Vilagarcía Water Festival
Fun and lots and lots of water
Thousands of people take a collective dip in Vilagarcía de Arousa
In forty years Vilagarcía de Arousa has seen how a spontaneous shout in the middle of a celebration asking the neighbours for water has become a tradition declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest. As such, it is the talk of the media that day thanks to its curiosity.
Every noon on the 16th of August, the chapel of San Roque receives its saint, carried in procession from the parish church of Santa Olaia. Once he enters, with his back to the church and always facing the faithful, the fiesta begins.
The Town Hall and the church were not in agreement at first, but they ended up accepting it and integrating it into the San Roque festivities, making it the main protagonist and the event that has the most power of convocation in these celebrations. After the reading of the proclamation, the streets become a collective shower with the help of the fire brigade, civil protection and the residents themselves, armed with buckets and hoses from the windows and balconies of their houses.
Another of the processions is that of San Roque Pequeno, which has more than 100 years of tradition. It takes place on the eve of the Water Festival in the San Roque neighbourhood itself and is organised by the local residents, after moving the official festival to the promenade and the quay. During the evening procession, at 8 p.m., the saint is taken to the parish church. The people carrying the saint wear a white suit and red sash and are accompanied by the priest and the authorities.
Carril Clam Festival
Like any self-respecting festivity in Galicia, it is accompanied by its gastronomic exaltation, in this case of the Carril clam. It has been celebrated since 1992 and more than 2,000 kilos of clams are tasted. The patron saint festivities are brought to a close by the naval combat and the parade of floats. The former is one of the most important firework displays in the province of Pontevedra. The second consists of a parade of brass bands, entertainment groups and parades with traditional music. Attractions, open-air dances, concerts, sports activities and gastronomic fairs complete the big days of Vilagarcía de Arousa, in a perfect symbiosis between religion and leisure.
For those who wish to get wet, it is recommended to wear light clothing such as sandals and swimming trunks and, if possible, some clothes to change into afterwards, as well as leaving any electronic devices that may be damaged by the water.
