Gathering of the xeremiers and luthiers fair in Sa Pobla. | ANTONI POL
Sa Pobla's autumn fair is held over two weekends.
Next weekend (November 25 and 26) will be the rice-themed fair, but before this come the luthiers fair and the meeting of xeremiers.
This will be the 28th time that this combination has been celebrated. Where the luthiers are concerned, it may be thought that the fair has to do with an island fascination with old stringed instruments. While there is this interest, the luthiers of Mallorca are a small collective of artisan craftspeople who in fact make all sorts of traditional instruments - the xeremies bagpipe can be one of them.
The meeting of xeremier groups means that there will a 'sonada', when they all play at the same time. There is a procession with Sa Pobla's various folk characters - the dragon, eel and gryphon as well as bigheads and giants. And a feature each year is a concert by a leading bagpipes player.
On this occasion, Italian Christian di Fiore will be performing on Saturday night with the zampogna bagpipes.