Valdepeñas has commemorated this Friday the anniversary of June 6, 1808 with a local festive day in which the traditional tribute that took place in the Plaza de la Independencia has been held. An event that began with a brief parade of the Marine Infantry Unit entering the Plaza de la Independencia, where the flag was hoisted and the laurel wreath was placed in tribute to the fallen heroes of the battle of June 6, 1808 against the Napoleonic troops.
The mayor of Valdepeñas, Jesús Martín, has lamented how men and women, today, have to continue fighting as they did more than 200 years ago for the freedom of peoples. In this sense, he recalled that «that fight was not free, nor vain or altruistic, it was to show future generations, which is us today, that the freedom and identity of peoples cannot be subject to the whim of a power that forgets that borders cannot be moved arbitrarily, as moving them is kidnapping the identity of men.»
Other activities
To this institutional act to commemorate the historical feat, this Friday night, at 9:30 p.m., the Carroza del Teatro Real will arrive at the Plaza de España with a recital by Carolina Hernández (pianist), Natividad Oval (soprano), Yasmin Forastiero (mezzo-soprano), Eduardo Pomares (tenor), and Enrique Torres (baritone), who will perform well-known works by Falla, Mozart, Verdi, Bizet, or Sorozábal, among others. A show financed by the City Council with the collaboration of Grupo Oesía-Tecnobit.
As a novelty this year, the Parque del Este will host on the same day, at 11:30 p.m., a novel drone show. A journey through time from prehistory to the present, in which 150 drones will participate, forming representative figures of each historical period with the drone’s lighting.
On the other hand, on Saturday, June 7, the theatrical scenes that commemorate the battle of June 6 will be staged in the street from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., with performances every 30 minutes and the participation of fifty actors from different groups in the town and seven scenes.
Additionally, this Thursday, June 5, at 8:00 p.m., the Municipal Museum will host a guided tour of the ‘Bandoleros’ exhibition by Daniel de Campos, with the author’s participation, and the Municipal Auditorium Theater will offer the theatrical comedy ‘Where words are born’.
On the other hand, on June 6, a special edition of the national Onda Cero program ‘La Cultureta’ will be recorded, dedicated to the Heroes of June 6, with Rubén Amón, Rosa Belmonte, and Sergio del Molino, among others, at the Municipal Museum of Valdepeñas, starting at 7:00 p.m. It will be broadcast on the night from Friday to Saturday, from 1:30 to 3:00 a.m., with the participation of Jesús Martín, mayor of Valdepeñas, and Paco Peña, professor and researcher at the University of Alcalá, who is one of the most relevant specialists on Francisco Nieva.
Finally, on Saturday, June 7, the Plaza de España will host, at 11:30 p.m., the concert by the group Corazón Oxidado, with their tribute to Fito, and on Sunday, June 8, the Museo de los Molinos de Gregorio Prieto will open its doors at 12:00 p.m., with a guided explanation by Eva María Jesús, to learn about one of the most relevant events in our history through its exhibition proposal on June 6, 1808.