Traditional music and dance took centre stage at the Port de sa Cala in Sa Cala de Sant Vicent on Saturday evening as Ibiza hosted the central event of the XXVIII Festival Folklòric Mare Nostrum.

The annual festival brought together folk groups from Ibiza and other parts of Spain and Europe, creating an evening focused on traditional dance, music and cultural exchange beside the sea.

Folklore Beside the Sea

The central performance began at 19:45 at the Port de sa Cala, where the setting provided a distinctive backdrop for the visiting and local groups.

Among those performing were Koninklijke Volkskunstgroep Reuzegom from Belgium, Danzantes y Dulzaineros de Gallur from Zaragoza, Elai Alai Dantza Taldea from Lakuntza in Navarra and Grupo Folklórico Mistura from San Ciprián in Lugo.

Representing Ibiza was Grup de Ball Pagès Es Broll from Santa Eulària des Riu.

From Muñeiras to Dance of Gallur

The evening gave audiences the opportunity to see several different regional traditions in a single programme.

Grupo Folklórico Mistura presented traditional Galician muñeiras, while Danzantes y Dulzaineros de Gallur brought the Dance of Gallur, a traditional form of folklore from Aragón.

The programme also featured Basque-Navarrese and Belgian traditions, alongside Ibiza’s own ball pagès.

The combination highlighted the differences between regional traditions while also showing their shared importance as living forms of cultural heritage.

A Festival Built Around Cultural Exchange

Mare Nostrum is designed to encourage an exchange between Ibiza's traditional dance groups and visiting ensembles.

The event gives visiting performers an opportunity to discover Ibiza's folklore while allowing local groups to share their own traditions with audiences and guests from other regions and countries.

The 2026 edition has brought together participating groups from Belgium, Navarra, Galicia and Aragón with several Ibiza folklore groups.

Visitors Discover Ibiza Traditions

The festival programme has also included opportunities for the visiting groups to experience local culture beyond the performances.

During the weekend, participants visited Dalt Vila and were introduced to traditional Ibiza cuisine, including sofrit pagès.

The combination of performances and cultural activities forms part of the festival's wider aim of sharing Ibiza's heritage with visiting groups.

Festival Returns for Its 28th Edition

The XXVIII Festival Folklòric Mare Nostrum is organised by the Federació de Colles de Ball i Cultura Popular d'Eivissa and supported by the Consell de Ibiza.

The festival has been held in an itinerant format since 1997, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when it did not take place because of the pandemic.

This year's edition has also given Sant Joan de Labritja a prominent role, with the central Saturday event taking place in Sa Cala de Sant Vicent.

Sunday Performances Across Ibiza

The festival continues on Sunday, September 20, with performances at several locations across the island.

At 12:00, Grup Folklòric Sant Jordi de ses Salines will perform with the Belgian group Koninklijke Volkskunstgroep Reuzegom in Sant Jordi.

At 12:30, the Associació Cultural Sa Colla de Labritja will perform with Grupo Folklórico Mistura on the Paseo de Vara de Rey in Ibiza Town.

At the same time, Sa Colla de l'Horta will join Danzantes y Dulzaineros de Gallur in the Plaza de Jesús.

The final scheduled performance will take place at 19:30 at the Centre Cultural de Sant Mateu, where Sa Colla d'Aubarca will perform with Elai Alai Dantza Taldea from Navarra.

Keeping Ibiza's Popular Culture Alive

With its mix of local and visiting performers, Mare Nostrum continues to provide a public space for traditional music and dance while bringing different cultural traditions together on the island.

The 2026 programme closes with performances in several Ibiza communities on Sunday, giving audiences another opportunity to experience ball pagès alongside traditional forms from across Spain and Europe.