The city of Soria is preparing to host a new edition of its leading poetry fair, which this year will focus on the female figures of the Generation of '27. For seven days, the Alameda de Cervantes, popularly known as La Dehesa, will become the meeting point for poets, publishers and readers in an atmosphere that combines literary tradition with a close-knit community.
The event, now in its nineteenth edition, was presented by the Councillor for Culture, Gloria Gonzalo, who highlighted that ExpoesÃa is one of the few fairs in the country dedicated exclusively to poetry. Its aim is to bring this genre to all audiences. The program, which begins on August 3 and runs until the 9th, includes more than sixty activities with the participation of over sixty-five prominent figures, including writers, researchers, and artists.
An edition dedicated to the women of '27
This year's theme revolves around the creators of the Generation of '27, a group of writers, thinkers, and artists who, as Gonzalo recalled, They were silenced for decades by war, exile, and a patriarchal cultural narrativeThe councilwoman stressed that dedicating the fair to these women is a matter of memory and justice, since for a long time literary history has been told only through male names such as Lorca, Alberti or Cernuda, leaving out figures such as Concha Méndez, Ernestina de ChampourcÃn, Rosa Chacel or Carmen Conde.
The official opening was led by the poet and journalist Luisa AntolÃn, who called for a comprehensive reading of that generation and argued that The Generation of '27 should be remembered as a mixed groupAntolÃn highlighted the importance of recovering the works of authors such as MarÃa Zambrano, MarÃa Teresa León or MarÃa Moliner, whose careers offer references for culture, education and equality.
Among the participants in this edition are names like Berta GarcÃa Faet, Pepa Merlo, Juan Carlos MestreFermÃn Herrero, Laura Revuelta, Mario Obrero, Hilario Jiménez, Marifé de Santiago, Josefina Aguilar, Jesús Ruiz Mantilla, and Manuel Rico, among others, will all participate in recitals, lectures, and book presentations throughout the week.
'A necklace of islands': poetry to take home
One of the major new features of this year's festival is the publishing project 'A Necklace of Islands,' coordinated by writer and researcher Hilario Jiménez. This collectible anthology brings together twelve poets from the Generation of '27 and is distributed free of charge. Each evening at 19:30 p.m., two authors are presented with a brief biographical sketch and a reading of their poems, and attendees receive a folder with information cards that complete the collection over the course of six sessions.
Jiménez explained that the project stems from her book 'The breadth of emptiness', a study she has worked on for two years and which includes twenty-two female writers. The title 'A necklace of islands' comes from a verse by Carmen Conde According to the author, it symbolizes the imprisonment and isolation these female creators suffered in a literary landscape dominated by men. The initiative seeks to restore to them the place they should never have lost and which history has portrayed in a biased way.
The selected authors are MarÃa Luisa Muñoz de BuendÃa, Concha Méndez, Ernestina de ChampourcÃn, Cristina de Arteaga, Rosa Chacel, MarÃa Cegarra, Elisabeth Mulder, Ana MarÃa MartÃnez Sagi, Carmen Conde, Josefina de la Torre, Margarita Ferreras, and Teresa Roca de Togores. Each session is held at the Alameda Arena and forms part of the central program of the fair.
Varied programming and parallel activities
In addition to recitals and presentations, ExpoesÃa offers a wide variety of activities, from workshops for children and adults to dance, music, and theater performances. Wednesday morning, for example, includes a children's dance workshop and a puppet show, while in the evening the Soria Municipal Band, conducted by José Manuel Aceña, will perform a concert in tribute to Manuel de Falla, featuring flamenco singer Mely Zafra. The program also includes a documentary film series, 'Las Sinsombrero' (The Hatless Women)., which will be shown at the Mercado Cinemas with three installments dedicated to the creators of the 27, and two exhibitions at the Alameda Cultural Center: 'Emancipation and shadow', by Miriam Tello, and 'They made us modern', by the Women's Institute.
The fair features twenty-one booths showcasing sixteen publishers, the three bookstores in the capital, and several institutions. Councilwoman Gonzalo highlighted the increasing interest from publishers in participating each year, noting that the intimate setting fosters direct dialogue between authors and the public. One of the most rewarding moments, according to Gonzalo, is seeing how people approach out of curiosity and end up hooked on poetry.returning the next day with the program in hand.
This year's edition anticipates the centenary of the Generation of '27, which will be commemorated in 2027, and aims to lay the groundwork for broader recognition of these authors. The organizers have emphasized that democratic memory, censorship, exile, and creative freedom are themes that run throughout the program and remain entirely relevant.
With over sixty activities spread across seven days, ExpoesÃa has established itself as an essential event on the cultural calendar of Soria and for Spanish-language poetry. The fair demonstrates that poetry can leap off the page and become a vibrant experience, accessible to all audiences, and that the recovery of the female voices of the Generation of '27 is a task worth continuing to promote.
