Agustín Lozano Ávila, a businessman with over half a century of ties to the cultural, musical, and entertainment life of Pozoblanco, has been designated as the Herald for the 2026 Feria de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes. This choice aims to acknowledge his decisive contribution to positioning the town within national music and entertainment circuits.
The mayor of Pozoblanco, Santiago Cabello, highlighted Lozano's figure as "key to understanding the recent history of our Fair and also the history of entertainment in Pozoblanco." He noted that Lozano's career is linked to significant moments in the town's festive and cultural programming, representing "a constant commitment to bringing top-level shows and artists to Pozoblanco, placing our municipality on the map of major national tours."
The mayor also emphasized that this commitment is not solely in the past but continues today through his company, where his family works to keep Pozoblanco part of the national cultural and entertainment network. "Agustín has demonstrated for decades that it is possible to work from Pozoblanco at the same level as from major provincial capitals and that our municipality can host and promote first-class shows," stated Cabello.
Agustín Lozano Ávila, born in Puertollano on July 7, 1938, began his connection with Pozoblanco in 1972, organizing the first program for the town's Fair and Festivals. A year later, he opened El Gallo Blanco, considered the first major nightclub in northern Córdoba, an activity he combined with organizing shows, which eventually led to his permanent move to Pozoblanco.
Throughout his career, he has organized and promoted major shows and national tours, working with artists such as Mecano, El Último de la Fila, Radio Futura, Alejandro Sanz, Rocío Jurado, Nino Bravo, Víctor Manuel y Ana Belén, Camilo Sesto, Luz Casal, Camarón, and Joan Manuel Serrat. He has also promoted international performances by artists like Maná, Juan Luis Guerra, Duran Duran, Celia Cruz, Chayanne, Ricky Martin, and Raffaella Carrà.
His professional activities also included managing over fifty national artists and programming some of the country's main fairs, theaters, and concert series. He has received numerous distinctions, including the Golden Insignia from the Peña Flamenca de Martos, recognition from the City Council of Puerto Real, the Miner's Lamp from Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo, the Encina de Los Pedroches, the Silver Insignia awarded by the Telefónica Group of Companies, and recognition from Fundación PRODE, among other accolades.
Professionally, he was part of the board of directors of ARTE Nacional for over twenty years and served as president of ARTE Andalucía for forty years. He currently holds the position of Honorary President of AREA. In Pozoblanco, he has also been actively involved in sports, serving as vice-president of C.D. Pozoblanco and founder of C.D. Pozoalbense Femenino.
