Yilenia Vega: “The El Tablero festivities are more than just a program of events: they are a collective celebration of identity, tradition, and hospitality that gains more followers each year both within and outside the municipality.”
The festivities in honor of the Holy Trinity of El Tablero culminated this Sunday with one of its most anticipated traditions: the Grand Popular Paella, prepared for 5.000 people in an atmosphere of conviviality and collective work that has become a symbol of these patron saint festivities.
From early on, at 8:00 a.m., the activity was evident near the Municipal Sports Pavilion. The giant paella pan, transported by truck, was set up there, and the fire was lit with 400 kilos of firewood and 300 kilos of charcoal. A team of more than 25 cooks, coordinated by the Jilorio Association and under the direction of Ivonne Hernández, was in charge of bringing this popular recipe to life. “Fire is the soul of rice, and achieving the right intensity is part of the secret,” explained the group's spokesperson.
They were joined by students from the Intermediate Vocational Training Course in Cooking and Gastronomy at IES Faro, led by their teacher, Paco Romero, who participated in the preparation, enjoying the experience and collaborating closely with the professionals. In total, three hours of cooking, effort, and a great deal of coordination resulted in a paella composed of 350 kilos of rice, 750 liters of broth, and hundreds of kilos of ingredients such as meat, seafood, and vegetables.
Once the rice was ready, the baton was passed to the Councilor for Celebrations and Events, Yilenia Vega, who, along with members of the council, volunteers, and waiters from various municipal associations, was responsible for plating and serving portions to the thousands of people gathered. The menu was rounded out with 5.000 loaves of bread and 25 kilos of lemons, in a day marked by a pleasant atmosphere and flavor.
The councilor highlighted the symbolic dimension of this event, which has been held uninterruptedly since 1997, except for the years affected by the pandemic. "It's a tradition that combines the professionalism of our active and retired chefs with the involvement of our neighbors, who, like every year, don't miss this event," she noted.
The festive day began with a traditional sung mass led by the Amigos de la Cucaña Folklore Group. The procession of the image of the Holy Trinity through the streets of El Tablero was followed by the bands Pequeña Estefanía and Guiniguada, led by the municipal council.
From the square, attendees moved to the vicinity of the Municipal Pavilion to enjoy the Grand Paella. After lunch, the festivities continued with the Solaje festival, hosted by Paco Guedes and Ochentour. As a grand finale, the evening was filled with humor with a performance by Petite Lorena. As Vega emphasized, “El Tablero has once again demonstrated that its festivals are much more than a program of events: they are a collective celebration of identity, tradition, and hospitality that gains more followers each year both within and outside the municipality.”
