Corral Rooster Festival

The free-range rooster, a delicacy in Vila de Cruces

A few decades ago in the Galician countryside, roosters were raised in the wild and their meat had a unique flavour. Although this traditional breeding has been lost over time, in some areas it has been recovered and maintained. This is the case of Vila de Cruces, a municipality in Pontevedra where the free-range rooster is the protagonist of the gastronomic festival declared of tourist interest in Galicia, which reaches its 26th edition in 2019.

Those who raise the free-range rooster in Vila de Cruces have made an effort to ensure that this delicacy, suitable for a multitude of preparations, is present in some of the most reputable Spanish restaurants and even reaches many cities outside our borders.

This dish is usually included on the menus of local establishments throughout the year. But it is when spring arrives that Vila de Cruces sets the big day of the free-range rooster, which, on this occasion, will take place on Sunday 9 June. Throughout the day, there will be a succession of activities, including the exhibition and exaltation of dishes made with this bird with lean meat of intense colour and unequalled flavour.

There is also no shortage of musical events, with performances throughout the day, such as the Galician Band Festival, which has been running for the same number of years as the gastronomic event itself and brings some of the most prestigious groups in Galicia to Vila de Cruces. The reading of the proclamation is another of the events that brings thousands of visitors to this municipality.

Landscape and tradition

In addition to its gastronomy, Vila de Cruces offers landscapes and natural spaces such as the recreational area of A Carixa, in Merza, or the islands of Gres, and unique museums such as the Neira Vilas or the Mining Museum, in Fontao.