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June 3 to 7 Annual Potato Fiesta in La Puebla!
4 days of potato celebration culminate in a giant Spanish omelette in the Cartagena countryside
One of the facets of life in Spain which never ceases to surprise visitors and residents from northern Europe is the number of quirky (and, some might say, surreal) fiestas which take place during the year, and a good example of this is taking place over four days until Sunday 7th June in La Puebla.
La Puebla is an outlying village in Cartagena between the city and the Mar Menor and the annual fiestas are held in June in honour of the Sagrado Corazón de Jesús: However, the events are best known as the Fiestas de la Patata, and have established themselves in the local and regional calendar on the first weekend of June.
Now reaching its 17th edition, El Día de la Patata is a tradition which was started by local farmers keen to make the public aware of the quality of the potatoes they grow, and has quickly become a very popular event indeed. This year, as usual, everyone is invited to Potato Day, where there will be a special potato exhibition, potatoes on sale direct from the fields of the Campo de Cartagena, a competition to throw potatoes into the pot and of course various potato tasting sessions, which include omelettes as well as roast and boiled spuds.
The program of events during the day (and previous days) has yet to be finalized, but it has already been announced that the honour of giving the opening speech falls this year to Alfonso de la Cruz, a presenter on the regional television channel La 7. In addition, Noelia Arroyo, the Mayoress of Cartagena, is to be named official “Potato Ambassador”, a title she will doubtless flaunt with pride as she leads the local government of the second largest city in the Region of Murcia.
The most important day of the fiestas is the last, Sunday 7th June, when the activities include direct sales to the public, an arts and crafts market, the great potato exhibition, potato throwing competitions and of course tastings of roast potatoes, boiled potatoes, chips and a giant potato omelette for as many as 800 people!
(On a serious note, the importance of potato farming in the area can be seen in the fact that of the 4,500 hectares or so devoted to growing potato crops in the Region of Murcia, between 2,500 and 3,000 are within the municipality of Cartagena!)
Images: Ayto. Cartagena / Felipe G. Pagán
For more upcoming events in the Region of Murcia go to the What's on section of Murcia Today.
Address
Calle Adelfas 1 Estrella de MarTel: 868 78 06 08
Authenticity, taste and tradition at La Palmera Bar and Grill in Estrella De Mar, Murcia
La Palmera Bar & Grill is the place to enjoy smoky barbecue flavours in a lively, welcoming setting.Guests can take advantage of free parking and a spacious outdoor dining area, perfect for al fresco meals. Inside, there’s a pool table, multiple TVs and a regular programme of events and promotions.
The venue also caters for celebrations and private hire, making special occasions memorable. For something more relaxed, the daily bowls green is always open for a friendly game.
No wonder La Palmera has become a favourite spot for both locals and visitors.
Opening hours & weekly highlights
- All-day breakfast served Monday-Saturday from 10am (no breakfast on Sundays)
- Daily menu served from 12 midday until 9pm
- Three courses for €10, Tuesday to Friday
- Saturday sharing platter specials from €20
- Sunday roasts from €9.95, served from 1pm to 5pm
Sunday roasts
Sundays at La Palmera are all about those incredible smoked roast boards that have become the stuff of local legend. The kitchen team slow-smokes succulent beef brisket, fall-off-the-bone ribs and tender chicken, then serves it all up on sharing platters alongside perfectly roasted potatoes and vegetables, fluffy Yorkshire puddings and rich Guinness gravy.
The boards come in three sizes: the 2 Bob Board at €33, the 3 Bob Board at €45 or go all out with the 4 Bob Board at €60.
Regular live entertainment
La Palmera knows how to keep the party going with their fantastic line-up of regular entertainment. You'll find silent discos where you can dance the night away to your own beat, live music that gets everyone singing along, and dance classes that are guaranteed to have you laughing and moving (even if you've got two left feet).
But the real highlight has to be Quingo every Tuesday. It's competitive, hilarious and the perfect way to test your knowledge while having a proper laugh with friends.
Contact details
- Website: https://lapalmerabarandgrill.com/
- Facebook: La Palmera
- Email: Infolapalmera@yahoo.com
- Phone: 0034 868 78 06 08
- Address: Calle Adelfas 1, Estrella de Mar, Murcia
