On Friday, February 3, in the CERE exhibition hall, the Flavors of Carnival 2023 began with the cultural days, a presentation in which Esmeralda Muñoz, professor of Geography and History and contemporary history of the UCLM, Francisco Manuel intervened. Peco, musicologist and researcher at the UCLM, Jorge Franciso Jiménez, director of Art History at the School for Adults in Albacete and the UNED in Quintanar de la Orden and Berna Martínez, manager and designer of the website carnavaldemiguelturra.es and author of the book ‘Know me, Carnival of Miguelturra’.

Esmeralda Muñoz, began the presentation based on her research on the time of the carnival, the origins or the carnival calendar ‘from classical antiquity to the present, without neglecting the context and controversy of the prohibitions and oppositions of this party’.

Francisco Manuel Peco, focused on the democratic carnival and on ‘how music becomes a common thread of carnival, since carnival cannot be understood without music’.

Jorge Francisco Jiménez, talked about art and carnival. As highlighted by the historian, who stated that ‘since we are in this space, the Momo, dedicated to the carnival, what better way to talk than to talk about how art helps us understand this festival. Especially the most hooligan carnival, that of the grotesque mask, which is the one most related to the street mask and the Alhiguí’.

The transformation of carnival with the arrival of democracy

Finally, Berna Martínez, made a trip through the carnival of the last 40 years. The person in charge and designer of the website carnavaldemiguelturra.es, developed an exhibition based on ‘how the creation of the Association of Peñas, 40 years ago, changed the Miguelturreño carnival, since it went from being a carnival that was only celebrated in the street, to a festivity that has been magnified with a series of events that have led us to have a Festival of National Tourist Interest’.

The sessions ended with a wine tasting with the collaboration of Bodegas La Reconquista, Parque Cultural Calatrava and the Provincial Council of Ciudad Real.

Friday, February 3 and Sunday, February 5, the dramatized guided tours of the Miguelturra Carnival were held.

The Flauti Flauti group, put on the street the history of our carnival, dances, street masks, the alhiguí, the religious carnival, clubs, major masks and even the King of Carnival, are part of this street theater.

After the completion of both visits, attendees were able to enjoy a wine thanks to Bodegas Reconquista.

Next Friday, February 10, will be the last day of these guided tours.

Lastly, on Saturday the 4th, the children’s Masterclass on Fruta en Sartén took place, with two groups of boys and girls, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

Led by chef Rocío Arroyo, the little cooks were able to enjoy and learn how the traditional fruit is made in a frying pan.