D.L. MU 74-2025 - ISSN 3045-6703
Costa Cálida I No. 2136 I 11 - 17 June 2026 I FREE Newspaper
ONCE more, the Parque de la Rambla in the beautiful Costa Calida city of Cartagena was transformed into a hub for music and folk culture with the arrival of the Cartagena Folk Festival, now in its incredible 16th edition. The event, organised by the Cartagena City Council, lit June up in the city with three vibrant days of folk music, and nearly 7,000 attendees. The event saw thousands of people attend and enjoy a special programme combining concerts, workshops, delicious food, crafts, and family activities that brought both folk fans and new-
Photo Credit: Cartagena City Hall
Cartagena music festival draws thousands
Cartagena Folk Festival attracts thousands with music, culture, workshops.
comers to the genre closer to the latest trends in folk music, as well as popular and long-standing traditions. Taking the stage were
some of the most popular acts on the current folk scene, including De Ninghures, one of the most promising emerging bands in Galicia;
Barrio Mudéjar; Casa Palma, a group that reinterprets northern Spanish folk music; and Mixtura, a band that specialises in the fusion of tradition and contemporary sounds. But the Cartagena Folk Festival is not only about the music. The festival is also known for its participation in fun and family-oriented activities, including workshops focused on traditional dance, esparto grass weaving, and Cartagena bowling. Once more, the Cartagena Folk Festival has turned the city into a hub to attract both longtime fans of the genre as well as newcomers.
Generous golf club donation changes shelter dog’s life A LOCAL golf club fundraiser in Murcia has helped to change the life of a 12-year-old rescue dog, after raising enough money to cover her vital surgery. Greta is a long-time shelter resident at the PAPS animal shelter in San Javier, Murcia, and is deeply beloved by the workers at the shelter. Greta, a gentle and affectionate dog, has been at the PAPS (Protectora de Animales Perros del Sol) animal shelter since 2018, and needed a vital surgery. After local golf society, the El Valle Golf Club, hosted a fundraiser, an astounding €500 was collected and donated to PAPS. The cheque was presented to the animal shelter by former club treasurer Sandy Clare. The animal shelter stated that the funds went directly towards Greta’s surgery and offer her a better quality of life in her later years. “I’m pleased to report that Greta has made a full recovery and is now back at PAPS,” the shelter stated. Photo Credit: PAPS
Folk festivities
Gift for Greta
Royal recognition THE Princess of Asturias, Leonor de Borbón y Ortiz, received the Gold Medal of the Region of Murcia, the highest honour awarded by the region. The Princess was welcomed at a ceremony held in the Church of San Esteban, in the coastal city of Cartagena. In addition to this high honour, the Princess was also named the ‘Adoptive Daughter of San Javier’, the town near the Mar Menor where she received a municipal gold medal. During her speech, the heir presumptive to the Spanish throne made a reference to local Cartagena
Photo Credit: The Spanish Royal Family
Princess Leonor receives Murcia’s highest honour
Princess Leonor honoured in Murcia, marking symbolic end of training.
band Arde Bogotá: “Like a cowboy on the A-3, I will miss that route I have travelled so many times on my way to the
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sea,” she said, echoing the lyrics to one of their songs. She also mentioned that on that day, she ‘symbolically’
bid farewell to the Region of Murcia. The Princess expressed deep appreciation for the municipality of San Javier, stating that it had “enhanced and broadened my understanding of camaraderie, because to fly in formation one must be very aware of the importance of having complete confidence in one’s own abilities and those of one’s wingman.” To close out her speech, the Princess thanked the people of Murcia “for opening the doors of this land to me and for teaching me so much.”
Golf fundraiser funds surgery, giving rescue dog Greta new life.