Leisure plays a fundamental role in the development and prosperity of cities that live off tourism, as is the case of Estepona. They are characterized by receiving a large number of visitors seeking entertainment and recreational experiences during their travels. This makes leisure one of the main motivators for tourists to choose a particular destination, becoming a differentiating factor that can influence tourists’ decision to choose one destination over another. Therefore, offering a wide range of leisure options is key to attracting and retaining tourists, as well as generating a positive economic impact on the city.
Estepona’s leisure options make it even more attractive.
A wide range of leisure options not only benefits tourists, but also the city’s residents. Provides opportunities for recreation, entertainment and personal development, improving the quality of life of the local community. Recreational and cultural spaces, such as parks, museums, theaters and cultural centers, contribute to the physical and mental health of residents and promote a sense of belonging and cultural identity.
Tourist cities with a wide range of leisure activities, such as theme parks, beaches, cultural events, festivals, vibrant nightlife, sports and outdoor activities, tend to be more attractive to travelers.
Origins of the sleepless night.
Among these activities offered, there are some that stand out for their originality or for their good reception in other places, and are repeated by the rest of the cities. This is the case of “La Nuit Blanche”, a cultural initiative that emerged in Paris in 2002, and whose success has led it to spread around the world.
The format is similar in all its celebrations and consists of inviting the public to enjoy a night full of cultural and artistic activities that take place in different urban spaces.
What is the Sleepless Night in Estepona about?
The idea behind the “Sleepless Night” is to offer a unique experience to the public, transforming the city into a great stage where different artistic manifestations are presented, such as music, dance, theater, cinema, exhibitions, installations, projections, among others.
During the “Sleepless Night”, public spaces and emblematic buildings of the city are transformed into cultural spaces open to the public, where you can enjoy free artistic activities throughout the night. In addition, museums, theaters and cultural centers are extending their opening hours to allow the public to enjoy their exhibitions and shows until the wee hours of the morning.
Since when has the Sleepless Night been celebrated in Estepona?
In Estepona it has been held since 2017, with the inevitable global hiatus caused by the pandemic in 2020, and with a varied theme in each of its editions:
In 2017 the chosen theme was “The Five Continents”, the following year (2018) the theme was “The Circus”, in 2019 “Flying” and in the failed 2020 “Stars“. In the resumption of this festival (2021) the theme chosen was William Shakespeare’s comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and last year (2022) “Laughter“.
The Sleepless Night in Estepona in 2023. Official program:
This new edition of the “Sleepless Night” in Estepona will be held next Saturday, June 3, the theme chosen is “The Night in White”.Great Civilizations“Among the activities planned, we find the corresponding open days, free of charge, in the different museums and cultural buildings of the municipality, with an opening time of 20h to 0:00h.
The buildings that will participate in this activity are:
- Mirador del Carmen, the recently created sociocultural center that houses, in addition to a library and a conservatory, an exhibition hall where you can see the exhibition “.Living in painting. Spanish Art in the Carmen Thyssen Bornemisza Collection”.
- Archaeological Museum, which is located in the “Casa del aljibe”, a building built in the eighteenth century on a cistern belonging to a tower of the Muslim period and is popularly known as the old town hall. The rich heritage that can be admired comes from private collections and archaeological interventions carried out in recent decades in the municipality.
- Casa Tejerinas, a beautiful eighteenth century building with a cultural use that hosts various art exhibitions. The exhibitions of the artist Diana Prado and the group exhibition of the artists Marta Bernad and Elena Camacho are scheduled for those days.
- Centro Dolménico de Corominas, an archaeological site about 5,000 years old located in the San Isidro Labrador Municipal Park (known as Los Pedregales) in Estepona, which organizes, in addition to visits, workshops, children’s activities and concerts.
- Parque Botánico Orquidario, is an avant-garde design enclosure that recreates the natural habitats of these plants and houses an important number of orchids and different species.
Timetable of the Sleepless Night in Estepona:
At 20h will begin this edition of the “Sleepless Night” with a parade set in the “Great Civilizations”, whose route will start at Avda. España (in the section that has been pedestrianized) and will reach the traffic circle of the European Union, in Avda. Juan Carlos where he will return to his starting point to give way to the following activities.
At 20.30h there will be shows of “Aztec Fire” and “Gladiator Wrestling” in the Plaza García Caparrós and Playa de la Rada, respectively.
At 9 pm, the Municipal Band of Estepona will perform in the Plaza del Reloj a concert with soundtracks from epic films of history.
At 21.30h, there will be an exhibition of ancient oriental arts by the K-9 Club of Estepona Kick boxing in the Plaza García Caparrós.
At 10 p.m. several musical shows will be held in different parts of the city:
In the Plaza del Ajedrez the Zarzuela “La Corte del Faraón” represented by the company Teatro Lírico Andaluz and set in Pharaonic Egypt, under the direction of Pablo Prados.
In the Plaza Antonia Guerrero there will be a monologue on Greece by the humorist Fernando Bernal, winner of several competitions of this modality and who went through the television program “Got Talent”.
On a stage located in the Mirador del Carmen the singer Hugo Toscano, former member of the famous band “Elefantes”, will give his concert that will serve to warm up the engines for the final concert that will be at 23h in the same place, in charge of “Elefantes”.Toreros con chanclas“A musical combination of two bands that left very good memories and songs in the Spanish music scene of the eighties and nineties: “Toreros muertos” with Pablo Carbonell and “No me pises que llevo chanclas”, creators of the term “agropop”.
VI Shopping Night in Estepona.
It has been common in Estepona in recent years to accompany the Noche en Blanco with a purely commercial event such as the VI Shopping night, which consists of opening the stores during the hours of celebration of the event. Although it alters the very essence of the cultural format, it contributes directly to the local economy, generating income for those local businesses that are not usually open at those hours and that take advantage of the crowd to make money. To encourage the involvement of businesses in the event, a window display contest will be organized so that they are decorated according to the general theme.
On June 3, everything will be ready to enjoy culture in its different manifestations and in places full of charm in our beloved city. Do not miss the opportunity.
