News

• The “Kuartango Lab” venue (Álava) opens its doors from September 25 to 27 with nearly 40 activities, 40 speakers and 11 artists

• This edition focuses on the generational shift

The Great Rural Gathering (GKR) will open its doors in Kuartango (Álava) from September 25th to 27th with its most inspiring edition yet. This year, Marwán (with an intimate conversation on Friday and a grand concert on Saturday) will be the highlight of a carefully curated program that invites participants to immerse themselves in a transformative experience where entrepreneurship, music, art, and literature demonstrate that the generational shift is now an unstoppable reality .

“When we say ‘ Immerse yourself in the New Rurality ,’ this year’s slogan, we’re reclaiming the healing and welcoming spirit of the Baias River and its former spa, now transformed into the Kuartango Lab entrepreneurship and innovation center, home to LGKR. And we’re inviting people to get involved, to delve deeper without prejudice or nostalgia into what’s really happening in our territories,” explains Ivan del Caz, director of Rural Citizen , the organization behind the event.

And this new narrative necessarily involves a passing of the torch: “ a living transmission that we will see in traditional businesses that do not close, but also in cutting-edge and avant-garde initiatives that could well be in any big city and choose the village to grow, in young bands that revolutionize traditional folklore, in crafts that are reborn with contemporary design and in the new voices that lead the rural world.”

This immersion will be experienced as soon as you cross the doors of Kuartango Lab: the building will be transformed with a circular interior design and ambiance intervention by Baku Barrikupel , reinterpreting the space with reused materials to connect the memory of the old medicinal water center with the present of the innovation and entrepreneurship center.

Once inside, the event will unfold over three days with nearly 40 activities , featuring 40 speakers and 11 artists, in addition to the artisans from the traditional fair . A true melting pot where mayors of small towns, representatives from public administrations and financial institutions, specialists in social innovation and systemic impact design, musicians, cutting-edge entrepreneurs, local producers, territorial development agents… and all those from rural or urban areas who wish to attend the event will come together.

That has always been the main goal of La Gran Kedada Rural : to provide a space for people, wherever they come from, to learn, be inspired, and, of course, enjoy themselves. All of this takes place in a warm, welcoming atmosphere with limited capacity, designed to foster connections and allow participants to experience the events firsthand.

Three themed days: Talent, Culture and Tradition

• TALENT (Friday, September 25): The go-to space for professionals and stakeholders in the region. A day designed for reflection, connection, and action. It will feature co-creation workshops to design real solutions for rural renewal in collaboration with the Mondragon Unibertsitatea (MTA) social factory, and to measure the systemic impact on the region with Impact Hub. There will be roundtables on financing and renewal, and we'll learn about inspiring projects related to housing, youth, commerce, and more at the Coffee & Talk session . The day will conclude with an open conversation with Marwán before his Saturday concert, revealing the singer-songwriter's more human and activist side, followed by an immersive performance by La Carranca.

• CULTURE (Saturday, September 26): The bridge between towns and cities. A festive, diverse, and cutting-edge day designed for enjoyment and to engage urban audiences. The musical lineup will feature the lively performance of Marwán , the contemporary roots sounds of El Nido , and the captivating energy of Caamaño & Ameixeiras . Editorial Usanza's Literary Chill Out will foster discussions between history and fiction and present the new book by Paco Boya , Secretary General of Reto Demográfico. There will also be a poetry reading, participatory dance with Dan Dantza, and workshops on 2D video game design with Unity, recycled sewing, and traditional percussion using everyday objects.

• TRADITION (Sunday, September 27): The grand popular and family-friendly event. With completely free admission, it celebrates the pride of our roots by combining tradition and innovation. It will feature a fantastic pop-choral concert by the La Rioja Vocal Ensemble (performing covers of songs by Rozalén, Mecano, and Serrat), the historic farewell performance of the legendary street theater company Trapu Zaharra with "The Last One and We're Off ," a large craft and local produce fair , a tai chi session on the banks of the Baias River, and inspiring talks, including a presentation by the Eukak community (women cooperative members from Latin America and entrepreneurs from Álava) in collaboration with Medicus Mundi.

And during the three days: Those who attend any of the three days at LGKR will be able to test their ingenuity in the Escape Room on wheels of La Caravana and visit three exclusive art exhibitions: the barrel sculptures of Baku Barrikupel , the dreamlike universe of Rara Avis ( Benito Valladares ) and the photographic project Nomad Portrait of Nomad Studio .

Tickets, access and useful information

Tickets for the paid days are now available on the official website . Sunday's event is free and open to the public. The official website also contains the detailed program, as well as all the practical information on how to get there by car or public transport and shuttles, parking areas, dining options (food points, bars, cider houses, etc.), and accommodation options for spending the weekend in the Kuartango Valley.