Richard’s Rendezvous Calendar dates, milestones and significant events

Many appear as anniversaries, year in, year out and they come by again and again so quickly: just look, it seems like Christmas was seven or eight weeks ago when in reality three months have gone by and we’re now even passed the other very important religious event – Easter! Incidentally, did you know that theologically, Easter is more important than Christmas? I was told this some time ago by a local priest. Yes, the yuletide event, as we all know, is a secular gift-giving celebration enjoyed by so many, especially children, helped along by its great commercialisation in the build up to the day, not forgetting it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. But Easter celebrates the resurrection of Christ and victory over death. That is why we’re told it’s a more important milestone to celebrate. Well, another Easter is over and time to look ahead to other events.

We’re almost past the first third of 2026 and the second third begins. Children return to school life after a couple of weeks off. The rest of us, locals and others, will perhaps have returned from an Easter break in the hinterland or some other destination and once again it’s shoulders to the wheel and get on with it. Such is life, but with more events and celebrations to look forward to over the next four or five months.

We hear another successful Drama Festival just past us by. There is no doubt our next summer holiday is high on the agenda, already booked and if not the need to get onto it right away if you are planning somewhere nice for the hot summer break or perhaps a cooler month later on. Gibraltar Cultural Services don’t rest and I’m sure plenty is planned over the coming months at Casemates and other places: they just can’t keep still! MAG (the Rock’s musician fraternity) will be at it too, making use of their recently acquired Wellington Front premises whilst much of our local talent – groups and singer songwriters – will be busy also during the coming weeks and months seeking gigs at outdoor venues and cafeterias. The never ending work year after year continues with the Gibunco Literary Festival. That event is well into the final third end of the year ahead but it’s, no rest for the wicked, as they say, and planning goes on regardless.

Even planning for the 2027 Three King’s Cavalcade is already underway and after a little rest during the Easter break, it’s full steam ahead for that welcomed end of the Christmas celebrations. Lots of head scratching is the best way I can best describe what must be going through the minds of the Gibraltar Fair organisers. Where to next? If the proposed development goes ahead at the Rooke site, where do we go now? Space is very limited! That’s a celebration so looked forward to by all.

All our construction workers mainly from Spain and Portugal will have enjoyed the Easter mini break, spending time at home with their families and now back on the job: back to the noisy and dusty construction sites (of which there are many) but eventually looking smart and outside our city walls keeping out of our upper ‘old’ town. But that too is coming along, re building, revamping and so improving some areas. However there is a lot to do but, what is that other thing they say? Rome wasn’t built in a day?

The GIBRALTAR display sign on Campion Park, What’s wrong with it? Nothing! It’s a nice pale or pastel green in-keeping with the park area that surrounds it. It looks good. Are we having any more in other parks or areas? Recently it’s been announced refurbishments are planned for the town centre. There are also plans to tackle the long overdue roundabouts. The Easter break is definitely over now, so let’s get stuck in and replace the old Sundial, on Winston Churchill Avenue and the meagre squirt emanating from ‘La Fuente del Capullo’ – at the entrance to Waterport. Although I noticed the weak trickle is a little more enthusiastic of late.

But how can we forget and ignore the biggest and most important calendar date, milestone and significant event due to happen a couple of days following the publication of this article? At the time of writing, it was announced the 10th April deadline for the provisional implementation of the ‘TREATY,’ now seemed very unlikely so we will have to wait and see what happens. The whole of Gibraltar, the Campo Area and elsewhere are very eager to see what indeed happens when we begin to experience its effects. That is the biggest and most important high point of this second third of 2026... In the meantime I hope you had a happy and enjoyable Easter and if there are any leftover Easter eggs lying about - Yes please!

Let us, together, observe once again, shall we? The Waterport roundabout fountain, due for a refurb! A much needed improvement ... Campion Park sign has missing letters. Let’s see how soon it will be readable once again ... No new lift installed for now, at Commonwealth Park, so let’s get it going again (Campion Park lifts also a headache)!

So, we look forward to Treaty developments. That’s, by far, the most important event we all. I’m sure, look forward to. I will say hello again in a fortnight, see you!