Les Fogueres de Sant Joan in Alicante. 20 – 24 June 2021 Cancelled


Les Fogueres de Sant Joan

A fiery festival in Spain – the largest one is in Alicante.






Alicante

Located on the Mediterranean in Spain´s southeast, it is a lively city at any time of the year.

Alicante is an important port, a cruise ship stop, and one of Spain´s TV and movie production centres.



About Les Fogueres de Sant Joan Festival

An exciting culture festival celebrated in many cities in Spain.

Alicante has the largest one and considered the main festival in this city.

The excitement reaches boiling point during the week of 20 to 24 of June when Alicante´s most important festival, Les Fogueres de Sant Joan, is celebrated.

If you happen to be there at the time, be prepared not to get much sleep.

Bonfires, fireworks, firecrackers, music, parades, and people are partying all night make you want to join in the fun.

The protagonists of the festival are monumental figures and scenes called ninots.

Specially created by local artists and paraded through the streets to massive applause from the spectators.

dancers

Music bands and dancers dressed like flames accompany the parades, which last several days, each dedicated to another fraternity of the fogueres.



saint_john_festival_alicante

The highlight of the festival

Competition with prizes for the best ninots that will be burned in massive bonfires on the 24th. June.

The highlight this night of the 24th. is the massive fireworks from the castle of Santa Barbara, perched on top of Monte Benacantil.



Selection of a Queen

No festival without a queen, of course, and this one is no exception.

Two queens are selected, an adult beauty and a little girl.

Both dressed in the traditional outfit: a long colourful full skirt with many petticoats underneath, a long-sleeved black velvet jacket, and the traditional hair dress of white flowers and a white lace mantilla.

They and their court of other beauties parade on another day of the festival.



fogueres_museum

Fogueres Festival Museum

The judges pardon some, and these ninots end up in the Fogueres Festival Museum.

Located in one of Alicante´s main shopping streets, Rambla Mendez Nunez, you can see these fabulous creations up close, learn about the festival’s history and tradition, and watch a video.

Admission is free, and you are allowed to take photos of your heart´s content.

Website: Fogueres Festival Museum

montaditos_and_red_wine

Wine and Montaditos

Needless to say that food and drink, particularly the well known local red wine, form an essential part of the festival.

I love the small snacks, called montaditos, ideal if you feel peckish.

They are smaller than tapas, a slice of baguette, heaped with delicacies such as smoked salmon, caviar, prawns, ham, cheese or egg.

restaurant_montaditos

Visit the restaurant 100 Montaditos, in Mendez Nunez, for a great choice.

It’s a popular restaurant chain with many serving locations around the world,

Check out their website to find out more: 100montaditos.com

Eat enough montaditos, and you won´t need anything else and will feel fit enough to enjoy the festival.

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