The Parla City Council commemorates the arrival of running water to the city, and above all, the mobilizations of the residents to achieve it, from June 20 to 24. During these days, the Ferial Grounds on Picasso Street will be the center of the Water Festival, which celebrates its 45th year of history in 2025. This history – as stated by the Mayor and the Councilor of Culture in their greeting in the festival program – is a meeting point for fun, healthy joy, entertainment, kindness, and recognition. It will begin with the protagonist of the opening speech, the flamenco singer from Parla, Moncadita, who will also offer the first of the concerts. The also Parla actress Lucía Bravo, the youth macros with DJs, the duo Morochos, the local music bands, or the dance groups from local associations will also be protagonists of these festivities, which will offer other parallel activities between June 14 and 22.
From June 20 to 24, a tribute to the residents who achieved running water in 1979
The Water Festival in Parla celebrates its 45th anniversary. The first edition dates back to 1980, a year after running water arrived in the city. Until then, the water supply was insufficient for the population, which suffered daily cuts.
The Water Festival celebrates the achievements thanks to the unity of the citizens, pays tribute to the fighting population of 40,000 inhabitants, and especially remembers Ursino Gallego-Nicasio, a resident who, at just 14 years old, died during one of the demonstrations, a victim of a rubber bullet fired by the riot police.
From the preachers to the local bands, residents take center stage on the scene
Therefore, the program of the Water Festival in Parla, in line with its origin, focuses on the residents, the associations, the local bands, the bullfighting clubs, the entities, and the population.
This program has been prepared by the Council of Culture, with the support of other municipal areas; and, in this sense, the first protagonist is a resident of Parla, Manuel Martínez Chica, Moncadita. Prior to this, starting this weekend, as Councilor of Culture Gema García Torres summarizes, «we can already enjoy some of the activities we have prepared to celebrate our Water Festival, such as the second edition of the Band Encounter or the workshops, games, and animations prepared by our wonderful network of associations in their neighborhood water festivals.»
“Although the bulk of the festivities will begin on Friday the 20th with the opening speech by the already recognized flamenco singer Moncadita in the Walk of Fame, as well as the rest of the concert, DJs, and cultural activities, such as the quick painting contest or the photo contest and the sports activities. To which, of course, we must add the fun provided by the rides for children, teenagers, and adults, as well as the activities of the different booths set up by our associations,» continued the Councilor of Culture.
Gema García Torres wanted to emphasize «the local bands that will perform on Sunday at the festival, as well as the fourteen dance associations that will do the same on Tuesday. To conclude, and no less important, I want to highlight the already traditional and fun Great Water Party on Monday afternoon at the Fairground and, on the same Monday morning, the parade «La Mar,» which will flood the streets of Parla Este.»
Free concert from Morochos’ tour on Saturday 21st
Thus, the flamenco singer Moncadita, a resident of Parla and the host of this edition of the 2025 Water Festival, will also offer the kick-off concert for the festivities. It will be on Friday, June 20, at 10:00 p.m., at the Fairground. There will be a stage set up where, from that night and after Moncadita, SandrosDJ and DJ Armin Heidari will perform for the youth mega discos on Friday and Saturday, respectively; on Saturday 21st, before that, the duo Morochos will offer the second of the concerts.
The brothers Juan and Ignacio are achieving such success with their new work, «De donde vengo,» that they have managed to place the concerts of their tour at festivals such as Pirata Beach in Gandía, or La Movida Sound in Barbate, among many others throughout the summer, where tickets have an average price of 50 euros.
At the Water Festival, residents can enjoy these «good vibes twins,» with music that transcends all styles and delights all ages, for free.
Petit Pop and the parade «La Mar» for family audiences
On the same stage, on Sunday 22nd, the local bands of pop, rap, and rock music will play, The Killers Kids, The Guoper’s, Los Mangos, Pura Konciencia, Elementary Boyz, and the Combo from the Isaac Albéniz Municipal Music School.
For family audiences, the artistic program includes a refreshing parade that will go through Parla Este on Monday 23rd – a local holiday – in the morning, and the musical show Petit Pop at 8:00 p.m.
The performances will be closed by other protagonists of these popular festivities, the dance groups of the entities Tablao and Tumbao, Acrópolis 96, Casa de Andalucía, Baila Conmigo, Barrio 2001, Club Compass, Casa regional de Extremadura, La Granja Parla Norte, Rumiñahui, Vuelo 738 Destino Corea, Perlyna, Casa regional de Castilla-La Mancha, La Unidad Breaking, and Aula Cultural de la Mujer.
New column unveiling at the Walk of Fame for Parla actress Lucía Bravo
In the meantime, another Parla native, actress Lucía Bravo, will be honored by unveiling the column that the citizens have awarded her in the Walk of Fame, with the design by Coral Leyva Blández. The tribute and unveiling ceremony will take place on Saturday 21st at 12:30 p.m., on the boulevard of Toledo Street where the Walk is located, and will be livened up by the concert of the group Track Dogs.
The program of this 45th edition of the Parla Water Festival includes cultural and sports events, such as the awards ceremony for the IV photo contest «Parla, my city,» the XXV Villa de Parla Cyclotourism March, the final phase of Slalom Canoeing, World Refugee Day, or, prior to the festivities, the conclusion of the program La Abuela Avutarda, the second Band Encounter, the III Quick Painting Contest, Tranvía de Parla, or neighborhood parties organized in their neighborhoods by the associations Parla Este, La Laguna, Fuentebella, Villa de Parla, and La Granja Parla Norte.
The Great Water Party is on Monday 23rd, a local holiday
Of course, one of the events that will attract the most people, as it has for years, will be the Great Water Party; an afternoon for girls and boys, teenagers, young people, adults, dogs, and anyone who wants to cool off and have fun, to come dressed in swimwear, diving masks, water guns, buckets, floaties, and any other device to get wet and have fun. The party is on Monday 23rd at 6:30 p.m., at the Fairground.
The Councilor of Culture wishes «that you enjoy the Parla Water Festival 2025 to the fullest, but with moderation and responsibility.» To facilitate this enjoyment for the citizens, the Parla City Council has designed a special security and assistance device for people with different needs. These are the main features of this device:
- Security plan, with over a hundred Local Police officers, in collaboration with National Police officers, and volunteer members of the Civil Protection Group, who will be present at the Fairground for all five days of the fair and will establish control and patrol points at other crowded locations, especially the Renfe Cercanías station.
- Controls for speed, alcohol and substance consumption, metal detection, and identification of suspicious individuals, both at the entrances to the Fairground and at other random points.
- Violet Point and Rainbow Point, for information, awareness, and prevention of sexist violence, on June 20, 21, and 22, from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.
- No-noise Fairground for people, especially children, with autism spectrum disorder, on Saturday 21st and Tuesday 24th, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Extension of Tram hours to facilitate access to the Fairground, on June 20, 21, and 22 until 2:00 a.m.
- Children’s Day,with special prices at the attractions, on June 24th.
