Munroe’s Rock fest kicks off a season of Summer events

It may have taken them 20-years but it was better later than never for brothers Nigel and Neil, as the owners of Munroe’s organised their 20^th Anniversary Rock Fest on Saturday. This eleven hour festival attracted, as expected, the local fans of punk, Goth and heavy metal but families, friends and music lovers turned up too to see what all of the fuss was about. In the end, a well organised and trouble free day was had by one and all with calls to put on a 21^st Anniversary festival already being requested. 

And hot on the heals of Rock Fest, two more festivals have just been announced, both just across the border on the Oriheula Costa. The first of these is being promoted by ECO, Empresarios Costa de Orihuela, who have been granted approval from the Ayuntamiento de Orihuiela for the first ever Summer Festival to be held on the Orihuela-Costa. The event will take place on 4th and 5th Jul 2009. Further details are available by calling the ECO office on 96 673 0056.

On what many of us still think of as the August Bank Holiday weekend (29^th & 30^th), Party of the Park shall be back at Asturias, with a full range of fun activities, groups, artists and activities being planned as “the big summer event for all of the family”. For more information or to register your interest in being part of the event, please contact 636 120 144.

Just two of the many events that shall be added to the local calendar for residents and visitors to plan for, this summer.

The wedding season is upon us

June sees the start of the wedding season on the coast, where really only the mad Irish and Brits even consider having their wedding or blessing in the mid summer months of July and August. 

As one of the few companies who provide both Photography and Video services, things are picking up for the season, with September already booking up quickly. Fortunately we have a good team of videographers and photographers to choose from, but if you are thinking of having your celebration here in Spain, please don't leave it too late!

Torrevieja’s new Catamaran attraction

Torrevieja shall have a brand new tourist attraction in the shape of a modern Catamaran  from tour company 'Mundomarina’ for the summer of 2009. The ‘Cat’ shall be sailing out of the new Marina Salinas every Tuesday and Wednesday, from 23rd June to 31st August.

There are a number of different excursions on offer, including trips to and around the island of Tabarca, snorkelling excursions, sailing trips plus their ‘sunset’ sail. They offer three trips per day; the morning sail leaves port at 10.30 returning at 1400, afternoons from 1700-1900 and the sunset sail from 2000 returning to port at 2200.

The Catamaran is a very modern design, 24m x 10m, with a capacity for up to 100 guests. She is equipped with a bar, catering service, music, solarium, bathrooms, a shaded zone, showers plus snorkelling and water equipment. Most importantly she has a fully trained and qualified crew and holds all safety licences to cruise around the Mediterranean coast.

More information or bookings can be made by calling 966 423 066. 

Work on Torrevieja’s Desalination Plant ceases for the Summer.

Torrevieja’s Town Hall has announced that work on Europe’s largest Desalination Plant will halt at the end of the June; to help reduce road congestion on the N332 and so as not to inconvenience visitors during the busy summer months.

Although the plant itself is almost complete, there has been much controversy over the route and disruption that shall be caused by the laying of the double pipelines from the centre, through the southern part of Torrevieja and into the Muelle de la Sal. Work will stop until September 15^th, when schools reopen and the last Spanish tourists have returned home.

AcuaMed, the company responsible for building the plant shall now not be able to meet their proposed finalization date of September 1^st. The Torrevieja desalination plant will be the second largest in the world and the largest in Europe, when completed, at a cost of over €300 million euros.

This is the second time that AcuaMed have changed their completion date as back in May 2007 Adrián Baltanás, the general director of Acuamed announced that the plant would be fully operational and producing enough water to provide 2.4 million people and 64,000 farms with purified water by September 2008!

Torrevieja’s May Fair a great success despite the weather

Outside of Andalucia, the next largest fair of its kind is the four-day event staged in Torrevieja, which this year attracted thousands of tourists and residents.  The inauguration was performed by Torrevieja’s Councilor for Culture, Eduardo Dolon  followed by the Choir and Orchestra Salinas de Torrevieja “Maestro Ricardo Lafuente”, directed by Manuel Martínez Guirao, a spectacular firework display and entertainment from Local Dance School Agustina Esteve.

Throughout the four days, visitors danced ‘sevillanas’, wined and dined in the ‘casetas’ and were entertained each evening; on Thursday by the flamenco artist El Arrebato and Friday by Grupo de Baile Paya’s Dance School, Lola Morales plus a concert by the choir Coro Alba Rociera.

Saturday was a special occasion due to this also being European Day however afternoon rain curtailed some of the activities but not before a ‘Rociera’ Mass sung by the choir Coro Alba Rociera was performed at the Inmaculada’s Church and the rain stayed off just long enough for visitors to see the horsemanship of the riders and drivers travelling through the streets and within the fairgrounds.

The main attraction on Saturday evening was from Antón Moreno, who blended flamenco with jazz, swing and standards, much to the delight of the thousand or more people in attendance. The fair closed on Sunday with yet another fireworks display and promises of an even bigger and better event for 2010 when the location shall shift to a new location beside the water park.