Dossier de prensa Regent Street – CABALLOS!
Regent Street se vuelve española
LOURDES GÓMEZ
EL PAÍS – 30-08-2006
Las calles de Londres tendrán aire español los próximos días.
El ambiente va caldeándose en Regent Street en anticipación del gran festival español que se celebrará en la regia calle londinense el primer domingo de septiembre. Los bares de la zona ya han introducido tapas en sus cartas, y grupos de flamenco cantan y bailan al aire libre diversas noches de agosto, desafiando el bajón de temperatura y los continuos chaparrones. Representan la avanzadilla de la inminente ocupación de Regent por las distintas comunidades autónomas.
Cada región se adueñará de un tramo de calle que quedará cortado al tráfico rodado hasta el anochecer del próximo día 3. Baleares revivirá su Fiesta de San Juan con un espectáculo ecuestre, bandas de música y bailes tradicionales. De Canarias llegarán las reinas de su vistoso carnaval y, entre otros protagonistas, Cataluña enviará a 300 castellers de Mataró. Después de largas negociaciones, las autoridades locales han conseguido limitar la altura máxima de las torres humanas que levantarán en Londres, pero no les obligarán a protegerse la cabeza con cascos.
En recuerdo a San Jorge, patrón que comparten ingleses y catalanes, se repartirán 3.000 rosas rojas. Son pocas flores para el medio millón de visitantes que se espera en el proclamado «Paseo por España». Realmente es un paseo por la cultura, arte, folclor, gastronomía y otras peculiaridades de 14 de las 19 comunidades y ciudades autónomas del Estado español. Entre ellas, Madrid colabora con la tienda Hábitat para recrear la plaza Mayor con estatuas humanas y mimos silenciosos. Los valencianos les harán la competencia con una gigantesca paella.
También se podrá descansar y, con suerte, tomar el sol en la playa que Valencia y Benidorm construirán en su rincón de Regent. Nunca antes el arenal ha ensuciado la elegante calle, pero también es la primera vez que su propietaria, la reina Isabel, cede a un país extranjero este popular tramo urbano, entre Oxford y Picadilly Circus. Los comercios de la zona, que no cierran los domingos, se sumarán a la fiesta con promociones, degustaciones y decorados. Sorprende la exposición de la boutique Jaeger, Hispanic in Hollywood, sobre el peso que ejerció la audiencia hispana en la transición del cine mudo al hablado. Hasta 1936, los estudios de Hollywood filmaron películas en doble versión (en inglés, de día; en castellano, por la noche) con los mismos decorados y vestuarios pero con distintos actores. Se mostrarán fotografías de la insólita iniciativa, muchas de ellas inéditas.
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Regentstreetonline.com
Regent Street Festival – A Walk through Spain
On Sunday 3 September 2006 the Regent Street Festival – A Walk Through Spain, Regent Street will be closed to traffic for the day and turned into a Spanish extravaganza. Twelve of the regions from Spain will be participating in this great event and showcasing the very best this country has to offer. The Regent Street Festival will kick off with a Spanish celebrity opening and live performance from a well known band at 12 noon on the main stage situated at the junction of New Burlington Street and Regent Street. And from then on there will be continuous entertainment from Virgin Radio and many performances from the Spanish Regions until 8pm. To support the amazing day Regent Street and the Spanish Tourist Office are together working with media partners, Virgin Radio, Daily Telegraph and the Evening Standard which will include competitions and promotions. Visit London, Visit Britain and the New West End Company are also supporters of this amazing cultural event. In store activity will include demonstrations, special offers, promotions, fashion shows and wine tasting and the best of Spanish foods. Spanish dancing and music will add to the shopping experience in Regent Street. There will be two Spanish Music and Dance Evenings in Heddon Street, Regent Street’s Food Quarter, on Thursday 17 August, Thursday 24 August and Thursday 31 August to pre-promote the Regent Street Festival.
CONFIRMED ACTIVITY FROM THE REGIONS TO DATE
Balearic Islands A magnificent equestrian performance will bring to life the Fiesta de Sant Joan in Menorca, where eight of the beautiful, highly-trained Menorcan horses will be ridden by their owners in traditional island folk costume accompanied by a thirty piece brass band. To add to this there will be music and dance.
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BBC London
www.bbc.co.uk/london
Regent Street says Viva España
Regent Street will be turned into a little bit of Spain on Sunday as part of its annual festival. Visitors will be treated to dancing horses, a 400 metre long beach, live music and lots of food and wine from around the country.
On Sunday Regent Street will be closed to traffic and turned over to dancing horses, acrobats, sun worshipers and flamenco dancers.
‘A Walk Through Spain’ is the theme of this year’s Regent Street Festival and visitors to the street will be able to sample culture and cuisine from the country’s fourteen different regions.
Highlights include: A human tower and Dali-esque paintings from Catalonia, flamenco dancing from Andalusía, an equestrian performance from the Balearic Islands and sand sculptures from Murcia.
Shops on Regent Street will also be staging their own in-store Spanish themed events and offering discounts.
Mayor Ken Livingstone said: «This year’s Regent Street Festival provides a rare platform for showcasing talented Spanish performers in the heart of London’s West End.
«Our capital is the most ethnically diverse city in Europe, so it is fitting that tourists and Londoners alike will have the opportunity to experience and enjoy the best of Spanish culture.
«Events like these are essential to encourage investment for the capital’s creative industries, as well as being an excellent day out for tourists and Londoners alike.»
The Regent Street Festival – Sunday September 3, from 12pm to 8pm.
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Thecrownestate.co.uk
FOR A WALK THROUGH SPAIN FESTIVAL
24 July 2006
The Regent Street Festival 2006: A Walk Through Spain made an early appearance in the West End today in the form of the Regent Street Beach. Models sunbathed on deck chairs, played beach volley ball and relaxed in the summer sun as surprised onlookers watched on in amazement. The Regent Street Beach will be one of the many attractions at The Regent Street Festival 2006: A Walk Through Spain.
Sand, parasols, sun loungers and exotic plants will cover a stretch of the famous Regent Street curve outside Austin Reed. Groves of fruit trees that scent the Orange Blossom Coast to the white sands of Valencia, are a few of the Mediterranean highlights that can soon be enjoyed free in the midst of Regent Street, London, on Sunday 3 September between 12 – 8.00pm.
To support this amazing cultural event, Regent Street and the Spanish Tourist Office are together working with partners New West End Company, Westminster City Council, Visit London and Visit Britain.
The Regent Street retailers will be supporting the festival with many in-store activities and promotions. Renowned fashion label Jaeger has just confirmed that they will be host an exciting exclusive photographic exhibition. Entitled ‘Hispanic in Hollywood’ it captures Hollywood stars who from1930 – 1936 starred in Spanish language versions of American box office hits. Hispanic in Hollywood runs from 31 August – 24 September 2006.
Dancing, wine tastings and events will be held in many of the prestigious shops such as Austin Reed, Zinc, Uniqlo, Living Room, Dolland & Aichinson and Habitat. Beauty makeovers will take place at Virgin Cosmetics, Molton Brown, Liberty, Esprit and Crabtree and Evelyn.
The Regent Street Festival will take place on Sunday 3 September, 12 noon – 8.00pm. On the day Regent Street will be closed to traffic and 14 of Spain’s regions will be showcased to create an environment and atmosphere true to the spirit of Spain – Andalusia, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Castile-Leon, Catalonia, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarre, Valencia and from Green Spain; Asturias, Basque Country, Cantabria and Galicia. Spanish performances confirmed so far:
Balearic Islands – A magnificent equestrian performance will bring to life the Fiesta de Sant Joan in Menorca, where eight of the beautiful, highly-trained Menorcan horses will be ridden by their owners in traditional island folk costume accompanied by a seventy piece brass band. To add to this there will be music and dance.
