The next Saturday june 8, the Valencian municipality of Benialí will celebrate the XXI Cherry Festival, a celebration that this year takes a vindictive tone against the difficult situation of cherry production in the area of the Vall de Gallinera. Organized by the City Council of la Vall de Gallinera the festival, which will include a cherry market, aims to highlight the challenges faced by this crop, which is the agricultural heritage of the area.
This year’s cherry season has been one of the worst in the last decade, affected by multiple adverse factors such as the Drosophila suzukii pest, the mismatch in chilling hours due to climate change, prolonged periods of drought and high production costs. These problems have led to a progressive abandonment of farmland, increasing the risk of depopulation in the Vall de Gallinera and other valleys of the Marina Alta.
Aware of this serious situation, the organizers have prepared a special Program focused on the critical moment that the agricultural field and the rural environment in general are going through.
The activities will take place in the town of Benialí and will begin at 8:30 in the morning with an interpretative excursion from Benirrama to Benialí, where experts and local producers will talk about the idiosyncrasies of cherry production in smallholdings and the current problems of the crop.
The day will continue with the opening of the fair at 10:00 am, followed by popular games and pottery workshops.
At 11:00, Eladio Arnalte Alegre, retired professor of the UPV, will give a talk on the relationships and transformation trends in agriculture and the rural environment.
Later, at 12:00, a round table on cooperatives and rural development will be held, with the participation of leading experts in the sector.
Highlights include a musical performance by “The Walkintet” at 1:00 pm and a cherry showcooking led by chef Jordi Morera at 5:00 pm. The afternoon will also feature an international cherry stone throwing contest and a performance by the Mallorcan Dance Group “Escuela de Baile de Galilea”.
The City Council has arranged public bus transportation between Benissili and Benirrama, with a stop in Benialí, to facilitate access to the event, given the limited parking space in Benialí.
Program of the Cherry Fair of Benialí 2024
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- 8:30 a.m. – Interpretative excursion of the Benirrama cherry to Benialí.
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- 10:00 h – Opening of the Fair with the Benibatuka.
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- 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Popular games and pottery workshop at the Plaza de la Iglesia.
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- 11:00 h – Lecture “Agriculture and rural environment. Relationships and transformation trends”.
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- 12:00 h – Round table: “Cooperatives and rural development. Future perspectives”.
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- 13:00 h – Performance “The Walkintet”.
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- 14:00 h – Popular lunch organized by the Benissivà-Benitaia Festivities Commission.
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- 17:00 h – Showcooking of cherry by Jordi Morera.
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- 18:00 h – International cherry stone throwing contest.
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- 18:30 h – Performance of the Mallorcan Dance Group “Escuela de Baile de Galilea”.
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- 21:00 h – Popular dinner of the Benirrama Festivities Commission.
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- 23:00 h – Performance by Trocamba Matanuska and Dj Xuquer.