The Aires de Cobres bagpipe band, part of the organizing Association, has been rehearsing for months to premiere this traditional musical piece at this year’s festival.
The Entroido de Cobres parade filled the streets of Vilaboa’s neighborhoods with festivity and color under a sunny sky, drawing smiles and applause with their vibrant dances. Staying true to tradition, they brought the celebration to elderly residents or those with limited mobility, who can’t reach the main tent in Riomaior, where the group arrives daily around 7:00 p.m. After their performance on stage, the nighttime festivities begin, with Sunday’s entertainment provided by Trío La Noche. Those wanting to enjoy the most local side of the celebration can track the troupe in real time using a QR code on entroidodecobres.com.
This year, Entroido de Cobres enriches its repertoire with the addition of a new piece: the “Xota de San Adrián.” It’s a traditional folk tune recovered from an old family video belonging to one of the women in the Veterans group. Pontevedra-born musician and teacher Marcelo Dobode recreated the choreography and began rehearsals with the Aires de Cobres bagpipe band, which provides the musical backbone of the event.
There are four core dances at Entroido de Cobres: the Cobres dance, the courtyard jota, the “agarradiño” (a partnered dance), and the lively muiñeira, which builds in rhythm and ends in applause. In recent years, the Association has recovered several other dances, with the Xota de San Adrián now joining the lineup to surprise and delight the audience.
For its color, cultural richness, and commitment to reviving traditional melodies, the Entroido de Cobres is best experienced over a full day. “To truly understand and feel this celebration, you have to live it from within. You can see how madamas and galáns — some very young — take pride in carrying on a centuries-old tradition. Walking an average of 15 kilometers and dancing for more than eight hours is how the Entroido family honors their ancestors, who kept the festival alive with far fewer resources. It’s a great satisfaction to see that our youth are healthy and value tradition,” says Vilaboa’s mayor, César Poza.
The Vilaboa Council invites locals and visitors to experience the Entroido de Cobres and sample the traditional cuisine offered by the town’s hospitality businesses.
On Tuesday, the main tent will feature pulpo and beverage stands for those wanting to enjoy Galician flavors without missing the Entroido atmosphere. The town also highlights the work of its many restaurants, taverns, bars, and cafés, which are serving traditional dishes such as cocido, lacón con grelos, bandullo, and bolo do pote, along with desserts like filloas and orellas.
The websites vilaboa.gal and entroidodecobres.com offer a list of local establishments with contact details to help with table reservations during these busy days, as several Galician municipalities have planned trips to Vilaboa during Entroido.
Carmen Gallego, Vilaboa’s Councillor for Economic Promotion, also highlights the wide variety of accommodation available for those looking to plan a getaway during the Entroido and discover nearby natural beauty spots like the Salt Pans area or the Riomaior Watermills Route.
