A “splendid blend of music, drama, poetry, and radical politics” has taken place in Machynlleth.
El Sueño Existe returned to the grounds of Y Plas from 5 to 7 August, after a three-year hiatus due to Covid-19.
The Latin American festival, which has been going on since 2005, is, according to organisers, a “full programme of fantastic music, informative political workshops, cultural workshops, dance, poetry, theatre, visual art, a full kids’ and family programme, Latin America foods and drinks”.
Since 2020, the celebrations have been presented online, but this year the festival committee worked hard to return the festivities to an in-person activity.
Co-founder Tony Corden said of this year: “It was splendid. The festival has been going on since 2005 and it was a splendid blend of music, drama, poetry, and radical politics. We had a whole mix of musicians from mainly Latin America playing.
“It was also attended by Jeremy Corbyn and his wife. He spoke twice. He is a long-standing supporter of the festival because he’s been a long-standing supporter of progressive movements in Latin America. It was really lovely.
“There was music from Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, as well as Wales. The theme was El Salvador; we chose a different Latin American country every year. It was inspired by Victor Jara. He was a Chilean musician and part of the theatre, and an activist and campaigner. He was murdered in the Chilean coup.
“His representation is a beacon of hope and inspiration. The festival is a homage to him.
“We celebrated mass on Sunday for Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was a victim of oppression in El Salvador, murdered while he was saying mass in 1980. So we honoured him, we had a liberation theology mass.”
Tony added: “The festival has strong left-wing overtones, but it’s also a festival where some people come to enjoy music and dance. It can be appreciated on different levels. We are developing links with Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project, that’s why he and other representatives were there.
“The idea is that another world is possible, we can work towards a more compassionate and fairer world. There was lots of talks about climate change and various other challenges that are on the horizon for us.
“We just had online events over the past three years, so it was really wonderful to have people back. As a committee we’ve been working hard on the festival over the past year. It’s mostly volunteer run.
“We’re already making preliminary plans for 2024!”
El Sueño Existe is a three-day festival that takes place every two years with a one-day festival being held in the interim year.