HOGUERAS DE SANT JOAN 2007-SAINT JOHN´S BONFIRES

No puedo terminar mi resumen del verano sin nombrar las hogueras. Explicaré brevemente lo que es esta fiesta para los que no la conocen.

I can´t finish my summer summary if I don´t mention Alicante´s annual Festival called HOGUERAS DE SANT JOAN (SAINT JOHN´S BONFIRES). It happens every year in June, starting officially on the 21st and ending on the 24th. It is really amazing to see the transformation of the city a few days before and during the festival.

Lights ornaments everywhere, music in all the neighborhoods all night long until the day comes. Parades in the evening.fireworks and firecrackers at any time of the day. During a week after the festival is over, the city has a huge firework exhibition every night, like the fireworks on the fourth of July in the States but during 7 nights.The beautiful sculptures all over the town, over 50 of them, like the ones that you can see in the pictures. These big sculptures, some of them are three or four story tall, are made during the year by specialized artists. Each piece costs thousands of dollars, you can see them for only four days because on the night of June 24th they are burnt!!!!!!! Isn´t it crazy???

Well, young people wait to see the bonfire burning, as near as the firemen and authorities allow them to be, and once the fire is controlled, the fun starts!! Everybody that wants to get wet starts to yell, jump, sing, and even insult the firemen. The insults are also a tradition and firemen don´t take them personal, they know that´s the way it is, so they aim their hose at the crowd , it is fun, fun!!!

People live the festival in many different ways, you can choose how you want to participate, or only be a spectator. The traditional customs people wear during the festival are beautiful, they are an adaptation of the old bridal outfits, and the clothing people wore more than a hundred years ago in this part of Spain. This festival has been declared an international touristic interest.

Each sculpture has a theme, they are usually satirical. A joke about national or international politics, or any actual subject, for instance world pollution... Plan your next vacation and come to check it out yourself!!!!!!!!