Benidorm will host the 38th national competition of university tunas for business, economics, commerce, and tourism for the first time this weekend, specifically on 13 and 14 November. The event will gather eight university tuna groups from various regions of Spain, with around 200 participants, alongside their families and supporters, who will also have the opportunity to enjoy Benidorm's cultural and tourist offerings throughout the weekend.
The competition was presented on Thursday by the Councillor for Culture, Jaime Jesús Pérez; Óscar Nombela, representing the tunas; and Ramón Carrillo from the Benidorm Lions Club, which is collaborating on this event that also has a charitable aspect. Organised by the Tuna of the Faculty of Commerce and Tourism of the Complutense University of Madrid, the event is supported by the Benidorm City Council and the Lions Club, which will also be involved in the activities, with proceeds from Saturday's concert going to the Lions Club.
During the event's presentation, Jaime Jesús Pérez expressed the excitement of hosting such a significant gathering, which has not been held in the city before. He thanked the organising tuna and the Lions Club for making this initiative possible, which aims to energise the city and attract visitors over the weekend.
Event schedule
The programme will unfold over three main events on Friday and Saturday. The first event will take place on Friday, featuring a round competition at the Casa del Fester Diego Cano Enguera, located on Calle La Biga. This activity is free and open to the public, allowing participating groups to perform for 10 to 15 minutes each.
On Saturday morning, a traditional parade will take place along the Paseo de la Carretera, from Plaza de La Cruz to Parque de Elche. This activity will also be part of the competition, showcasing the techniques and skills of the various participating tunas, with a focus on formations, figures, tambourine dances, and flag handling, as well as interaction between the tunos and local residents and visitors.
The central event of the competition will be held on Saturday at 17:00 in the Rafael Doménech Auditorium at the Benidorm Cultural Centre. There, the participating tunas will perform a repertoire specially prepared for the occasion, featuring instrumental pieces, zarzuela, Latin American music, and other compositions. Óscar Nombela explained that the performances will be evaluated by a jury of professionals and enthusiasts, aiming to blend technical criteria with a more audience-friendly perspective. Each tuna will have a maximum of 22 minutes for their performance.
In addition to awards for the rounds and the parade, the competition will recognise various individual and group categories, including best soloist, best flag, best tambourine, best performance, and best instrumentation. Nombela emphasised the importance of the event in bringing vibrancy to the streets of Benidorm and paving the way for future editions of such gatherings.
Participating groups include tunas from Barcelona, Mallorca, Valladolid, Seville, Murcia, and Melilla, with a notable presence of two groups from Seville and a strong representation from Murcia. Ramón Carrillo, president of the Benidorm Lions Club, expressed gratitude to the organisers and the city council for involving the club in this initiative. The proceeds from Saturday's concert, which will have a donation entry of 3 euros, will support the Lions Club in funding its charitable projects and assisting those in need.
The programme will also include gatherings and celebrations of the participating groups at various venues in the city, including the Rockstar, which will host post-competition festivities. Jaime Jesús Pérez invited citizens and visitors to participate in the various scheduled activities and enjoy the event.
