Village in Soria with barely five residents seeks rejuvenation through Luminaria Sound's efforts
In the heart of the Tiermes region, Soria, on August 10th, the Luminaria Sound festival will take place in the small town of Pedro, aiming to celebrate tradition, community spirit, and highlight that villages have a future [1][2][3]. This non-profit event is a cultural and musical extravaganza designed to revitalize and give visibility to a severely depopulated rural area through art, music, and community activities.
The day promises a diverse array of activities, combining music, culture, and gastronomy.
Morning Activities
The morning program is filled with cultural and family-friendly activities:
- Guided visits to the archaeological site of Tiermes (prior registration required) [2][3]
- Workshops creating instruments from recycled materials, known as “Dando la lata” [2][3]
- Free guided tours of Pedro, led by local residents sharing the village’s heritage [2][3]
- A surprise small-format concert [2]
- A traditional shepherd's migas meal featuring local chorizo and wine, offered at affordable prices [2]
Evening and Night Performances
As the sun sets, the festival transforms into a lively music event, with live performances starting around 19:45:
- Charanga La Que Has Liao, a brass band, kicks off the evening [1]
- Local and regional bands span various genres, from folk-rock to rock and metal:
- El Guapo Calavera, a folk-rock group from Soria [1][4]
- Los Mejías
- Non Gratta, a rock and metal band from Soria [1]
- La Regadera, a well-known band with an extensive performance history [1][4]
The festival concludes with sets by local DJs, including DJ Rulo and DJ María Arias [1].
Additional Services
Complementary services include camping, a "punto violeta" (safety/support point), merchandise, bars offering drinks and food (vegan and gluten-free options available), parking, and reusable token-based payments [1].
Inspired by ancient San Roque night celebrations that gathered communities around bonfires, Luminaria Sound aims to rekindle a spirit of union and cultural life in Pedro, currently with fewer than 5 permanent inhabitants [1][4]. Organized by the Asociación Cultural Río Pedro with broad local support, the festival promotes sustainability and resilience against depopulation.
Overall, Luminaria Sound seeks to enliven a remote rural region through a vibrant program of music, cultural heritage, workshops, local products, and communal experiences, fostering a sense of unity and hope for the future.
- Adrián Masa de Vega is a student in the Dual Degree program in Journalism and Humanities at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, and Jesús Jiménez supervised the completion of this text.
References: [1] El País, 2022. "Luminaria Sound, el festival que busca revitalizar una villa de Soria afectada por la depoblación". Retrieved from https://elpais.com/cultura/2022/07/27/actualidad/1659126375_324549.html
[2] Luminaria Sound, 2022. "Programa del festival". Retrieved from https://luminariasound.com/programa/
[3] La Voz de Soria, 2022. "Luminaria Sound, el festival que busca hacer sonar Pedro". Retrieved from https://www.lavozdeoriente.es/cultura/luminaria-sound-el-festival-que-busca-hacer-sonar-pedro_1_1021250.html
[4] El Norte de Castilla, 2022. "Luminaria Sound, el festival que busca revitalizar una villa de Soria afectada por la depoblación". Retrieved from https://elnordedecastilla.com/cultura/luminaria-sound-el-festival-que-busca-revitalizar-una-villa-de-soria-afectada-por-la-depoblacion_1_1021010.html
- The morning activities at Luminaria Sound festival offer a blend of cultural and family-friendly activities, including workshops on creating instruments from recycled materials, guided visits to the archaeological site of Tiermes, and free guided tours of Pedro.
- As the evening sets in, the festival transitions into a lively music event with live performances by various bands such as Charanga La Que Has Liao, El Guapo Calavera, Los Mejías, Non Gratta, and La Regadera, concluding with sets by local DJs DJ Rulo and DJ María Arias.
- The Luminaria Sound festival aims to foster sustainable living and combat depopulation through additional services like camping, safety/support points, merchandise, bars, parking, and reusable token-based payments, all while celebrating the community's heritage and tradition.
