La Ofrenda de Flores is an offering of flowers by all the "Comisiones de Hogueras" and "Barracas" to the Virgin.
Spread over two evenings (yesterday and today) the representatives of all ages of the different groups (including their Belleas)
walk through town to the beat of the drums and the melodies of the dolçaina and other instruments, 
all carrying flowers to take to the Virgin.
The route pretty much crosses the whole city centre, passes in front of the "authorities" (mayor, Bellea del Foc, head of the Hogueras etc.) and then past City Hall
and through the narrow streets of the oldest part of town to finish up in front of the Cathedral where a painting of the Virgin and Child has been placed atop a wooden frame shaped like a skirt.
The participants deposit their flowers to the side and then head back out and return to their own Hogueras (you can run across random groups just waltzing around town with their marching bands behind them, is quite amusing!). At the Cathedral the artists involved will be taking apart bouquets and organising the different flowers by colour and then placing them in the wooden framework to make up the flowery skirt. The result is different every year.
I wanted to stop by today to get a picture of the skirt 1/2 way done, but got too caught up with real work to be able to make it! :s I'm heading into town on a photo safari tomorrow so I'll show you the results of this then.
Yes! Video is finally up and running!
Good night!
Spread over two evenings (yesterday and today) the representatives of all ages of the different groups (including their Belleas)
walk through town to the beat of the drums and the melodies of the dolçaina and other instruments, 
all carrying flowers to take to the Virgin.
The route pretty much crosses the whole city centre, passes in front of the "authorities" (mayor, Bellea del Foc, head of the Hogueras etc.) and then past City Hall
and through the narrow streets of the oldest part of town to finish up in front of the Cathedral where a painting of the Virgin and Child has been placed atop a wooden frame shaped like a skirt.
The participants deposit their flowers to the side and then head back out and return to their own Hogueras (you can run across random groups just waltzing around town with their marching bands behind them, is quite amusing!). At the Cathedral the artists involved will be taking apart bouquets and organising the different flowers by colour and then placing them in the wooden framework to make up the flowery skirt. The result is different every year.
I wanted to stop by today to get a picture of the skirt 1/2 way done, but got too caught up with real work to be able to make it! :s I'm heading into town on a photo safari tomorrow so I'll show you the results of this then.
Yes! Video is finally up and running!
Good night!
I love those dresses! I'll be back for the video... if I remember!
ReplyDeleteYep, those dresses are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'll come by and give you a reminder! ;o)
Hehe... Thanks for the reminder! I would have forgotten!
ReplyDeleteWhen I sell my book and have travel money, I will join you on the parade route. It looks like such fun.
The dresses remind me of the 'southern belles'. When I was young our family went to Cypress Gardens in Florida. They had these beautiful young ladies wearing the long hoop skirted dresses seated in a photogenic spot. I so wanted to have one of those dresses!
I felt sorry for some of the ladies in the video though... the ones that looked like they were ready to faint from the heat! I'll be sure to bring a fan and a neck cooler when I come!
Beautiful photos! I think I need to come for a visit to participate in the fun.
ReplyDeleteThe costumes are just beautiful! The little children look so happy. Having various marching bands following people sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteYeah, each Hoguera has its own marching band and they follow them around for all the "official" events. It's fun 'cause you often run into them walking randomly around town to and from these events, and of course they can't march without music so it makes for a very 'musical' city centre! ;o)
ReplyDeleteThe heat is definitely a big deal here, and those dresses are heavy (I wish I had one too! but I don't belong to an Hoguera, plus they're expensive!). That's probably why all the official parades and representations start around 7-8pm, to reduce the effects of the heat.
hehe, I should sign up for "couchsurfing" or something, my family has always had a pretty "open house" policy, it's rare when we don't have visitors, frequently "friends of friends" type deal! lol!
ReplyDeletethe more the merrier! ;o)
Everything looks so colourful and joyous. Great post!
ReplyDelete