Cádiz's Christmas rings out with zambomba music again in much of the province. Between November 21 and December 22, 47 zambombas have been scheduled across 28 municipalities, within the programme "Navidad Flamenca. Zambombas 2026" promoted by the Diputación de Cádiz and the Federación Provincial de Peñas Flamencas.
The calendar starts on Saturday, November 21 in El Puerto de Santa María, with the Zambomba Toma Castaña of the Asociación Cultural Amigos del Chumi, at 16:00. The last date will be on Tuesday, December 22 in Los Barrios, with the Zambomba Jesule del Puerto of the Peña Cultural Flamenca Fosforito, at 17:00.
The celebrations are spread across the whole provincial geography. There will be zambombas in Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María, San Fernando, San Roque, Algeciras, Vejer de la Frontera, Rota, Barbate, Ubrique, Guadiaro, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Medina Sidonia, Alcalá del Valle, Trebujena, Arcos de la Frontera, Espera,
Olvera, Puerto Real, La Línea de la Concepción, Bornos, Algodonales,
Prado del Rey, Chiclana de la Frontera, Chipiona, Los Barrios and Guadalcacín.
The dates with the most activity are December 12 and 19. On December 12, eleven zambombas have been scheduled, including several in Jerez de la Frontera and in San Fernando. On December 19 there will be fifteen, with dates in Olvera, Puerto Real, La Línea de la Concepción, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Bornos, Arcos de la Frontera, Algodonales, Prado del Rey, Chiclana de la Frontera, Chipiona and Jerez de la Frontera, among other places.
In the capital of Cádiz there will be three: on November 28 at 22:00 at the Peña Flamenca La Perla de Cádiz, on December 6 at 15:00 at the Peña Flamenca Enrique El Mellizo and on December 11 at 21:30 at the Peña Flamenca Juanito Villar.
The programme brings together flamenco peñas, cultural associations, tertulias and groups linked to flamenco. The Federación Provincial brings together 52 entities, as detailed by its president, Enrique Morales, who has described the initiative as "historic" because, in his view, "nobody organises an activity with all these characteristics, in so many municipalities and with so many artists and entities involved".
Morales has explained that the zambombas, with Jerez and Arcos de la Frontera as the cities that have given them their fundamental elements, are "one of the few popular festivities with a living repertoire", with popular carols that place the spectator in the social and cultural context of Cádiz's Christmas.
The second vice-president of the Diputación, Javier Vidal, has highlighted the institution's collaboration with the peñas to "preserve our traditions and continue promoting flamenco as cultural heritage".
The full programme, with the dates, times, organising peñas and names of each zambomba, is included in the list of activities disseminated by the Diputación and the Federación. The dates take place between November 21 and December 22.
