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Forthcoming Events


By Keith Nicol


May has just about come and gone, and in case you thought you’d missed Torrevieja’s biggest Fiesta of the year, the May Fair, don’t worry, you haven’t. A year’s planning was not quite enough it seems for Torrevieja and the Fair will now be held in October, with major fingers crossed for the weather and with it, much colder evenings and a chance of rain. But at least you have not missed it. Staying in Torrevieja, Spain’s largest Friday market has eventually moved and is now located in the purpose built Antonio Soria Park, beside the Sports City and Aqua Park. The new market area offers much better access and parking with well laid out stalls, ‘streets’ through the market, and much cleaner and friendly atmosphere, which is also easier for security and safety.


It’s hard to believe that the longest day of the year is but a couple of weeks away and that the nights will start getting longer again. The major event that thousands of Spanish citizens look forward to is the Fogueres de Sant Joan or Hogueras de San Juan. In Alicante this event generally takes up the entire month with each neighbourhood doing something different, but similar. Hogueras has been taken up by many of the local towns and cities and many have an evening at the beach, in a picnic come carnival atmosphere. In Alicante there are usually five impressive night time mascleta displays, six massive day time mascleta displays, five beautiful evenings of fireworks on the beach, an international folk parade, floral offerings and the main night of festivities, called the Crema, when the magnificent statues are burnt. The fiesta is of International Tourist Interest and well worth enjoying with the major events taking place on the 23rd


and 24th of June.


QF Focus Magazine


Alicante celebrates the coming of summer with the bonfires of San Juan. In a spectacular display of music, colour and fireworks, thousands of people throng the streets to experience this fiesta which pays tribute to fire. To celebrate the arrival of summer, the people of Alicante would traditionally flock to the countryside on 23rd


June for a festive dinner: they feasted on typical products, and


at midnight they would light bonfires and dance around them, set off fireworks and go swimming in the sea. This custom endured over the years, and in 1928 the fiestas of the Bonfires of San Juan were formally constituted. For several days, Alicante celebrates this great homage to fire, where the stars of the show are genuine works of ephemeral art: the bonfires and the enormous cardboard and wooden figures which go up in flames on the night of San Juan.


The queen of the fiesta, known as the “Bellea del Foc” (“Beauty of Fire”), is chosen in May from candidates presented by a committee in each neighbourhood. The festivities officially begin on 20th


June with the “plantà”, or building of enormous bonfires


with their tongue-in-cheek cardboard figures which fill the streets of Alicante with wit and good humour. That day the “barracas” or large tents are also put up to serve as a public dance floor, and where fiesta-goers can sample the typical figs and “cocas” (a kind of pastry with tuna, onions and pine nuts). Some of the highlights of the festivities include the Entry of the Bands and Committees, with their respective “beauties” and their ladies-in-waiting wearing traditional dress; the floral offering to the patron saint of the city, the Virgin of El Remedio on 21st


and 22nd to 24th June; and the


international folklore parade, a spectacular procession featuring dance troupes from all over the world. In addition, every day at two in the afternoon from 19th


June, there are firework


displays in Plaza de los Luceros square: these are the ear-splitting “mascletàs”, for which ear-plugs are highly recommended due to the racket of the exploding firecrackers and rockets. And finally at midnight on 24th


June comes the “cremà” (burning), the high point


Sacko’s Bar, El Limonar at 10.30am We are a social and self help group and look forward to meeting new members and their partners. For information and forthcoming events, www.arpo.org.co.uk. Torrevieja Christian Fellowship is a lively English speaking church located at Avenida de las Cortes Valencianas 68,Torrevieja 03183. Residents and holiday makers are welcome to attend our services every Sunday at 10.30am with communion and “kids church”. Wednesday Fellowship meetings (Bible Study) starting at 6pm. For further information see our website www.tcf-spain.org or tel: 96 670 0391. Crime Watch Spain (Vecinos Colaborando) Reg. VG – 08261/2002 advise the community citizens about security matters and help them to report any incidents in their communities to the authorities to try to keep out any intruders. For more information please email: colaborando.crimewatch@skynetlink.com. We are Torrevieja Maritime Association and our aim is to “Stimulate and maintain interest in maritime activities in the Torrevieja area among people of all nationalities”. We meet on the second Wednesday of the month at Casa de Galicia in El Chaparral, Torrevieja and can be contacted at torreviejama@outlook.com or via our Facebook site, Torrevieja Maritime Association. Almoradi scrabble club. We meet at Cafe Almoradi, Calle Major 91 on the last Tuesday of the month from 3.30pm. We really want to extend our membership. If you are interested please come and join us, or for more information call 694 437 698 or email mrandcwatkins@hotmail.co.uk. The Aircrew Association Costa Blanca. Former and serving aircrew of the UK or Allied Armed Forces are very welcome to join this convivial and friendly organisation, now in its 29th


from the Secretary on: 96 640 4123. COSTA COBRAS RFC is a rugby club founded on the traditional ethics of the game, respect and family, based at the San Fulgencio sports ground, training on Monday and Wednesday. For more details contact Garry 692 767 242 or Robert on 697 286 416. Catral’s writers / cultural group. If you like to write, talk or read about cultural issues you are coming to the right starting group every Wednesday in Catral, Vega Baja. Interested? Please email J. Rivero on jrivero-santana@skynetlink.com.


year. Details


The Association Of Retired Police Officers (known as ARPO). Retired police officers from any national or international force are very welcome to join our group. We meet every 2nd


NOTICEBOARD Wednesday at


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