Since ancient times, the villages of the Mediterranean coast celebrated the coming of the summer solstice around bonfires that cleansed and purified. In Alicante, the ritual of fire survived throughout the centuries as a festivity connected to the farming community.
Later, in the XIX Century, this custom transferred to the city. This can be verified, as the first documented history of these simple bonfires goes back to the year 1822, with an edict issued by the Mayor which ordered: “…that bonfires were not to be made in the streets and by no means were firecrackers to be let off, on the night of San Juan and the following nights, subject to a fine of 20 to 100 Reales.”
The corresponding edict was not issued in 1881, and according to a newspaper of the time, “…After the festivities began with the verbena de San Juan (a dance held in the streets), the peaceful inhabitants were allowed to let off firecrackers, and light bonfires to their heart’s content.” Taking advantage of the fact that it was no longer forbidden, neighbours from the same streets gathered together and started what was known as festes de carrer (street parties), with popular games, music and the appearance of the forerunners of the ninots (satirical ornamental figures). These neighbourhood bonfires continued in spite of the constant bans.
In 1928 the association called Alicante Atracción, was created, to encourage tourism to the city. With this aim in mind, the Town Hall gave them the authority to organize the first hogueras de San Juan festivities on an official basis. Within a few years, there were more than thirty Hogueras, and in 1932 the maximum representation of the Festivity was established, Bellesa del Foc (The Beauty Queen of Fire).
The present-day Hogueras
Las Hogueras de San Juan effigies have been declared Festivities of International Tourist Interest and they are the most important festivity in the City of Alicante.
Nowadays, nearly 90 hogueras(huge effigies to be burnt) are set up in the city of Alicante, and there are more than ten thousand direct participants of the Festivity, in which the Comisiones de Hogueras (committees in charge of each particular effigy) and Comisiones de Barracas. (committees who control the open-air spaces with bars, dance areas and tables and chairs) play an important role. These festivities are also held in other towns in the Region of Valencia, mainly in the province of Alicante, such as Benidorm, Torrevieja or Xàbia, but also in Nules, in the province of Castellón, as an exception.
Among the main acts, we must single out the plantà (setting up) of the hogueras and barracas, las mascletaes, (firecrackers) the parades, the offering of flowers, la cremà and the firework displays, from the 25th onwards.
