The 29th National Garnacha de Rioja Theatre Competition takes place in Haro (La Rioja) from 22 November to 19 December 2026 . It is organised by the Ayuntamiento de Haro and the Dirección General de Cultura of the regional government; the region contributes to the costs under an agreed funding arrangement. The programme was presented on 9 November.
The professional competition programme comprises seven productions, shown mostly at the Teatro Bretón de los Herreros . They come from five companies that have won awards in previous editions of the competition. The professional programme opens on 5 December 2026 with the production Jason y las furias , a co-production by the Festival Internacional de Teatro Clásico de Mérida and Teatro del Noctámbulo. A performance of Los duelistas (Yapadú Artística) is scheduled for 6 December. In the following days, Teatro Tribueñe and Saltantes Teatro de Gijón are among the companies appearing. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 19 December 2026.
The festival as a whole opens on 22 November with a concert by the Banda Municipal de Música de Haro. An amateur section of the Garnacha festival was held in spring; by separating the amateur and professional programmes in time, the organisers aim to give each format its own visibility. Additional events are planned to structure the festival period through to mid-December.
The programme announcement concerns the professional performances, which are concentrated in December. Information on jury members, any special awards, audience figures or other results will be published after the performances have concluded. The selection of works reflects the competition’s profile: since the late 1990s, it has brought companies from across Spain to Haro and established itself as a fixture in the regional cultural calendar.
The event is organised through cooperation between the city and the region. According to the city council, the agreement provides reliable funding for the costs of organisation, guest performances and infrastructure. The events are centred in Haro; the current announcement does not mention any additional dates or guest performances elsewhere.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).