The 46th Flamenco Festival Joaquín el de la Paula took place last night in the Patio de los Silos at Alcalá de Guadaíra Castle, with all tickets sold out and over 800 attendees. The local dancer Javier Barón was honoured in his hometown.
The Alcalá de Guadaíra Castle once again served as the venue for the Joaquín el de la Paula Flamenco Festival 16 years later. The event, now in its 46th edition, displayed a sold out sign and gathered more than 800 people in the Patio de los Silos, according to the Alcalá de Guadaíra City Council.
The local dancer Javier Barón was the star of the night and received a tribute for his career. The mayor, Ana Isabel Jiménez, presented the award alongside the Culture and Heritage delegate, Christopher Rivas, members of the municipal corporation, and the presidents of the two flamenco clubs in the city, Antonio Durán and Saray Benítez.
“I have danced on many stages around the world, but none like this one. It is always glorious to return to the Castle, to dance on these stones and tread on the footprints of Joaquín el de la Paula,” said Barón, visibly moved, during his speech.
This edition's lineup included performances by David Palomar, Lela Soto, and Ezequiel Benítez singing, accompanied by Rubén Martínez, Paco León, and Rubén Lara on guitar. The closing performance was by Javier Barón himself, who danced with the guitar of Salvador Gutiérrez and the singing of Miguel Ortega, David ‘El Galli’, and Javier Rivera. The presentation was by local journalist María Luisa Espinosa.
The mayor highlighted the significance of reclaiming the historic site for the festival. “Celebrating the Joaquín el de la Paula Festival at the Castle again means reclaiming an essential part of our history and identity,” noted Ana Isabel Jiménez, who also emphasised the pride of honouring Javier Barón in his city.
Meanwhile, the Culture and Heritage delegate, Christopher Rivas, described the night as “very special” and recalled that returning to the Castle was “a personal commitment and a pending debt.” Rivas praised the artistic lighting of the venue, enhanced for the occasion, and celebrated that for the first time in years, all tickets were sold out.
The festival pays tribute to Joaquín el de la Paula, a key figure in Alcalá's flamenco scene, and for decades has helped position Alcalá de Guadaíra as one of the references for flamenco in Andalusia. The return to the Castle recaptures part of the essence of an event that was born linked to this heritage site.
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