The Festival of Catalan Culture will visit Slovakia for the first time ever. More than 500 performers from Catalonia will showcase their traditions right in the centre of Prešov. You can already look forward to a breathtaking experience at the 36th edition of the Aplec Internacional in Prešov - ADIFOLK, which will take place from 9 to 11 August 2024.
The intention is to bring cultural activities and opportunities to the city centre and housing estates, to increase the cultural literacy of the city's inhabitants and to create a supportive ecosystem for the local cultural and creative community. PKO has a clear goal to support, promote and dynamise cultural events in Prešov.
The festival programme includes performances by the following bands:
APLEC INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL HAS A 35-YEAR TRADITION
In 1988, with the aim of bringing Catalan popular culture to the attention of the whole of Europe, the first event was organised in Amsterdam. The initial motivation for the international festival was the desire to contribute to the projection of Catalan folklore in cities where the festival was of great importance because of its cultural, historical or social affinity with Catalonia. Each celebration of the International Festival brings together a wide range of participants from different areas of popular culture, as well as hundreds of supporters who also make up the Catalan expedition. The festival features a mix of performers from different groups who transform the events into street shows. Bringing this festival to Prešov is an exceptional opportunity to show that our city can be attractive to tourists and that it offers many opportunities for the development of tourism in the east of Slovakia. The City of Prešov will co-organize Aplec Internacional in 2024 based on the successful nomination and the signed Memorandum of Cooperation with Adifolk.
THE FESTIVAL IS ORGANISED BY ADIFOLK AND THE CITY OF PREŠOV
Adifolk is an association made up of people closely linked to the world of Catalan folklore and popular culture. Its main objective is to promote and revitalise Catalan popular culture at international level. Adifolk belongs to the CIOFF - Comitè Internacional d'Organitzadors de Festivals Folklòrics - recognised in the UNESCO STATUS B category. It is also dedicated to promoting and advising on topics related to Catalan popular culture at international festivals and at Catalan promotional events abroad. Organizer of the international festival Aplec Internacional with the support and collaboration of the Generalitat de Catalunya for Central Europe. On 1 March 2023, the City of Prešov signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Adifolk, officially becoming the host of the 36th edition of the Aplec Internacional Festival. The complete organization of the festival and the coordination of cooperation is provided by the Park of Culture and Leisure (PKO). PKO's mission is to develop and promote cultural areas, events in the city across a wide spectrum of artistic genres and for all ages. The media partner is OOCR Región Šariš.
The intention is to bring cultural activities and opportunities to the city centre and housing estates, to increase the cultural literacy of the city's inhabitants and to create a supportive ecosystem for the local cultural and creative community. PKO has a clear goal to support, promote and dynamise cultural events in Prešov.
The festival programme includes performances by the following bands:
- performance of SARDANA (traditional Catalan dance) with original live music,
- stick dancing,
- human towers,
- Catalan orchestra COBLA,
- giants,
- Devils,
- music with traditional Catalan musical instruments
