"Vallviva will always be my father's festival."

The DamsThis is the fifth edition of the Vallviva festival and the first without the physical presence of Eudald Morera, who passed away last November at the age of 59. The promoter decided to organize the festival after being diagnosed with advanced cancer. "It's a festival born from the heart and gratitude. I wanted to thank life and the people for having been privileged to have been born where I was born and to have lived where I live. The festival has given me life," he told ARA in June two years ago. He pulled it off against his family's advice, who believed that what she had to do at the time was worry about her health. But when the family understood her absolute determination to pull off the festival two months later, from the very beginning, her eldest daughter, Mireia, was unconditionally by her side—as was the rest of the family—and now, at 27, she is the one who follows in her footsteps.

"Continuing to support the festival was a challenge for the entire foundation because we weren't sure how it would go. The soul, the one who carried out the festival and led this project, was my father, and we were complementary. And now we've said: 'Come on, now it's our turn to carry it forward,'" explains Mireia Morera. "We couldn't have done it any other way than continuing to hold this festival and making this fifth edition possible." And they will do so with a luxury lineup, starting with a performance by Canadian pianist Tony Ann, alongside the American duo Arkai, two cello virtuosos, on the opening day, which will be the day of the tribute to Eudald Morera.

"We wanted to program an international artist who would arrive and touch the hearts of the attendees. It was my father's great idea and dream, to be able to have an international artist, and it will be the day that we will have all the authorities, who have already confirmed to us that they will come. It will be a day of tribute to my father rather than a festival," says Mireia More

More and more collaborating companies

One of the things she's most pleased about is the increasing number of companies joining the festival each year. "We've reached 250, which is more than last year. Companies are doing their part to the extent they can to collaborate and be part of this project. This is just word of mouth because we don't have anyone marketing the festival, and we're very happy because we're getting requests from new companies." packs business until the day the festival begins, but it is proving to be a success," says Morera.

"From the first to the second edition there was a significant jump in the number of companies that supported the festival. And if we look at it from the first edition until now, the jump is much greater. We have been growing, but above all we have been consolidating all these companies that trusted in the project. At first people were a little more reluctant because they didn't know exactly what it would be, and now that people know more about it it is easier for people to trust the project more," he adds.

Good pace in ticket sales

Tickets for some performances are already sold out, and for others, they're almost sold out. Luz Casal, who will be performing her only show in Catalonia this summer, has already sold out nearly 85% of the venue. "So far, this year we've sold roughly the same amount as last year, maybe a little more. It was a big challenge for us to see if people would continue to support the festival without my father, and we see that they have. We'll feel just as close to him, and he'll still be there, but in a different way," says Mireia Morera.

Proof of the festival's growth is its budget. "For the first edition, we had a budget of €300,000 or €400,000. It was a two-day festival, and the artists we brought in were the ones we could afford at the time. It's growing, and some of the dinners have already sold out.

"Until now, I was my father's right-hand man, the one who managed the day-to-day running of the project and spearheaded the organizational side. But he was the one who ultimately made the decisions and led it; he was the visible face." He was my right-hand man, but I've always had the support of my family, and now it's my turn to take on this role. But I rely heavily on Quim, my father's brother, who is giving me a lot of support, and this makes it easier. It levels the playing field a little, along with the entire team and everyone who makes it possible," concludes Mireia Morera.