Madrid Festival Folklores to Celebrate Tradition and Neofolk Innovation

The fourth edition of Festival Folklores will take place in Madrid from May 22 to 25, 2025, with a closing event on June 17. Organized by the Fundación Música Creativa (FMC), the festival celebrates the traditional music of Spain through a diverse program of concerts, workshops, talks, and street activities.

This year’s lineup features a mix of established acts and new voices in Spanish folk music, including Casapalma, Karmento, Mayalde, Xabier Díaz & Adufeiras de Salitre, Eliseo Parra, Inteligencia Orgánica (IO), Xurxo Fernandes, and Vibra-Tó.

Concert Highlights

• May 22, Sala Equis: Casapalma opens the festival with modern takes on Cantabrian folk traditions.
• May 23, Café Berlín: Mayalde brings over 35 years of experience and 13 albums to the stage.
• May 24, Teatro Eslava: A triple bill featuring Karmento, Xabier Díaz with Adufeiras de Salitre, and IO—a Spanish ensemble of Iberian-rooted musicians.
• June 17, Teatro Pavón: Eliseo Parra, Fetén Fetén, and La Musgaña members join students from the Master’s in Folk Music program to close the festival.

Beyond the Stage

Complementing the concert series is a slate of public and educational programming:

• May 22, Círculo de Bellas Artes: A live podcast taping of Entrelares and the talk Transmisoras, both focused on women’s roles in preserving folk traditions.
• May 23, Plaza de las Descalzas: A free outdoor session, Folklore en la Calle, features dance and music for all ages.
• May 24–25: Guided Ruta por el Folklore de Madrid walking tours and three thematic workshops at Escuela Municipal María Dolores Pradera:
  • El Baile de Peñaparda with Mayalde
  • Percusión Ibérica with Álex Tobías
  • Músicas de Galicia with Xurxo Fernandez

Families can also join Vibra-Tó’s interactive session on June 25, which includes a recycled-instrument building workshop and concert.

The Fundación Música Creativa, founded in 2007 by the Escuela Música Creativa, supports the development of popular and modern music through education, cultural programming, and professional networks. Festival Folklores aligns with its mission to highlight underrepresented musical traditions and integrate rural heritage into the contemporary urban scene.

Partners include Spain’s Ministry of Culture, Madrid’s City Council (via the 21 Distritos program), the European Folk Network, and the Society of Performing Artists of Spain.

More information at festivalfolklores.com