A nautical fair, boat trips, master shipwrights, regattas, exhibitions, live music, street market, seafood tapas, visits to the caves, storytelling and demonstrations of making fishermen's pots ... PORTes OBERTes will bring all these together in Porto Cristo.
This year sees the staging of an event that was created, as Manacor's culture and tourism councillor, Antònia Llodrà, explains, in order to "show off the attractiveness of Manacor and Porto Cristo to all those who wish to relate to the nature of our coast and to our marine and nautical culture". Manacor's mayor, Catalina Riera, says that the town hall "has to thank the group of businesspeople from the nautical and tourism sectors who have done so much to demonstrate the potential of our most important port".
The president of the Porto Cristo District Board, Joan Gomila, observes: "Politicians, businesspeople and the public all celebrate events and fairs such as this, as it is a way of publicising what we have in the port and also our gastronomy, our cultural attractions and our scenery."
The idea for the event arose from meetings between nautical and tourism companies which are highly involved in its staging.
The director-general of Ports de les Illes Balears, Xavier Ramis, explains that "for all the professionals who work in the port and in the tourism sector, it is a privilege to be able to publicise all that work".
On Saturday and Sunday, everyone who visits Porto Cristo will experience a great nautical fair, which will include examples of the restoration of boats and the latest models of recreational boats. But the fair offers much more than a boat show, as there are a whole load of activities. Visitors can go on one of the boats from the yacht club or on a "llaüt", try out paddle surf and canoeing, or take a trip to coves. For those interested in traditional fishing, there will be the various demonstrations of making nets and fishermen's pots.
In the port there will be stalls with different seafood tapas and wines. As well as the market, there will be exhibitions of underwater photography, of models of traditional boats and of sculptures and paintings. As for music, this will be provided by the Blues Beer Band, while for young children there will be a playground and stories about the sea that actor Toni Lluís Reyes will tell on Sunday.
Saturday, 21 April
12:00-18:00 BOAT SHOW
1. Permanent exhibition of fishing tackle in the Cova Negra, passeig de les Coves Blanques
2. Information stand of the “mestre d’aixa (shipwright)” Llorenç Julve, on the quay
3. Display of boats by the shipwright Sebastià Vidal Jaume, on the quay
4. Collection of models of traditional boats and other shipwright workshop materials of the Island Council of Mallorca display. Stand with educational material produced by the
Environment Department, on the quay
5. Land and Underwater Marvels on Our Coast photographic exhibition of the Club Perlas Manacor, on the quay
6. “Comerç al Carrer (Street selling)”, on the quay
7. ”Tapas”, on the quay
8. ”PEIXOS (FISH)” Mediterranean play park, on the quay
9. ”Sea-themed Photocalls”
10. Jaume Vermell Nàutica stand. Display of new, second-hand and hire boats opposite the port office and the small dry dock
11. Charters Llevant stand. Display and information on boats for hire from the harbour office
12. Llaüt Porto Cristo stand. Information on sea trips, on the quay
13. Marina Marbella Balear stand. Display of boats on the dry dock and in the water
14. Maris Náutica stand. Information on derrick and dry dock services in the Yacht Club. Small snack for visitors
15. Free trips in Gamba (the boat owned by the Yacht Club’s sailing school) through the mouth of the port. Groups of five to six people. Departing every half hour from the jetty. At the Yacht Club known as the “martell”
16. Art exhibition “Memories of Ethiopia” and sale/exhibition of different authors. Organised by NGO “Llevant en Marxa”, in the Sala Magna of the Yacht Club
17. Exhibition of paintings and sculptures, “Neuras” by Juli Huertas. In the Yacht Club’s social building above the Sala Magna. Till April 29th
12:00-15:00
18. Stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking at Porto Cristo beach. Zodiac trip to one ofManacor‘s coves departing opposite Skualo. Organised by Skualo. Free (limited places). Prior registration: turisme@manacor.org
12:00-15:30
19. Creuers Illa Balear. Boat trips along the Manacor coast. Adults, reduced rate; children under 12, free. Information and sale of tickets at the office on the quay
12:00-17:00
20. Visits to the Caves of Drach. Reduced rates for online tickets. www.cuevasdeldrach.com
12:00-17:30
21. Visits to the Caves of Hams. Adults 4€ discount; children under 12, free
12:00-13:00
22. Demonstration of how to repair nets and jigs, on the quay
15:00
23. ”Memorial Juan Servera Amer” Interclub Cruiser Regatta of the 2017–2018 League. Organised by the Yacht Club
15:00
24. Free boat trip on Llaüt Porto Cristo, depart on the quay. 9 people max. Registration on Facebook Llaüt Porto Cristo
17:00-21:00
25. Live Music with Blues Beer Band, on the quay
Sunday, 22 April
10:00-18:00 BOAT SHOW
1. Permanent exhibition of fishing tackle in the Cova Negra, passeig de les Coves Blanques
2. Information stand of the “mestre d’aixa (shipwright)” Llorenç Julve, on the quay
3. Display of boats by the shipwright Sebastià Vidal Jaume, on the quay
4. Collection of models of traditional boats and other shipwright workshop materials of the Island Council of Mallorca display. Stand with educational material produced by the Environment Department, on the quay
5. Land and Underwater Marvels on Our Coast photographic exhibition of the Club Perlas Manacor, on the quay
6. “Comerç al Carrer (Street selling)”, on the quay
7. ”Tapas”, on the quay
8. ”PEIXOS (FISH)” Mediterranean play park, on the quay
9. ”Sea-themed Photocalls”
10. Jaume Vermell Nàutica stand. Display of new, second-hand and hire boats opposite the port office and the small dry dock
11. Charters Llevant stand. Display and information on boats for hire from the harbour office
12. Llaüt Porto Cristo stand. Information on sea trips, on the quay
13. Marina Marbella Balear stand. Display of boats on the dry dock and in the water
14. Maris Náutica stand. Information on derrick and dry dock services in the Yacht Club. Small snack for visitors
15. Free trips in Gamba (the boat owned by the Yacht Club’s sailing school) through the mouth of the port. Groups of five to six people. Departing every half hour from the jetty. At the Yacht Club known as the “martell”
16. Art exhibition “Memories of Ethiopia” and sale/exhibition of different authors. Organised by NGO “Llevant en Marxa”, in the Sala Magna of the Yacht Club
17. Exhibition of paintings and sculptures, “Neuras” by Juli Huertas. In the Yacht Club’s social building above the Sala Magna. Till April 29th
10:00-15:30
18. Creuers Illa Balear. Boat trips along the Manacor coast. Adults, reduced rate; children under 12, free. Information and sale of tickets at the office on the quay
10:00-17:00
19. Visits to the Caves of Drach. Reduced rates for online tickets. www.cuevasdeldrach.com
10:00-17:30
20. Visits to the Caves of Hams. Adults 4€ discount; children under 12, free
12:00
21. Folk-Stories of the Sea by Toni Lluís Reyes, on the quay
12:00-13:00
22. Demonstration of how to repair nets and jigs, on the quay
15:00
23. Free boat trip on Llaüt Porto Cristo, depart on the quay. 9 people max. Registration on Facebook Llaüt Porto Cristo