ARCHIVED - Aguilas celebrates a truly festive weekend prior to the arrival of Father Christmas

Markets, charity initiatives, music in the streets and 7 very happy Aguileños after the Christmas shopping prize draw!

The festive spirit took hold of the town of Águilas in the south-west of the Region of Murcia over the weekend, with a host of events allowing the locals to show their enthusiasm for Christmas, their charity and their commitment to making sure Santa and the Three Kings bring happiness to everyone over the next three weeks.

On both Saturday and Sunday there was music in the streets of the town centre, first from the Banda de Prendimiento and then on Sunday from the Banda de San Juan Evangelista and the choir of the Hermandad Nuestra Señora del Rocío as well as the “cuadrilla” groups taking part in the annual “Encuentro”. This was the first time the Encuentro has been held since before the coronavirus pandemic, with the groups coming not only from Águilas and Marina de Cope but also from La Hoya, Patiño and Aguaderas, and after their street parades they performed at a choral Mass in the parish church of San José.

They continued their entertainment after Mass on the stage in the Glorieta, while at the Iglesia del Carmen a special Mass was held in honour of the Virgen de la Esperanza.

Another annual event held at the weekend was the Christmas market in the Plaza de España, where shoppers were tempted by a mouth-watering selection of cheeses, sweets and meat products as well as household decoration, jewellery and arts and crafts items. At the same time, just a short walk away in the Plaza Alfonso Escámez, the local traders’ association held their own market, 16 local stores taking part in the open-air event surrounded by festive decorations and the sound of Christmas music.

Meanwhile the local scouts group held an event to collect toys for distribution to children in need this Christmas.

Finally, although it is often said that Christmas is a time for giving, seven lucky shoppers will not mind having been on the receiving end of the Town Hall’s shopping prize draw scheme, their names having come out of the hat on Friday! Four of them have found their Christmas joy boosted by spending vouchers for 2,500 euros each, while another three have handy 1,000-euro cheques in their back pockets!

For more local news, events and visiting information go to the home page of Águilas Today.