Last week special electrical utility poles went up a couple of blocks up my street and then one day a string of lights was dangling from pole to pole...
This was set up just around the corner, proudly announcing a group of "Festeros" and their soon to be set "Hoguera":
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| Hoguera Avda Costablanca Entreplayas |
I can already smell the gunpowder and smoke! Alicante's craziest party of the year - las Hogueras de San Juan - is just around the corner! Tomorrow night (I think) the official "pregón" will announce the beginning of the festivities and the lights will be turned on! :o)
What are the Hogueras (or Fogueres) you ask? Well the quick and easy answer is a sculpture made of wood and paper and cardboard and paint and anything else that's flammable that the artist can work with. It's a caricature, a satire, an homage, a story. Set up a few days before the Feast of Saint John the Baptist (June 24th), they will all be burnt to a crisp at the end... it's an ancient ritual of renewal by fire that's been going on in many cultures since pre-Christian times.
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| "Official" Hoguera 2009 in front of the Ayuntamiento |
For a more detailed answer go read my introductory post to this holiday from last year.
I'm going to try to do a daily countdown to the "big event" photos and videos as things progress so you can join in the anticipation and get a sense of the madness that invades Alicante this time of year. ;o)
Is it that time already? You seem to have one huge party after another. I want your life! Just kiddin'... mine's pretty good.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading all about this year's event.
FYI: I posted about WOD on my farm blog, with a link to yours. Sorry I'm so late.
Yup, it's that time of year again! Time sure flies, eh?
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't have one huge party after another!!! At least not quite as many as I used to... ;o)
I can't believe a year has passed already. I'm looking forward to this year's photos. :)
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