Landmark cultural events

Surfing The Lérez

Surfing The Lerez is a music festival first held in the city in 2011. Since its third edition, this musical event has taken place in the surroundings of the Illa das Esculturas. Its concerts are usually held in June. It attracts a large and loyal audience thanks to a lineup focused on live music throughout the day, a children’s area for the little ones, numerous entertainment activities and a market, in exchange for a solidarity ticket consisting of a donation of food for those most in need.

Bigsound

An urban music festival featuring renowned national and international artists, held at the Tafisa Park esplanade in July. https://bigsoundfestival.com/pontevedra/inicio

Rio Verbena Fest

Río Verbena Fest is an urban, indie, pop and rock music festival held annually in Pontevedra since 2022 in August at the Recinto Ferial esplanade.
https://rioverbena.com/

Senda Fest

Senda Festival is a program dedicated to the most avant-garde aspects of electronic music. The venue, Illa das Esculturas, becomes at the beginning of July a privileged setting with a sustainable and intimate event format.
@sendafestival

Children’s and Young People’s Book Fair

The Children’s and Young People’s Book Fair of Pontevedra is an annual event dedicated to the world of books, usually held in April and experienced in a unique way in the city. Books are the absolute protagonists of this cultural project, which aims to bring children and young people closer to literature in a warm, engaging and educational way.

Exhibitions, showcases, artistic interventions, workshops, courses, conferences, meetings, tributes to authors, book presentations, theatrical and musical performances, and storytelling sessions make up a wide range of activities involving schools, institutions, all kinds of associations, and citizens of all ages. It has been held since 1999 and, from the beginning, its venue has been the Pazo da Cultura.

Culturgal

This annual event, usually held in November or December, brings together at the city’s Recinto Ferial major representatives of Galicia’s cultural industries. Its aim each year is to facilitate the participation of companies, creators, professionals and audiences, and to encourage the purchase of cultural products. Culturgal includes the most representative associations in the sector: Asociación Galega de Editores (AGE), Asociación Galega de Empresas de Artes Escénicas (Escena Galega), Asociación Galega de Empresas Musicais (AGEM), Empresas Galegas Dedicadas a Internet e ás Novas Tecnoloxías (Eganet), and Asociación Galega de Produtoras Independentes (Agapi).

Pontevedra Jazz and Blues Festival

Every year since 1993, this jazz festival has been held in Pontevedra during the second half of July. It features jazz and blues artists as well as related genres such as rhythm & blues and soul. Concerts take place in Teucro and A Ferrería squares. There are also street performances, jam sessions and educational activities with workshops led by guest and local musicians. It is currently one of the best festivals in Galicia.

Jazz is a musical style deeply rooted in the city; in fact, Pontevedra has a Permanent Jazz Seminar that has been training future musicians for thirteen years and energizing this genre within society.

Itineranta

Itineranta is a travelling street performance festival whose first edition took place in 2010. It has become a regular event in Pontevedra’s summer festive program. A selection of top companies fills the city’s streets and squares with their performing arts proposals –stilts, juggling, theatre, cabaret, batucada, performance, fire, pyrotechnics…– celebrating the largest Travelling Street Performance Festival.

Galegote Rock

Galegote Rock is a festival where the Galician language and music are the main protagonists. Organized by the Pontevedra City Council, it aims to showcase performers and bands from different musical styles and to offer the public a wide range of high-quality live music made in Galician. It is usually held in April.