Starlite Occident Marbella celebrates its 15th anniversary: ​​”From being a dream to becoming a project with its own identity”

It fuses music, haute cuisine and nature in an emblematic environment that attracts more than 350,000 attendees per edition

The Starlite Occident Marbella festival celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, an event that “has gone from being a dream to becoming a project with its own identity, capable of generating memories, emotions and human connections”, as its creator, Sandra García-Sanjuán, highlights to Europa Press.

“When we started, we had a very clear vision of what we wanted to create, but we never imagined how far it could go. What excites me most is not only the business growth, but having built a brand that is part of the lives of so many people,” he emphasizes.

Thus, every year, this event consolidates its position on the international cultural map with an ambitious musical proposal that has become a unique business and entertainment model in Europe, with more than 350,000 attendees per edition.

Since its opening on June 19, with a ‘sold out’ by international artist Ozuna, the boutique festival has once again validated a formula based on exclusivity, with an intimate format that seeks closeness between the viewer and the star, through an experience that fuses music, haute cuisine and nature in the emblematic environment of the Cantera de Nagüeles.

It is precisely this search for differential value that García-Sanjuán emphasizes: “The obsession with excellence and authenticity has been the key to differentiating ourselves in an increasingly competitive industry. We have never wanted to be the largest festival, but rather the most special. From the beginning we opted for an intimate format, where the public could experience exceptional closeness with the artists.”

As he relates, “the experience had to be comprehensive”, so “every detail matters: the environment, the attention, the gastronomy, the technology or the staging.” “When you seek excellence, the path is more demanding, but it is also what allows you to build a solid and lasting brand. Differentiation comes from having a clear identity and being faithful to it,” he defends.

Figures such as Niña Pastori, Alan Parsons or the iconic Lenny Kravitz have already paraded on the Marbella stage, who on June 29 made a strategic stop at the Starlite Auditorium, as part of his world tour to present his acclaimed latest studio album, ‘Blue Electric Light’.

The winner of four Grammy Awards, who has recently added to his record a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Music Icon Award at the People’s Choice Awards and the Fashion Icon Award from the CFDA for his aesthetic influence, flooded the Marbella quarry with his now characteristic shades of soul, rock and funk from the sixties and seventies.

“Yes, Starlite. I love you. What a magical and wonderful place. I am very happy to be here, in this incredible atmosphere that we have at Starlite Occident,” said the singer who, at the end of the night, shared the performance with Mia, an 11-year-old girl, daughter of a great friend of the artist who lives in Mallorca.

But the success of Starlite Occident is not limited to what happens on stage during the two-hour concert, since the organization has designed its own “universe” that lasts over almost three summer months and which the festival defines as an “experience in three acts.”

EXPERIENCE PLATFORM

As its founder points out, “today Starlite is a global experience platform.” “Music continues to be our heart, but it is no longer the only language with which we relate to the public. We integrate gastronomy, hospitality, content, audiovisual production, innovation and entertainment under the same philosophy,” he details.

The objective, he adds, is “to create memorable human experiences, capable of moving and transforming.” “We live in a time in which people increasingly value what cannot be replicated on a screen. That is where we find our reason for being: generating unique moments that remain in memory long after a concert ends,” he emphasizes.

The first experience starts at 8:00 p.m., with the opening of doors, led by various restaurants and gastronomic spaces. Specifically, these are five gastronomic spaces of local and international cuisine that offer a variety of flavors, all in a magical environment.

Then, starting at 10:00 p.m., the concerts take place, a program that this year is completed with artists of the caliber of Maroon 5, Juan Luis Guerra, John Legend, Deep Purple, Rick Astley, Miguel Ríos, Diana Krall, Jean-Michel Jarre, Gloria Trevi, Ozuna, Anastacia, Yandel, Manuel Turizo, Danny Ocean, Grupo Frontera, Elvis Crespo, Gente de Zona, Sergio Dalma, Mora, Elena Rose, Rosana, Rosario, Vanesa Martín, Malú, Taburete, Delaossa, Iván Ferreiro, Estrella Morente or Yerai Cortés, among many others.

After the musical performance, the experience continues for the most VIP attendees from boxes and terraces designed to enhance the atmosphere of a private club under the stars, in an endless show that continues until dawn.

SOLIDARITY AND YOUTH AWARDS

Added to this is the social and solidarity aspect of the meeting, with the Starlite Occident Gala to be held on August 9, one of the charity events with the greatest impact of the summer period in Spain. This gala, chaired by Sandra García-Sanjuán and Antonio Banderas, allocates its proceeds to promoting social projects that transform lives in order to use talent, influence and the ability to inspire to generate a positive impact on society.

In this way, this event transcends the classic concept of a festival to also position itself as a strategic tourist and economic engine for the Costa del Sol and Andalusia. “It is one of the aspects that makes me most proud. From the beginning we understood that a cultural project could also become an economic engine and international projection for a destination,” emphasizes the businesswoman.

“Marbella has extraordinary potential and we wanted to show it to the world from a modern, sophisticated and cosmopolitan perspective. Seeing how people from dozens of countries visit the city attracted by Starlite and discover everything it offers is very gratifying. When a project helps to positively transform its environment, it takes on a much greater dimension,” he insists.

The celebration of this 15th anniversary is also accompanied by an unprecedented milestone since the Cantera de Nagüeles venue will extend its usual activity – the last of the concerts will take place on August 29, with Love of Lesbian – to host the Premios Juventud gala, which will be held on September 3.

It will be the first time in its 23 years of history that the prestigious musical show of the TelevisaUnivision network (which last year elevated global figures such as Bad Bunny, Shakira or Karol G) leaves the American continent to be held on European soil.

“It is a recognition of the work carried out over many years. That an event of this magnitude and international relevance has chosen Starlite to celebrate its first European edition demonstrates the confidence that exists in our organizational capacity and the value of our brand. In addition, it represents an extraordinary opportunity to project Marbella and Spain to millions of viewers around the world. Beyond the event itself, it symbolizes the consolidation of Starlite as a global player within the entertainment industry,” concludes its creator.