From Aug. 2–12, the prestigious Cante de las Minas Festival gets underway in the university city of Murcia in southeastern Spain. Regarded as the most important annual flamenco festival in the world, it encompasses song, dance, guitar music and authentic flamenco exhibitions. Staged at the historic La Union Public Market, the festival celebrates a particular type of flamenco that has roots in the area’s mining traditions.

During the course of the event, established and rising stars will be featured, culminating in three final competitions. During the first, young artists compete for the prestigious Miner’s Lamp for song. Next is the el toque contest for guitar playing, followed by a flamenco dance challenge. During the event, visitors can enjoy demonstrations, shows, wine tastings, flamenco soirées, literary presentations and poetry recitals, plus lively workshops in guitar playing, dance and percussion. The festival concludes with plenty of shows and multiple gala performances given by stars in this popular genre.