Our Lady of Mount Carmel – La Descarga
- Cangas del Narcea
- Locality: Cangas del Narcea
- Days: 14–22 July (16 downloads)
- Type: A festival of tourist interest in the Principality of Asturias
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Our Lady of Carmen is one of the most revered figures in the whole of Asturias, not only along the coast – where she is the patron saint of sailors – but also inland. A case in point is Cangas del Narcea. Every 16 July, the town of Cangas literally comes alive with the famous ‘Descarga’. At around eight o’clock in the evening on that day, just as the procession carrying the Virgin crosses the old bridge on its way to her chapel, the sky above Cangas is filled with fireworks and gunpowder for several minutes. The sky turns white, and the heady scent of gunpowder fills every corner.
The experience of the Descarga is unique and indescribable; only by living through it can one fully appreciate its magnitude. It is the timeless tribute paid by Cangas’s local clubs to the Virgin and to those who are no longer with us, but who, in some way, come back to life in that moment. As night falls, the artistic and heartfelt midnight fireworks provide the perfect finale to an iconic festival that brings together three elements: devotion, revelry and art.
Activities
Tuesday 7 July
- 7.30 pm. Recitation of the Novena.
- 9.00 pm. Presentation of the Artisans’ Gold Medal. Toreno Theatre.
- 10.00 pm and 11.30 pm. Hand-launched fireworks by the Peñas de la Pólvora.
- 10.00 pm. Fireworks display.
Friday 10 July
- 9.00 pm. 30th Peñas de la Pólvora Choral Competition ‘Memorial Jesús Roney’. Parque del Fuego Amphitheatre.
Saturday 11 July
- From 12:00 to 22:00. 26th Prao Molín Pilgrimage. Performance by the Bagpipe Band.
- From 5.30 pm to 9.00 pm. DJ Chame.
Sunday 12 July
- 1.00 pm. Concert by the Cangas del Narcea Town Band. Town Hall Courtyard.
Tuesday 14 July
- 9.00 pm. Festival opening speech. Plaza de Conde Toreno. Reading of the opening speech.
- Followed by: Parade of the Peñas de la Pólvora. Distribution of bollo and wine. Distribution of gluten-free bollo in the Town Hall Courtyard.
- 00:00. Hand-launched fireworks by the Peñas de la Pólvora.
- 01:00. Fireworks display. Parade of brass bands, fanfares and batucadas.
Wednesday 15 July
- 12:00. Raising of the clubs’ flags. Hand-launched fireworks by the clubs. Parade of giants and big-heads.
- 10.00 pm. Dinner hosted by the Artisans’ Society. Town Hall Courtyard.
- 10.30 pm. First big open-air dance with La Última Legión and Olympus. Los Nogales Park.
- 00:00. Hand-throwing competition by the Peñas de la Pólvora.
- 01:00. Fireworks display.
Thursday 16 July – Our Lady of Mount Carmel Day
- 09:00. Floral reveille.
- 11.00 am. Solemn Mass. Capilla del Carmen, Ambasaguas.
- 12.00. Procession up the hill. Hand-launched fireworks.
- On the Virgin’s arrival at the Town Hall: morning procession.
- Upon the Virgin’s entry into the Basilica: procession with barrenos.
- 12.30 pm. High Mass. Basilica of Santa María Magdalena. Procession through the streets.
- 6.30 pm. Announcements for La Descarga.
- 7.30 pm. Solemn Mass. Basilica of Santa María Magdalena.
- 8.00 pm. Procession of El Carmen. ‘La Descarga’ will take place with the Virgin at the centre of the Roman bridge.
- Parade.
- 10.30 pm. Dinner for members of the Artisans’ Association. Town Hall courtyard.
- 10.30 pm. Second big open-air dance with New York and Waykas Family.
- Midnight. Hand-fired fireworks display by the Peñas de la Pólvora.
- 01:00. Fireworks display by the women’s clubs.
Saturday 18 July
- 8.00 pm. Open-air party organised by the Federation of Peñas, featuring a performance by D-Rumba. Town Hall courtyard.
- 10.00 pm. Rock night with Kilika Santa and Annonimates. Town Hall courtyard.
Sunday 19 July – Children’s Carmen
- From 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm. Bouncy castles, face painting and children’s activities. Prao del Molín.
Monday 20 July
- 8.00 pm. Concert by the Cangas del Narcea Polyphonic Choir. Basilica of Santa María Magdalena.
- Tuesday 21 July
- 12.00. Parade of giants and big-heads. Hand-pulled procession.
- 2.00 pm and 7.00 pm. Street parades.
- 10.30 pm. Third big open-air dance with Límite and Tekila. Plaza Mayor.
- Midnight. Hand-pulled parade by the Peñas de la Pólvora.
- Followed by a fireworks display.
Wednesday 22 July – La Magdalena – Jira a Santana
- 12.30 pm. Procession. Upon arrival at the Town Hall, the ‘La Magdalena’ fireworks display.
- 1.00 pm. Solemn Mass. Basilica of Santa María Magdalena.
- 2.00 pm. Aperitif with DJ Suiss for members of the La Patrona Association. Town Hall courtyard.
- From 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm. Performance by Milio Fonceca and Ramón Waykas, accompanied by accordionists from Cangas.
- 11.00 pm. Closing ceremony with a performance by Aroma. Plaza Mayor.