30th Los Silos Storytelling Festival Exceeds Expectations

The 30th Los Silos International Storytelling Festival, held in Isla Baja until last Monday, was a bigger success than expected. "Reaching 30 festivals with such a rich cultural program is a real achievement," said festival director Ernesto Rodríguez Abad, who is also a writer, storyteller, and professor at the University of La Laguna (ULL). He added, "For me, the most important thing is that our group, the Cultural Association for the Development and Promotion of Reading and Storytelling, has truly met its goal of encouraging reading through stories."

Rodríguez Abad explained, "We see storytelling as a literary form that helps us build culture, and that's how we approach it." He noted the huge public turnout, not just for the storytelling sessions, but also for talks about art, literature, communication, and words. The festival also featured book launches, publishing project presentations, and art exhibitions, all of which drew an engaged audience.

After 30 years, the festival has seen a lot of growth, especially in public involvement. The director pointed out that the people of Los Silos are increasingly participating, particularly in the parade held before the final storytelling round. This parade is a newer addition, less than five years old, and local residents design and create it themselves. Rodríguez Abad emphasized, "It's not just us saying that the people of Los Silos participate; they become storytellers, actors, children, associations, and groups who get involved in an artistic event by creating a parade linked to stories they've researched. This helps make reading feel like a pleasure, not a chore."

This year, a new "gastronomic zone" was also a big hit, made possible only by local involvement. Here, "groups and associations offer their popular dishes to artists and the public," Rodríguez Abad explained. He added that this creates a welcoming space for people to gather, enjoy the atmosphere, and connect in a unique way.

Another way to see how much people get involved is by how quickly tickets sell out for smaller events and how busy the festival's book fair is. "We haven't counted sales yet, but activity has been very strong," said the Los Silos storyteller and writer. "Our book fair is like a special bookstore, offering books we've chosen for their literary and artistic quality. I love seeing people buy Christmas gifts there and watching the shelves empty as the festival goes on."

However, the association isn't focused on measuring its success purely with numbers. Instead, its program emphasizes creating intimate settings. "Small spaces, chrysalises, hallways, balconies... these are the things that make the festival truly special," Rodríguez Abad stated. He has often explained that the festival aims to maintain high-quality programming and personal attention, rather than trying to attract huge crowds.

While celebrating 30 successful festivals, the team isn't resting on its laurels. They are already planning the next edition, and the director sees new needs for the future, aligning with the association's goals for this unique cultural event. "One thing I've realized is that the festival needs more financial support," he said. "We need more staff to meet the demands of our dedicated audience." He also reflected on the hard work of his team, whose commitment, he noted in his closing speech, was vital to the success of this yearly celebration of storytelling.