Nov. 7th – La Castanyada in WDC

The Casal Català de Washington DC cordially invites you to celebrate La Castanyada

The Castanyada (Catalan pronunciation: [kəstəˈɲaðə]) is a popular Catalan festival, celebrated on All Saints’ Day. Like Halloween, its origins are in an ancient ritual festival of the dead. It consists of a meal of chestnuts, panellets, sweet potato and preserved fruits, typically with moscatell to drink. Around the time of this celebration, it is common for street vendors to sell hot toasted chestnuts wrapped in newspaper. In many places, confectioners often organize raffles of chestnuts and preserved fruit.

The festival is usually depicted with the figure of a Castanyera, an old lady, dressed in peasant’s clothing and wearing a headscarf, sat behind a table, roasting chestnuts for street sale.

Read more for event details and RSVP, please.

• Day: Nov 7th 2015 (Saturday)
• Time: From 3pm on
• Venue: Parkside Condominium, 10520 Montrose Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. Metro: Grosvenor-Stathmore (see map here). Metro: Grosvenor-Strathmore (5-10 minutes walking distance)

Event Schedule:

• From 3pm to 4:30 pm: cooking of panellets.
• 4:30pm: La Castanyera, our special guest, will visit us to tell us her story and make us enjoy other traditional Catalan songs and dances.
• 5.30pm: time to eat chestnuts, panellets, and more.
• 6.30 pm: information session and recruiting of young actors for our Christmas performance of Els Pastorets.

Price: the Casal Català will buy everything — these are the entrance fees:

Until Nov. 6th

• $10 per person
• $30 per family with children

Make your payment NOW via Paypal and safe money (bring your payment receipt).

Fees on Nov. 7th

• $15 per person
• $35 per family with children

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