which is so closely linked to the unfolding of nature and its seasons.

Indeed, the exhibition “mieses, marisma and patchswork” takes the Cantabrian cook Luis Rivas out of his stoves to offer us his most artistic side and a collection of works that tell his youthful memories and the memory of the landscape in which, for so many years, he was tending his soul. A town, a landscape, and a way of life that reach us

His first great adventure in the world of gastronomy became “El Limonar de Soano“, a small chef-led restaurant, rooted in his land and the products grown in its surrounding areas. From there, he set off on a journey to Santander, to bring his distinctive Limonar there, and from then on, to move through various adventures as a cook, until he leads today “Dear Sea”.

During all this time he sought refuge from his shyness in another artistic setting: painting, in which he has indulged only sparingly, but in which, without doubt, he has fully unleashed another fascinating artistic facet—the painter who reclaims his nostalgic family and landscape memories.

In this exhibition, he presents a selection of works that connect him directly with the Art Observatory and with his experiences in this land of Arnuero. His town, Soano, a small enclave of peace and nature between the concrete of Noja and Isla, reaches us with those expressive notes that portray marshland and grain fields landscapes, or iconic buildings such as the Molino de Santa Olaja and the Casa de Mareas. And alongside them, the memories that speak of affections and personal feelings, in vibrant abstract paintings that recall the times when, quietly, he would watch his aunt patiently making all kinds of textiles using that craft technique called patchswork.

This exhibition once again allows us to delve deeper into the experiences that fuse universes that seem so far apart as cooking, village life, and painting—something we hope to share with our visitors, both at the inauguration and in the subsequent experiences that will be offered during the period in which the exhibition will be on display.

Arnuero increases the pace of implementation of the Tourism Sustainability Plan, which is being carried out as a result of the signing of the agreement between the Arnuero Town Hall and the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Innovation, Transport and Trade of the Government of Cantabria for the execution of the PSTD titled “Ecoparque 3.0, Vitamina Territory”, financed with Next Generation funds from the European Union through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan of the Government of Spain.

One of the projects included in Arnuero’s PSTD is the Climate Change Adaptation Plan, the implementation contract for which was awarded last April to the Cantabrian consultancy BRUMA Sustainability and Citizen Participation. With a sum of €14,907 (VAT included) and an execution period of 8 months, and for which documentation and diagnostic work has already begun.

In order to develop climate change adaptation plans at municipal level, there are a multitude of approaches and methodologies. In Arnuero’s case, a combination of the methodologies set out in the “Guide for the preparation of Local Climate Change Adaptation Plans” from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment and the “Guide for the submission of reports under the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy” from the Office of the Covenant of Mayors has been used.

Among the different sources consulted in the diagnostic phase, AdapteCCa stands out—a web platform on climate change adaptation in Spain promoted by the Biodiversity Foundation and the Spanish Climate Change Office (OECC). According to the data obtained, over the last 50 years there has been an increase in Arnuero of 1.1 degrees Celsius in average minimum temperatures and of 0.2 in the case of maximums. There has also been an increase in the duration of heatwaves, while no significant changes have been detected in rainfall.

Bearing in mind that this is a municipality whose population is gradually ageing, and whose economy is based on the services sector, with a very significant weight of tourism activity, in the coming months those areas and sectors whose adaptation to the effects of Climate Change is a priority will be identified. Based on that information, specific measures will be identified to improve the municipality’s capacity to adapt, with an emphasis on protecting the population, infrastructure and natural resources.

Construction begins on execution of Act 4 of Axis 1 for Green and Sustainable Transition, through the construction of a park-and-ride car park which, together with the creation of a cycling area and electric vehicle charging bays, will represent an improvement in sustainable mobility, helping to reduce the pressure of vehicles in the busiest areas.

The site will have a single vehicular entrance, from which internal circulation is arranged by means of two main longitudinal roads. These roads provide connections with secondary roads laid out transversely, where the car parking spaces are set in battery formation. All internal roads will be one-way, with the exception of the access section, which will be bidirectional to facilitate vehicle entry and exit. This arrangement ensures smooth, safe circulation within the car park.

The land on which the project is carried out has a slight downward slope towards Juan Hormaechea Street. For this reason, the car park is arranged in different levels in the form of terraces, which makes it possible to sensibly reduce the slope of the secondary roads and the parking areas.

This arrangement improves the functionality of the space and allows the embankments generated between levels to be used for planting trees and shrubs, thereby contributing to the landscape integration of the whole. In addition, the presence of these intermediate embankments breaks up the car park’s visual continuity, reducing its impact on the urban environment.

As for pavements, the circulation roads are planned to be laid in asphalt agglomerate, while most parking spaces will be formed using ecological concrete paving blocks (cellular/trellis grid). This type of pavement allows grass to grow between its openings, improving the car park’s environmental integration and favouring the natural infiltration of rainwater into the ground.

A key aspect of this car park is its naturalisation, designed to reduce its visual impact and promote its integration into the surrounding environment. Arranging the car park in terraces helps to cut the continuous perception of the paved space, and the embankments created between levels make it possible to plant grass and indigenous trees and shrubs, adding landscape and environmental value.

In addition, numerous planted garden islands have been designed between the main roads and the rows of parking spaces, with the aim of introducing vegetation in an orderly manner throughout the entire site. These green spaces will allow the planting of medium-sized trees and the spread of grassed swards, creating shade, improving thermal comfort, and reinforcing the natural character of the whole.

In the north-west area of the car park, a larger green surface has been planned, which will act as a vegetation screen to visually separate the car park from the adjoining urban grid, thereby improving its landscape integration and reducing any possible negative impact on the residential area.

Another important aspect of the car park design is drainage management, conceived using sustainability criteria and minimising impact on the sewer network. A significant part of the site includes permeable surfaces, such as the landscaped areas and the parking areas with ecological concrete paving blocks, which allows natural infiltration of rainwater into the ground.

As a complementary project, the installation of a selective waste collection point is planned by placing container covers made from recycled plastic. These elements will be used to house the container types currently existing in the area, concentrating them into a single ordered and accessible location. The container covers have a wood-effect finish, enabling better landscape integration into the surroundings and helping to reduce their visual impact.

New sports area. Pump track

A pump track circuit is planned, consisting of a single medium-to-low difficulty route with a length of 82 metres. To create the circuit, the route is approximately excavated, filling in any areas needed to achieve the desired shape. The resulting surface is profiled mechanically or manually, and then a second manual profiling is carried out with natural sub-base material (subsoil/granular aggregate), with an average thickness of 20 cm, with which the final geometry of the pump track is defined. On top of the already profiled and compacted natural sub-base surface, a wearing course layer of bituminous mixture type AC8 SURF 60/70D is laid, with a thickness of 6 cm.

The pump track area is connected to the public road network via an access path designed specifically to ensure comfortable and safe pedestrian circulation. This access road, with a concrete pavement, will be 2 metres wide and will include public lighting, as will the pump track area itself, which is provided with an appropriate lighting system to allow it to be used under conditions of low visibility and to reinforce safety in the surrounding area.

Since this is an open space, naturalisation has been planned through various landscaping interventions. Throughout the site, indigenous trees and shrubs will be planted, together with decorative shrubs and ornamental plants, which will add colour variety and seasonal character to the whole. To complete the works, a layer of topsoil will be spread and grass will be planted, thereby promoting the proper integration of the pump track into the natural and urban environment.

Electric car charging station

The project includes the installation of two new charging points for electric vehicles, located in the northern area of the car park. This project aims to provide service for users of the car park itself, encouraging the use of sustainable vehicles. This intervention forms part of Act 2.5 of the Tourism Sustainability Plan in Destination (PSTD), titled “Installation of electric vehicle charging stations in public car parks”. This act has a 100% climate label (073), as it is a measure directly aimed at promoting electric mobility and reducing emissions associated with conventional transport.

New sustainable cycling mobility area

With the aim of encouraging the use of bicycles both among tourists and among local residents, a new area specifically intended for this sustainable mode of transport is planned within the car park site. This area will include the following elements: parking zones equipped with inverted “U” shaped bicycle stands, manufactured in stainless steel to ensure durability and strength; a charging point for electric bicycles; and a basic repair area that will allow users to carry out adjustments and minor maintenance interventions.

The Mayor of Arnuero presents the 1st Prize

On Saturday 7 June at 7pm, at the Casa de Mareas de Soano, the awards ceremony for the 7th Ecoparque de Trasmiera 2025 Short Story Competition took place, in a moving event in which literature and nature were brought together. 

The story “The Land That Awaits You” was finally chosen by the Jury to obtain the top award of the literary contest: a tale in which fiction and passages from the life of Cantabrian painter Agustín Riancho become interwoven, with careful prose and a narrative thread that keeps the reader on tenterhooks until the finale.

Guillermo Rubio presented the Jury’s assessment

Before starting the event, and with the aim of celebrating World Oceans Day, the Ecoparque team, with the participation of writer Mikel Alvira, offered the “Fusion experience: nature, music and literature in the Marisma Joyel”, in which, through a small musical walk, an attempt was made to blend literature with nature and music, highlighting the importance of the meeting between humankind and the environment, especially the marshlands and their relationship with the oceans.

This experience, during which, in addition to reading some poems by Mikel Alvira, excerpts from the winning stories from 2024 were read, served as a way of presenting the book that brings together the winning stories from the previous edition, with “ZAHORÍ” by Franco Marín, first prize, “ALL THE CAGES” by Ignacio Samper, second prize, and “THE GOLDEN WILLOWS” by Guillermo Rubio Arias-Paz, third prize.

Next, on behalf of the Jury, Guillermo Rubio gave a brief presentation of this edition, highlighting the notable quality of the stories submitted and the Jury’s difficult task of determining the finalists and, finally, the order of the winners among the shortlisted stories, offering a simple outline of the plot set out in each of them.

It is worth remembering that on 31 March the deadline for submitting short stories for the fifth edition of the Ecoparque de Trasmiera literary contest ended, with 171 entries, gathered from practically all the Autonomous Communities and from more than half a dozen other countries.

Just a few hours before the event, after the proper deliberation process by the Jury for this 7th Contest, the order of the prizes was determined among the previously selected finalists:

–         1st PRIZE: “THE LAND THAT AWAITS YOU” by Juan Ignacio Ferrándiz.

–        2nd PRIZE. “LAND OF TREASURES” by José Luis Baños.

–         3rd PRIZE. “STORM DAYS” by Ricardo Pérez

The three winners with the Mayor and the Councillor for Culture

These have been intense months for the Jury, of reading and deliberation, thanks to the high standard that, since its first edition, has characterised the Ecoparque de Trasmiera Short Story Competition,
which, year after year, is strengthening its presence in the world of Letters. All the winners have a long curriculum vitae, with numerous awards to their name, both in the world of short stories and in poetry and other literary styles.

The Ecoparque de Trasmiera literary event thus continues a successful path that helps establish it as one of the most interesting events on the national scene.

Awards recipients with members of the Jury and authorities

It will be a day to enjoy together as a family, designed for both adults and children, with wellness, nature and community proposals. Throughout the day, activities will be offered for all audiences, including a guided route to the historic mill and the natural surroundings, led by the Ecopark’s expert team.

Tickets are already available on the Ecopark’s website, at a symbolic price, thanks to the institution’s commitment to bring these events closer to everyone in the community. In addition, children under 10 years old, accompanied by an adult, will have free entry.

The event will be full of thoughtful, mindful proposals, led by professionals with a great track record:

• Ester Requena – Dynamic Yoga
• Ana Nemesio – Astrology and Yoga
• Verónica Marín – Presentation of the Deepyoga method
• Ángela Padilla – Meditation
• Nagore Fonseca – Sound Bath
• Nerea Pérez – Kirtan
• Jael Cabieces and Carlota Resines – Yoga for children
• Sheila Gómez Gonzalez – Childcare space, special collaboration by La Casuca del Sauce

This event, full of intention, care and love for yoga, is also a way to celebrate SAMA’s birth: a space for unity and growth for the yoga community in Cantabria.

We look forward to seeing you to share a magical day, in connection with nature, family and wellbeing!

PROGRAMME

-08.30 hours: Meditation of the Goddess

Find inner calm surrounded by living nature, guided by Ángela Padilla, creator of Mare Yoga.

-9.45am: Dynamic Yoga with Esther Requena, creator of Vasikara conscious life.

-9.45 hours: Yoga classes for children with Carlota Resines. Adapted to their age, fun and connected with their inner world and with nature.

-11.00 hours: Guided nature walks

Discover the ecological and cultural value of the area: The House of the Tides. You’ll discover the fascinating world of the wetlands of our Marisma de Joyel—wind, moon and tide nomads. And our aquariums are waiting for you to meet their curious marine inhabitants.

-12.30 hours: Sound bath

Let yourself be enveloped by vibrations that balance body, mind and soul, guided by Nagore Fonseca, creator of YogaNago.

-12.30 hours: Yoga classes for children with Jael Cabieces. Adapted to their age, fun and connected with their inner world and with nature.

-13.30 hours: END OF THE MORNING SESSION

-15.30 hrs: Astroyoga, a fusion of astrology and yoga with Ana, creator of Anahata Centro.

-15.30 to 18.30 hrs: Free play space created by Sheila, founder of La Casuca del Sauce. A corner specially created for the youngest, with natural materials and play proposals inspired by the surrounding environment. A place to imagine, create and explore freely.

-16.45H: DeepYoga, a new methodology focused on deep exploration of the body and conscious presence with Verónica Marín, creator of Deepyoga.

-18.00 hours: Guided nature walks

Discover the ecological and cultural value of the area: The Santa Olaja Tidal Mill. You’ll learn about this old tidal mill and all its secrets. You’ll learn to be a miller for a day.

-19.30 hours: Kirtan

Devotional chants that elevate the spirit and connect us through the collective, guided by Nerea Pérez, creator of Karunada Yoga.

-20.30 hours: END OF DAY

On Saturday 7 June at 7 p.m., the awards ceremony for the 7th Short Story Competition Ecoparque de Trasmiera 2025 will take place at the Casa de Mareas de Soano.

Prior to the event, the book collecting the winning stories from the previous edition was presented, with ““ZAHORÍ” by Franco Marín, first prize, “TODAS LAS JAULAS” by Ignacio Samper, second prize, and “LOS SAUCES DORADOS” by Guillermo Rubio Arias-Paz, third prize.

Before starting the event, and given the upcoming coincidence with World Oceans Day, the Ecoparque team and the participation of writer Mikel Alvira will offer Experience fusion of nature, music and literature in the Marisma Joyel and Soano, in which, through a small musical walk, literature will be blended with nature, highlighting the environmental importance of the sea and the marshland.

Next, the Jury will be presented, and Guillermo Rubio, on its behalf, will give a brief introduction to this year’s Competition and the shortlisted stories. It is worth remembering that on 31 March the deadline for submitting short stories for the fifth edition of the Ecoparque de Trasmiera literary contest ended, with 172 stories submitted, involving practically all of Spain’s Autonomous Communities and more than half a dozen other countries. Previously, just a few hours earlier, following the proper deliberation process by the Jury for this 7th Competition, the order of prizes among the previously selected finalists will be determined:

– “LOS DÍAS DE TORMENTA” by Ricardo Pérez

– “TIERRA DE TESOROS” by José Luis Baños.

– “LA TIERRA QUE TE ESPERA” by Juan Ignacio Ferrándiz.

Attendees will receive free of charge one of the copies of the latest book from the Competition, the one corresponding to the winning stories from 2024

These have been intense months of reading and deliberation thanks to the high standard that, from its very first edition, has characterized the Ecoparque de Trasmiera Short Stories Competition, which year after year is consolidating its presence in the world of Letters.

In this way, the Ecoparque de Trasmiera literary contest continues a happy trajectory that begins by establishing the event as one of the most interesting on the national scene.