Festa da Empanada

WHO WE ARE?

Association Friends of Empanada/h3>

Juan Salgueiro at the Empanada Festival auction.

On February 23, 1996, the Cultural Association Fiends of Empanada was born in A Bandeira. This non-profit organization was initiated by Juan Salgueiro Montouto with the aim of bringing together all those people who, since 1974, have contributed to promoting the gastronomic event par excellence in Silleda. In this way, it would be much easier to organize an event that already had unprecedented dimensions in the area.

Among the goals of the Cultural Association Friends of Empanada are the following:

Promote the Galician empanada as a flagship dish of our gastronomy.

Spread Galician culture and gastronomy.

Revitalize the Galician rural areas, with special emphasis on the development of local commerce.

Promote A Bandeira and its surroundings as a high-quality tourist destination.

Dignify the bakery profession.

Musical performance

To fulfill the mentioned objectives, Friends of Empanada organizes a comprehensive cultural and gastronomic program throughout the year and during the five days of the Empanada Festival. Among the various activities, the gastronomic and musical routes of the empanada and empanadilla, the summer carnival, sports and children's events, the traditional celebration of Saint Christopher, neighborhood gatherings, cultural concerts, and much more stand out.

Cultural concert in A Bandeira.

Conference organized by Friends of Empanada

The organization of Friends of Empanada also works on the creation of a rural network of synergies among entities and various social actors, organizing cycles of conferences and educational events. One of our pillars is the training and dignification of the baker's profession through collaboration with bakeries and training centers, aiming to change society's perception and transmit to the younger generations the importance of defending our culture and gastronomy.

Honorary Presidents

Juan Salgueiro (1996)

Honorary Members

Lola Sangiao (2015)
Carmen Pillado (2015)
Ramón Otero (2022)
Marichelo Penoucos (2022)
Pepe Ayude (2023)
Manuel Duro (2023)
José Casal (2024)
Xirandola (2024)
Vista Alegre (2024)

Friendly entities

Cultural Entitie Vista Alegre

The building nowadays occupied by the Vista Alegre Cultural Association began its journey as a secular school in 1930, thanks to the collective effort of the local residents who had migrated to Buenos Aires. It was not until 1978 that it transitioned into the social center of the town and, consequently, into a cultural hub.

It stands as one of the focal points of cultural life not only in the municipality of Silleda but also in the entire province of Pontevedra. With the support of various institutions and the assistance of the residents of A Bandeira, the Vista Alegre Association was founded in 1982, and today, it hosts various cultural, gastronomic, and educational activities.

Cultural Entitie Xirandola

Xirandola was founded in 1987 with the aim of recovering, protecting, and promoting traditional Galician music and dance. Since then, this group has participated in numerous festivals and events throughout Spain, achieving significant awards and recognition.

Banda de Música Recreativa e Cultural de Bandeira

The Band of Music of Bandeira was founded in 1980 under the baton of José Villaverde Gómez. With significant awards obtained in numerous competitions, this group is essential for the cultural life of Bandeira, organizing a multitude of events and activities throughout the year and providing musical education to the new generations in its school.

Petanque Club Bandeira

The Petanque Club Bandeira was founded in 1978 as the only reference outside of Vigo in all of Galicia. Currently, it competes in the Honor Division, the highest category in this sport, and organizes the International Petanque Open during the Empanada Festival.

Entitie Fortín da Pomba

Fortín da Pomba is a group of traditional Galician dance and music, mostly composed of children and youth from A Bandeira and surrounding parishes. It made its official debut at the Empanada Festival in 1999. Since then, it has participated on multiple occasions in television programs, as well as in various celebrations and festivals. However, undoubtedly, the greatest achievement of this collective was the creation of the Galician Traditional Dance Competition, named AZALOIRA, one of the most important in Galicia.

Carous Vales Mahía

Non-profit Cultural Association directed by Álvaro Lodeiro Novo and named in honor of the great tenor José Vales Mahías, originally from Manduas. It was founded in 2010 and has dozens of members across its four voices.

Football Club Bandeira

Sports club of Bandeira formed by several categories in which hundreds of young people are trained every year in A Gandareira. The significant presence of women's football in the locality stands out.

Medias Verdes Theater

Medias Verdes was born in 2013 as an amateur theater group, developing multiple initiatives to revitalize rural areas.