ARCHIVED - 20th April to 3rd May, Los Mayos fiestas at home in Alhama de Murcia 2020

The annual fiestas go ahead at home in Alhama due to the coronavirus lockdown

The town hall of Alhama de Murcia is not allowing a little matter like a worldwide pandemic to get in the way of its annual Los Mayos fiestas and has restructured the normal activities to encourage residents to follow the normal programme of events online, via its social media and town hall webpage and by going out on their balconies to join in.

The programme is designed to encourage family involvement, provide plenty of fun activities for children and maintain the traditions of the fiestas.

The town hall facebook is Ayuntamiento Alhama de Murcia and most of the videos and photos are being shared into this location, although all text is in Spanish. 

The English language page is www.alhamatoday.com

Monday 20th April

11.30: “Elabora tu Cruz de Mayo en casa”, make your own May Cross at home – open until 1^st May. Send a photo of your cross to alhamasequedaencasa@alhamademurcia.es.

12.30: “Elabora tu Mayo en casa”, make your own “Mayo” at home – open until 2^nd May. Send a photo of your Mayo to alhamasequedaencasa@alhamademurcia.es.

Tuesday 21st April

11.30: Blas Pérez of the Grupo Folklórico Villa de Alhama offers a video tutorial showing you how to make your own May Cross.

Wednesday 22nd April

11.30: Simón García, the official Mayo maker of the Town Hall, offers a video tutorial showing you how to make your own Mayo.

Thursday 23rd April

11.30: Painter José María Cánovas offers a video tutorial showing you how to paint the face of your Mayo.

Friday 24^th April

11.30: Draw or paint a picture of the Mayos de Alhama, showing what you like most about our fiestas. Open until Thursday 30^th April: send a photo of your picture to alhamasequedaencasa@alhamademurcia.es. Entries will be displayed until the state of emergency is over and the restrictions are lifted.

Saturday 25^th April

21.30: Enjoy the National Los Mayos Folk Festival 2020 in your home.

Monday 27^th April

16.30: “Un ratito más HOME”, special home time: make your own Los Mayos badge at home. Send a photo of your badge to alhamasequedaencasa@alhamademurcia.es.

Tuesday 28^th April

11.30: Custom Alhama rally special 1993-2019.

Wednesday 29^th April

16.30: “Un ratito más HOME”, special home time: Corremayos face painting.

Thursday 30th April

18.00: Deportimayos.

22.00: Canto a la Cruz de los Mayos, singing to the May Cross at home.

Friday 1st May

10.00: Challenge to find the best Los Mayos homemade rice or paella dish 2020.

17.00: Exhibition: “Mayeando con los Corremayos Mayores”.

18.00: Deportimayos.

20.30: Display of Los Mayos pictures received.

21.30: Alhama en Concierto Folk 2020: stay at home and enjoy online performances by Túa, Luar Na Lubre and Malvariche.

Saturday 2^nd May

11.30: Display of pictures of homemade May Crosses. Voting for the best cross will be via Facebook likes on the Facebook page of the Town Hall until 19.00.

13.00: An exhibition of the history of the Los Mayos fiestas.

12.00: Zumba masterclass at home, offered by Academia Pryorem.

16.00: Time to take your Mayos to the window or out onto the balcony and leave them on display for the rest of the weekend.

17.00: Display of the official Los Mayos posters from every year between 1984 and 2020.

18.00: Display of the homemade Los Mayos badges.

18.30: The Corremayo Mayor of the “Los Mayos en casa” fiestas of 2020 is officially presented – this year the honour is bestowed on every single resident of Alhama.

18.45: Enjoy the musical street parade from your window or balcony, featuring Malvariche. Protección Civil vehicles set out from the Avenida de la Constitución and complete a tour of the streets of Alhama with the group Malvariche supplying the music (also live on Cope Espuña radio).

20.00: The daily round of applause at your window or on the balcony, this time with everyone dressed as Corremayos. Let’s hear those sleigh bells!

21.30: Enjoy the Corremayos parade at home.

23.00: MAYFEST – Los Mayos DJ Festival.

Sunday 3rd May

10.30: Enjoy a second musical street parade from your window or balcony, again featuring Malvariche. Protección Civil vehicles set out from the Avenida de la Constitución and complete a tour of the streets of Alhama with the group Malvariche supplying the music. Time to wear your Corremayos costumes and wave the sleigh bells again!

11.30: Exhibition of the photos of homemade Mayos: Voting for the best Mayo is via likes on the Facebook page of the Town Hall until 19.00.

17.00: Exhibition of the Corremayos Mayores posters as part of the Los Mayos fiestas 2004-2019.

18.00: Music online from traditional “cuadrillas” groups, a video of the highlights of recent years including the performance of El Tío Juan Rita.

19.00: The winners of the homemade May Cross and Mayos competitions are announced after Facebooks votes are totted up.

Long live the Los Mayos fiestas!