On October 9, 2026, Alfonso Villares, the territorial delegate of the Xunta in Lugo, held a preparatory meeting with representatives from the Galician Federation for Maritime and River Culture (Culturmar) regarding the upcoming XVIII Traditional Boats Encounter in Galicia. This event will be hosted in Ribadeo from July 1 to 4, 2027.
Attending the meeting from Culturmar were its president, Mónica Leiro, and secretary, Marcos Buide, along with Pablo Fernández, president of the local association Talameira, which is hosting this edition. Marta Saiz, the councilor responsible for economic promotion and tourism in the Ribadeo City Council, also participated.
This biennial event, which will be held for the first time on the Cantabrian coast, is expected to gather over a hundred traditional boats from Galicia and other regions of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe. The last edition, held in 2025 in Ribeira, saw participation from more than 130 boats representing Galicia, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Palma de Mallorca, Portugal, and Ireland.
In addition to the boat displays, a wide range of cultural and recreational activities will be organized for attendees. The Xunta is collaborating on this initiative to promote Galician maritime and river heritage and enhance the region's cultural, sporting, and sustainable tourism offerings.
Culturmar comprises over 40 associations, including sports, cultural, community, ethnographic, and collegiate groups. Among them is the Cultural and Sports Association Talameira, founded in 2023 to highlight the region's maritime heritage, traditional navigation, and seafaring culture, with a special focus on the conservation and promotion of the boats in the Ría de Ribadeo.
