Nine bands celebrate Santa Cruz's 30th anniversary on Saturday at the Cathedral

The Plaza de la Catedral hosts on Saturday, November 7 a day of cofrade music of almost ten hours. Nine bands from Andalucía, Murcia and Castilla-La Mancha take part in the contest «Tres décadas de Pasión», which commemorates the 30 years of the Banda de Cornetas y Tambores Santa Cruz de Almería. The gathering starts at 13.00 hours and will end around 22.00 hours. The performances begin at 13.45 hours with the Agrupación Musical María Santísima de la Paz de El Ejido. Afterwards the Banda de Cornetas y Tambores Exaltación de Berja (14.35), the Agrupación Musical Nuestra Señora del Mar de Huércal de Almería (15.25) and the Banda de Cornetas y Tambores Monte Calvario de Martos (16.15) will play. In the afternoon it will be the turn of the Agrupación Musical Dulce Nombre de Granada (17.10) and the Agrupación Musical Nuestra Señora de la Amargura de Lorca (18.05). After a break for the mass in the Catedral, the contest resumes with the Banda de Cornetas y Tambores Nuestra Señora de la Victoria «Las Cigarreras», from Sevilla, and the host band, Santa Cruz de Almería. The closing will be by the Banda del Santísimo Cristo de la Elevación de Campo de Criptana, around 21.50 hours. The gathering is presented by Francisco Javier Vargas and Leo Alonso and will have stalls related to the cofrade and musical world and an ambigú by the Hermandad del Resucitado de Almería.

The event is organised by the Banda de Cornetas y Tambores Santa Cruz with the collaboration of the Ayuntamiento de Almería and the Diputación Provincial. The councillor for Culture, Education, Museums and Traditions, Joaquín Pérez de la Blanca, has stated that «cofrade music is part of our identity and our cultural heritage». The director of the band, José Antonio Expósito, has stated that «it is not just a contest, it is a story of effort, dedication, commitment and a lot of time». The provincial deputy for Culture, Almudena Morales, has congratulated the formation for its three decades of trajectory, as indicated by the Consistorio.