Bando de la Huerta, Murcia, Tuesday 10th April

Murcia celebrates its folk traditions and the orchards surrounding the City

Following 40 days of lent, the Capital city of Murcia celebrates its Fiestas de la Primavera, the Spring Fiestas, which last a week.

As its such a vast event, with over 100 different elements, the programme will be split down, this particular article focusing on the Bando de la Huerta which takes place on Tuesday 10th April.

This is a big holiday in the capital, and is the day on which the murcianos celebrate their heritage and folk traditions.

The city of Murcia lies in the centre of a fertile river valley, the flat lands on either side of the River Seguro which flows through the centre of the City farmed by the huertanos, the people of the huertas, the orchards. Whilst today there is less dependence on traditional farming for a living, the traditions of folk music and Murcian gastronomy are still very much a part of Murcian culture, and on this day, virtually the whole city dresses in costume and joins in with the celebrations of the end of lent and arrival of spring. Costumes are sold in specialised shops throughout the city, and can be purchased off the peg, or more ornate, hand embroidered versions commissioned, according to the degree of enthusiasm and budget.

One of the main features of this day is food, and to this end barracas are erected in parks and gardens throughout the city. Barracas are food booths, run by organisations with the aim of raising funds for the various folk activities which take place throughout the year, and serve the best of traditional Murcian tapas and drinks.

An essential part of going into Murcia for the Bando de la Huerta is sitting in one of these barracas and enjoying the tapas, rich michirones, ( stewed broad beans in a  savoury broth with salty ham) , morcillas ( a sweet blood and onion sausage, a bit like a black pudding, with pine nuts) acelga frita, (green orchard acelga fried up with salty sardines,) caldo con pelotas ( rich chicken stock soup with meatballs) and paparajotes ( deep fried lemon leaves sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon) part of the basic staples served up in these barracas. ( Suck the coating off, don´t eat the lemon leaf as we did the first time, much to the entertainment of the natives at the surrounding tables.)

If your spanish is a little rusty, choose a busy barraca and point at whatever takes your fancy, and try a little bit of a lot of things, especially if you´re in a group. 2 of us generally feast for 12-14 euros including drinks, and that´s being greedy and ordering all of our favourites, too much really, but it is Bando de la Huerta. Be careful how many portions of food you order, make sure you specify if you want one portion of each item for each of you, or one portion of a number of different things to share.

The best known of the barracas are all along the riverbank in the Gardens of Malecon, but are also in most of the major plazas and gardens, there being 36 different barracas  in total, in the Plaza de la Universidad, Jardín de la Fama, Jardín Floridablanca, Jardín de Cruz Roja, Jardín del Malecón, Plaza Circular being the main ones.

This year the council have produced a leaflet for the first time, so visitors to the city can pick up a map showing them the various locations.

During the day, families dress up, meet their friends, enjoy tapas together, and take part in various activities, with a large parade celebrating the traditions of the Huerta in the afternoon.

Basic Agenda for the day:

Tuesday 10th April

10am.Plaza Belluga, Misa Huertana.

A Misa Huertana is a sung mass, performed by costumed huertanos, folk music. it´s more like an interactive folk concert than a mass, although is a religious activity. The mass is held in honour of the Patrona of Murcia, the Virgen de la Fuensanta, who was carried down into Murciafrom her sanctuary in the Santuario de la Fuensanta which is high on the hillsides above Murcia, at the start of lent.

Following the Misa Huertana, she is carried around the cathedral and on a route around the centre of the City.

Click Plaza Belluga for map

12pm Midday.Plaza Romea

Fiesta Cadena 100.

This is a free musical concert, organised by the Cadena 100 radio station, featuring Robert Ramírez and is free of charge.

Midday, Plaza Romea

2pm. Plaza Circular Gran Tronaera Aérea with fireworks. This is the biggest firecracker, a really noisy activity paying homage to the primavera.

4pm.Free musical event with El Pulpo and La Guardia.

This is taking place in the carpark of the Vieja Condomina and is sponsored by Cadena 100 and Estrella Levante beer.

The Vieja Condomina is next to the Plaza de Toros, where there is a multi storey carpark.

Click for Plaza de Toros.

5pm Parade of the Bando de la Huerta

The first floats celebrate the traditions of the huerta, showing the baking of bread, with a real smoking wood oven on board, threshing, which of course had to be done with a real live donkey, washing clothes in the river by hand, forging iron by hand, and even distilling natural herbs, the minty odours of which reached us long before we even saw the float.

This is followed by a large number of horse and carriages, followed by the mobile Barracas, which dispense fruit, drinks, bread, sausages and gifts to the crowd, who surge forward en masse.

It´s quite a scrum at times, particularly around the floats handing out the beer, but don´t be shy, these murcians certainly aren´t, just get stuck in there and enjoy the party, along with everyone else.

Route;
Avda. S. Juan de la Cruz, C/ Mozart, C/ Torre deRomo, C/ Sacerdotes Hnos. Cerón,
Alda. Colón, Avda. Canalejas,Pza. Camachos, Puente Viejo,Pza. Martínez Tornel, Gran Vía
Salzillo, Pza. Fuensanta,Avda. Constitución, Pza. Circular,Avda. Alfonso X el Sabio,Avda. Gutiérrez Mellado and finishing in Avda. José Tapia Sanz.

9pm Plaza Circular

Big Firework display.

Practical advice.

Parking.

Arrive after mid-morning and every inch of the city is jammed with cars and finding a car park can be a challenge. If you can go in on the train, do so, otherwise, wear flat, practical shoes and be prepared to walk.

Do NOT park on the verges as coffers are empty this year and cars will be towed away. Most people drive in from the ringroad. There is more chance of parking across the river,  either in the large open air carpark or in the Cuertel de Artilleria where there is a large underground car park , but be warned, you will be trapped in whilst the procession goes past, and getting out can be quite slow due to the volume of people. Another alternative is Avenida 1 de Mayo, by the Auditorio Victor Villegas. Either way, be prepared to walk.

Drunks, pickpockets and rubbish

Spirits can get very high and there are a lot of people around. Although most of the day is spent enjoying free music or just socializing with friends and families, there are always one or two who get out of hand and the volume of rubbish is staggering. Watch out for pickpockets and be careful about what goes in a backpack, and how accessible it is, particularly in the crowds.