This Saturday, December 9, the Formentera Council's culture department will host “Retrobada. Una nit a Formentera,” an evening of performances by Isidor Marí, Miquel Brunet, Aires Formenterencs, Imaràntia, Eduard Riera and Pep Lluís García. To culture secretary Susana Labrador, the free concerts from 8.30pm in the island's cinema are a standout part of this year's Christmas season and promise be a “night to remember”.

On December 29, 2007, Isidor Marí, the Aires Formenterencs and musician Miquel Brunet took the stage to play before the audience at the island's cinema. That concert, which lives on in the minds of the crowd that night in the Sant Francesc hall, is the driving impulse behind the push to revisit the effort for audiences today. “It will be an event steeped in that blend of creative energy unique to the islands,” pledged Councillor Parellada.

Isidor Marí, founder of the mythical group UC, has had a long, storied solo career, most recently cementing his performing chops on a CD in which he paid tribute to Bob Dylan with 14 of the American musician's songs translated into Catalan. A close relationship with the Aires Formenterencs (formed on the island in March 1989 by Xumeu Joan, Xicu Ferrer and Santi Marí) laid the groundwork for that mythical concert in 2007.

Joining them is singer-songwriter Maria José Cardona. If Cardona has logged frequent collaborations with Aires Formenterencs over the years and is one of rock group 4 de Copes's founding members, she also claims the duo Imaràntia as her alma mater. Pianist and producer Miquel Brunet is Cardona's other half in Imaràntia is pianist and producer Miquel Brunet and he maintains close artistic and personal ties with Formentera. His recording and production experience with the Formentera sound spans nine albums: all of Aires Formenterencs' LPs, a collection of traditional music titled “Caramelles de Formentera,” and Xumeu Joan's “Flautäria,” a celebration of flute music in the Pityuses.

Filling out the line-up are two world-class Mediterranean musicians: Eduard Riera on violin and Pep Lluís Garcia, one of the most in-demand and acclaimed percussionists in jazz. In a fine display of creative capital in the islands, these artists will draw from a catalogue that covers a breadth of styles as they present RETROBADA Una nit a Formentera. The show's title, near to “reunion” in English, stands as an unmistakeable nod to the revisiting of that artistry that was present on the stage in 2007.

Over twenty plus songs, audiences will hear a confluence of musical styles as the eight musicians are themselves morphed by the encounter, a feat of far-flung sensorial synergy. The subject matter is diverse: there are celebrations of nature's generosity, pleas for social justice that colour the broader narrative of commitment to the Nation, and displays of lovers' pining. Of course, we'll find the odd serving of humour thrown into the sonic mix, too.

The evening's main draw will be the very permanence and constance that the performers have come to represent over their varied artistic trajectories. Maintaining that their faith in their roots fuels their scorning of purisms, the group has one commitment: perform and blaze new trails on stage.

The Christmas 2017 kick-off came yesterday in the form of a concert of holiday carols by the children of El Pilar de la Mola and Mestre Lluís Andreu primary schools. “Cantam Nadales” got started in plaça de la Constitució at 5.00pm.

Though scheduled for Friday, the evening performance, together with a tree and decoration lighting ceremony, was delayed due to inclement weather. Attending residents enjoyed complementary hot chocolate the show.

Wet weather was again behind the postponing of the Christmas Market opening. It was pushed back from Friday to Saturday morning. All of Formentera is encouraged to come out for the market. It will be open from 11.00am to 3.00pm and again from 5.00pm to 12 midnight until January 7.