Today and tomorrow the Unusuals continue, which have already sold out since last week, with the concert in the vineyards of Bodegas de Isla and the Trío Malecón, which will include a Latin Jazz repertoire, to accompany the tasting of wines from the island winery, along with some local appetisers. Tomorrow we move to Castillo, where we will begin with a visit to the SAT Disama livestock housing facilities, a surprising look at cutting-edge premises where every process is digitised, and the cows that listen to music have assisted ventilation, automatic scratchers and are milked when they feel the need. The programme is completed by the concert next to the chapel of San Juan by La Flaca de Beat, the Cantabrian group that will offer a very jazz-filled repertoire with swing notes, with original songs and some classics.

On Thursday, the main concerts begin in Isla’s historic centre. A truly lovely cultural setting, where you can pay more attention to the music, in the form of more classic-style concerts and with top-tier bands, where the presence of musicians with long careers stands out in line-ups in which quality and great workmanship are particularly evident. The last available tickets will very likely sell out in no time. However, for these concerts it is possible to try to find a ticket on the same day, although there is no guarantee of having a seat.

This part of Isla Jazz 2026 begins with the concert by Erwyn Seerutton and the BIG BAND Santander, a line-up of 14 musicians led on this occasion by the singer, musician and composer Erwyn Seerutton from Mauritius, with an extensive musical career in the Jazz, Gospel & Black Spirituals, Soul, Funk scene. He will be accompanied by a sizeable Big Band with notable and experienced Cantabrian musicians.

On Friday, it’s the turn of the Asturian band The Soulers, who do SOUL—but they don’t settle for putting it on in strict accordance with the rules. Their references are the great names of the style: from the rhythm & blues of Etta James or the stylised charm of the Supremes, to the gospel of Aretha Franklin or the energy of Sam Cooke, through to the electrifying shows of James Brown and the reinvention proposed by Michael Jackson. They will also present original songs from their first award-winning AMAS-winning album.

We close the main stage with a mythical band closely linked to the Festival, as they have repeated their appearance on several occasions—and they are always called for by the Isla Jazz regulars. We’re talking about Soul City, who, with nine musicians and three singers, offer a truly vibrant and very danceable show, with classics from all eras such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder

Coinciding with the main concerts, on Thursday and Saturday the Gastro Jazz experience is offered, with a visit to Isla’s historic centre, vineyards and market gardens, where thanks to our silent system headsets the public can take a guided tour of this cultural setting brought to life by a soundtrack that tells the story of this musical style.

We wrap up an intense week of Jazz: on the 9th, with our “Jazz Marinero”. The great themes of Jazz will be with us on a lovely stroll along the Quejo coastline, where we will visit the old lobster hatcheries, now natural pools, and learn about some of the most long-forgotten traditions, such as whale fishing along our coasts. We’ll continue with a visit to the lobster hatchery at the Astuy restaurant, coinciding with the fact that this venue hosts the concert by Black Grooves, to round off a memorable experience.

Once again, CIMCA took place at the beginning of summer, in a new edition that is even more ambitious and continues to make this music competition one of the best in Spain, with the participation of ensembles of great quality and a strong international character, which consolidate in this competition their path in musical performance.

We have experienced a competition of extremely high quality, with ensembles that can boast a lengthy track record of major awards, and that come to Arnuero from different parts of Spain, such as Madrid, Barcelona or San Sebastián, as well as from abroad, from London, Paris and Basiela.

As a prelude to the competition phase, on Friday 3 July there was an excellent opening concert with the absolute premiere of the work “Trío V” by José Manuel López López, an order from the Arnuero Town Hall for the XXIII International Chamber Music Competition of Arnuero (CIMCA 2026). José Manuel López López, a prominent composer of well-known international prestige, composed the work “Trío V” for clarinet, cello and piano so that its premiere would take place at the opening concert of CIMCA 2026. The concert, whose performance was carried out by Carlos Apellániz on the piano, David Apellániz on the cello, Luis Fernández Castelló on the clarinet and Juan Luis Gallego on the violin, had the following complete programme:

• Trio for clarinet, cello and piano. Antonio Gómez Schneekloth
• Fantasiestücke op. 43 for clarinet and piano. Niels Gade
• Trío V for clarinet, cello and piano (absolute premiere). José Manuel López López
• Trio No. 2 Op. 67 for violin, cello and piano. Dimitri Shostakovich

Once the initial selection phase had been completed, which each year the Jury carries out by assessing the videos submitted by twenty ensembles from very diverse locations around the world, the eight chosen were determined to take part in the live audition classification phase on Saturday, and from these, only four formations went through to the grand final.

The ensembles that took part in the classification phase on Saturday were:

• Mirage Dúo: piano four-hands, from Frankfurt
• Dúo Ariassaiz: piano and cello, from Santander
• Rem Dúo: piano and violin, from Rome
• Artaika Trío: piano, violin and cello, from Paris
• Trío Brissa da Camera: piano, clarinet and cello, from Castellón
• A Delta Trío: trio of saxophones, from Basilea
• Óxigen Quartet: quartet of saxophones, from Musikene
• Celanova Brass: brass wind quintet, from Ourense and A Coruña

After the grand final, the result was as follows:

First prize: “Artaika Trío” for the performance of “Trío en la menor de Maurice Ravel”. Ensemble formed by Loubna Kammarti, violin, Lou Hantaï, cello, and John Argelès, piano, from the Conservatoire Superior of Paris. Prize of 3,000 euros, diploma and a paid concert at the Centro Botín in Santander.

Second prize: “ Brisa de Camera”, for the performance of “Trío para clarinete, violonchelo y piano en La menor” by Brahms. Ensemble from the Conservatoire of Castellón, formed by Izan Llinares, clarinet, Ángela Domínguez, cello, and Fernando Alarcón, piano. Prize of 2,000 euros, diploma and a paid concert within the Marcos Históricos series of the International Festival of Santander.

“Ricardo Hontañón” Award for the best performance of a work written after 1945 by “Artaika Trío”. Prize of 1,000 euros and diploma.

Jesús de Monasterio Award for the most outstanding violinist for Loubna Kammarti, from the group ” Artaika Trío”. Award consisting of a diploma and concert, sponsored by the Real Sociedad Menéndez Pelayo, at the Casa Museo Jesús de Monasterio.

Award for the best ensemble with roots in Cantabria for Dúo Ariassaiz: formed by Pedro Arias, cello, and María Teresa Saiz, piano, from Santander.

The finalists of the XXII CIMCA who did not win a prize were:

“A Delta Trío” from Basilea, who performed “Suite for Wind trío” by Alexandre Transman.

“Mirage Dúo”, piano four-hands, from Frankfurt, who performed “Rhapsodie espagnole“ by Maurice Ravel.

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.

Arnuero has turned September into a month for enjoying the Ecopark of Trasmiera, the beaches of Isla, the scenery and nature, and of course the extraordinary cuisine that comes from the stoves of the magnificent local restaurants. Since already thirteen years ago, it will begin with the first edition of the Isla Pepper Fair, its commitment to the primary sector and tourism has been growing exponentially, to the point that today the activity that is generatedaround the Isla Fairs is a benchmark in terms of a commitment to sustainable tourism and the promotion of local producers.

Tomorrow, Saturday 13 September, an ambitious programme begins linking rural development and traditional production with gastronomic and experience-based tourism, and which runs through to the start of autumn. To whet your appetite, this weekend Arnuero pays tribute to the market garden and the agricultural sector with the classic ‘Isla Pepper Fair of Isl

a’ which tomorrow will mark its thirteenth edition, establishing itself as a major driving event for the primary sector, but with strong links to the services sector and the tourism offering.

The day after, Sunday 14, will see the arrival of the third edition of the Wine Fair of Costa de Cantabria, continuing an event that in recent years was a success and which today is the biggest promotion initiative for the IGP Vinos Tierra Costa de Cantabria, betting on a sector on the rise. In Isla, there is a leading winery whose wines have quickly positioned themselves as great value wines, winners of important awards, and which aims to be a showcase for the many wineries that have sprung up in recent years under this IGP.

What’s more, in this edition progress has been made with experience-led proposals featuring ‘Isla Gastronomica’, as an unmistakeable way to attract tourism lovers of tranquillity, great food and cultural experiences. An event that combines an excellent offering of fair menus, pinchos and portions, within the Gastronomic Days from 12 to 21 September, provided by nine establishments in the municipality, and an event that hosts the Casa de las Mareas de Soano on the 18, 19 and 20 September, with very special experiences to meet entrepreneurs, wines, cheeses, market garden produce and local artisans, along with or in the form of gastro-cultural proposals.

GASTRO EXPERIENCES

On the 18, 19 and 20 September (from 18:00 h. at the Casa de Mareas de Soano), three experiences will take place, in which tastings of tapas based on local produce will be alternated, alongside several Cantabrian chefs. There will also be wine tastings with some wineries from the IPG and pairing with other artisan products.

Presentations  by local entrepreneurs and producers, all sprinkled with some of the most vibrant Ecopark experiences, such as a theatrical tour of the Molino de Santa Olaja with a tasting of products, or the sensory experience of a blind musical tasting.

Day 18 will start by focusing on the produce from Isla’s market garden, beginning with the presentation of a producer of Isla peppers, who has started an entrepreneurship venture in registered preserves of this product and a tasting of his peppers in different preparations by “La Huerta de Chaves”. Secondly, we’ll have our “Blind Ocean”, a sensory tasting experience of blind appetisers with market garden produce and the sea, run by the Ecopark Team and Chef Gonzalo Diestro from the Carolinas. He will also round off the day with the presentation of the Wine Fair Tapa, which we will pair with the presentation of two wines from the Casona Micaela winery of the IGP Tierra Costa de Cantabria.

Day 19 the experiences offering will centre on a tasting of Dromedario coffees “the coffee game”. Next, there will be a theatrical guided tour of the Molino de Santa Olaja with a tasting of Isla wine and traditional tapas, and we’ll finish with the presentation of the Pepper Fair Tapa with market garden produce by Cristóbal Sierra, Chef of Asador La Chata, accompanied by the tasting of two wines from Bodegas de Isla

Saturday 20, we kick off the experiences with the presentation of the iconic artisan beer company “Cervezas Dougalls” and the cheese producer La Pasiega de Peña Pelada with a combined tasting of some beers and cheeses. Next, there will be a tasting of natural cider and other products derived from apples by 45 Amigos, which will be paired with artisan cheeses from Granja Cudaña. To finish, we’ll also have the presentation of a “montañés stew tapa with a wink” led by Alfonso Fraile, President of the Cofradía del cocido montañés, accompanied by the Chef from Hotel Astuy, Arsenio Pérez Torre.

GASTRONOMIC DAYS “Tasting Our Market Garden”

From 12 to 21 September, various establishments in the municipality join in to boost the Isla Fairs offering by providing menus, portions or fair pinchos, which can be consulted on the website www.feriasdeisla.es

They will offer special fair menus at the hotel Astuy, hotel Campomar, hotel Estrella del Norte, hostería San Emeterio, restaurant asador La Chata, hotel Olimpo.

Meanwhile, as a new addition, the offering of fair pinchos or tapas is brought in at the Arena Vibes Camping Bar and Mesón el Centro establishments.

PROGRAMME FOR THE DAY OF THE ISLA PEPPER FAIR

13 September 2025 from 10:00 to 21:00 h.

• Market Garden and Isla Pepper Market.
• 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 crafts and books from Cantabria.
• Area for family games and children’s workshops in the new square in the historic quarter.
• Dances of Isla and regional dances (13 h.)
• Award for the best Pepper at the Fair by public vote
• Children’s Painting Competition. Theme: “Isla Pepper Fair”.
• Live log carving.
• End-of-Fair Party with live music (20 to 22 h.)

PROGRAMME FOR THE DAY OF THE COSTA DE CANTABRIA WINE FAIR

14 September 2025 from 10:00 to 16:00 h.

• Market Garden and Isla Pepper Market.
• IGP Wineries Vinos Costa de Cantabria.
• Artisan cheesemakers
• Guided visits to the historic quarter of Isla, vineyards and market gardens.
• Musical entertainment and leisure activities.
• 4th Ollas Ferroviarias Competition.
• Tasting voucher, with a glass and/or casserole dish for wine tastings and a cheese or bean tapa

 Historic Quarter – Quejo Transport

During the days of the Fairs, there will be public transport to connect Isla Playa with the Historic Quarter of Isla from the start until the Fairs close (every 30 minutes or so). Specific times at the stops provided in Quejo (Campo San Sebastián) and in Casco Htco. Isla.

The Arnuero Town Hall intends to turn the month of September into a celebration of local produce and gastronomy, trying to gradually transform “the Isla Pepper Fair” into a major driving event for the primary sector, but with strong links to the services sector and the tourism offering. To do this, it has opted to take on a broader programme of activities, continuing the Feria del Vino Costa de Cantabria, with the aim of promoting activity linked to wine and vineyards, which returned to Isla about six years ago. With this Fair, we aim to provide a meeting point and a showcase for the many wineries that have been established in recent years and that fall under the IGP “Vinos Costa de Cantabria”.

So a month begins in September that will flood the municipality of Arnuero with the red of the pepper and the golden of the wines that, for just a few years now, are produced with high quality in this coastal town. A month to come and enjoy the beaches, nature, the Ecoparque and, of course, the extraordinary gastronomy served from the stoves of the excellent local restaurants.

This year, experiences will be offered again that will link gastronomy with rural entrepreneurship, nature and leisure, with the aim of presenting the best of this vitamin-rich territory, which is the Ecoparque de Trasmiera. Thus, the week after the Fairs, we will have 3 days with numerous experiences that will bring together tastings, sample servings, cookery demonstrations, pairings, cultural and sensory experiences—each one using the products of the land as the connecting thread.

XIII ISLA PEPPER FAIR and III COSTA DE CANTABRIA WINE FAIR. GASTRONOMIC ISLA.

After becoming established as a leading Fair in Cantabria, drawing thousands of visitors each year who are attracted by the unique opportunity to buy the authentic Isla pepper, while always maintaining excellent sales performance, this year has opted for growth and for setting the foundations to gradually turn the original fair into a major event.

This year, the Arnuero Town Hall presents significant new features with the intention of making a quality leap in the future, with the goal of transforming what began as a rural fair into a major social, economic, gastronomic and cultural event. To do this, the new features expected to grow over the coming years were outlined in 2024, in order to create a framework for social and economic activity lasting longer than just a single day of fair.

The most important commitment will be the 3rd Costa de Cantabria Wine Fair, one day after the Isla Pepper Fair, in which the local farmers will again be involved, and the presence of a dozen wineries from the IGP is expected, accompanied by artisan cheesemakers and some other artisan products. Within the scope of this fair, the traditional Contest of Railway Pots, dedicated to local beans (both white and carico) and to pepper, is maintained.

Also as a new feature, the Fairs will have a subsequent programme, Gastronomic Isla, which aims to deepen knowledge of local products through talks, tastings, pairings, and food demonstrations. Designed as micro-events and aimed at a very limited capacity. These events aim to expand knowledge of products, their development, and the problems facing local producers.

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.