ARCHIVED - Fiestas Patronales Catral 18th to 28th June

Fiestas Patronales de San Juan Catral, Vega Baja, Alicante Province

Catral, in the southernmost tip of the Alicante Province, and the Comarca of the Vega Baja, celebrates its annual Fiestas patronales of fiestas in honour of its local patrón saint San Juan around the core day of the 24th June.

These are typical local fiestas and include a wide range of community activities, along with plenty to amuse the members of the peñas, or festive groups who participate in them.Virtually everything is free of charge and all are welcome to come along and enjoy the party.

Key activities of the fiestas:
Friday June 19th
    20:30 pm Performances by the youth band and profesional music conservatory of the town in the Plaza in front of the Casa de Cultura.
    00.00 The Peñas( festive groups) gather to parade around the town in an informal parade, a pasacalles. Meeting point: crossroads of C/Azorín and C/Purísima, following a route via: C/Azorín, C/Óscar Esplá, C/Santa Bárbara, Plaza de España, C/García Ortuño, C/Manuel Flores, Avd. Constitución and C/Purísima.
    01.00 am Fiesta in the street with local bands and bars. Venue: Calle Purísima and Avenida Constitución.

Saturday 20th June
    11:30 am Big street party for participating peñas and general public in the Plaza de España. Dj, beer, tapas, water Pistols, water battle, bikinis and swimming trunks, peña t-shirt or wear whatever you want but be prepared to party and get wet!
    13:00 Grand Chupinazo( during which the peñas are urged to go off and enjoy the fiestas) followed by the members of the peñas parading en-masse  through the urban area of town back to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Route: Plaza de España, C/Santa Bárbara, Avd. Constitución, C/San Juan and back to the Plaza de España.
    13:30 pm Fiesta for the peñas and everyone else with free tapas and beer for all in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
    20:00 pm Grand parade of the peñas following a route via C/ Manuel Flores, Avda. La Constitución and Avda. Purísima.
    01.00 am Street fiesta with lots of music and bars in Calle Purísima and Avenida Constitución.

Sunday June 21st
08:00 am The peñas ( many of whom are still in the same bars as the night before) undertake a pasacalles( noisy parade) through the streets and then enjoy a breakfast in the municipal swimming pool
  11.00. Fiesta to inaugurate the municipal swimming pool for the summer with DJ, inflatables etc until 2pm     

Monday June 22nd
    18:00 pm Children’s Fiesta with water bouncy castles, surprises and games. Location:Parque de La Palmera.
Tuesday 23rd June
   22:00 Grand verbena-cena dance for the peñas, pre-inscription required.
   22:30  Grand hairdressing parade by Peluquería Belén Ros. Location: Plaza of the Casa de Cultura.
    00:00 The bonfires are lit!

Wednesday June 24th: The main Fiesta day
  8.00 Rockets go offand the bells ring out
    09:00 Mass
    18:30 pm Parade by the Banda de Música de la S.U.M. “La Constancia” and collection of the Fiesta Queens to take them off to mass
    19:30 Solemn mass  
    20:30 Solemn procession in honour of the patrón saint of the town, San Juan Bautista, followed by Fireworks
    22:00 pm Display of rhythmic gymnastics in the plaza of the Casa de Cultura.

Friday 26th June
21:30 pm Dance display by pupils of the Escuela de Danza del Conservatorio. Location: Plaza of the  Casa de Cultura.

Saturday 27th June

11:30 am Gathering of peñas and residents in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
    12:00 Informal parade through the streets starting at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
   14:00 pm Grand mascletá. ( Big firecracker)Location: Parque de La Libertad (alongside the DIA supermarket).
    23.00 pm Concert in honour of the Sagrado Corazón de Jesús by the SUM “La Constancia”.
    Location: Plaza de España.
    00.30 am Open air fiesta dance  

Sunday June 28th
    09:00 Mass
    19:30 pm Final of the pigeon fanciers competition Fiestas de San Juan 2015.
Location in which the birds are to be released: Parque de la Palmera.
    19.30 Holy Mass sung by the Coro Mixto santos Juanes
    20.30 pm Solemn procession with the image of the Sagrado Corazón de Jesús followed by fireworks
    22:00 Dance Festival performed by the Escuela de Baile Susana Méndez, in the  Plaza outside the  Casa de Cultura.