The night of San Juan is cause for celebration in many towns and villages around the Region of Valencia. In the city of Alicante, the San Juan Bonfires are a great event, deemed to be of International Tourist Interest.
The hogueras are impressive giant papier-mâché figures set up all around the city and are the focal point of this celebration. These magnificent sculptures, which are constructed throughout the year, are made up of ninots, grotesque figures that express popular sentiment about topical issues.
All around Alicante the streets are festooned and barracas or stands are set up where revellers can have lunch, dinner and generally celebrate. The fronts of these stands, which end up being burned on the 24th, compete in beauty, art and colour, and prizes are awarded to the best.
From 20th to 24th June, mascletaes, festivities and bull fighting will be revolutionising the city of Alicante: on Saturday, 20th June, at midnight, the frantic activity of foguerers and barraquers will fill each neighbourhood when the statues are put up during the Plantà de les Fogueres. An evening of restrained emotion will lead into the activities planned for Sunday. On 21st and 22nd June, at around 8 p.m., the traditional Floral Offering will take place, finishing in the Co-Cathedral of San Nicolás. Proceedings will be brought to a close on Sunday by the ‘queen’ of the celebrations the Bellesa Major Infantil, Cristina María Rodríguez and on Monday 22nd June by the Bellesa del Foc d’Alacant, Miriam Toré Navalón.
On Wednesday, the International Folklore Parade will fill the streets of Alicante with an extraordinary display of colour. Groups from all over Spain and around the world will be taking part. And finally, on 24th June, at midnight, a monumental white blaze of fireworks will be launched from the top of Mount Benacantil, marking the start of the Cremà, or burning, of thousands of hogueras and barracas.
