ARCHIVED - Murcia Feria, first weekend 5th to 8th September

Part one of the Murcia Feria programme for 2014

The Feria in Murcia is a fairly complex event, with several different elements all going on at the same time. A lot of the activities are very much for those living in the capital, but there are some elements which are enjoyable for non-Spanish speakers and are worth a trip into the capital, the tapas gardens by the river, the big fairground and the main parade of the Moors and Christians being the biggest attractions.

Due to the elevated cost of translating the full programme only the main events which are likely to be of interest to foreign tourists or non-Spanish speakers are included in this information. The council have produced a vast leaflet which can be collected from the tourist office with every activity shown, which include workshops for young children in some of the museums( in Spanish) but the continued lack of any support for Murcia Today from either the regional tourist board or Murcia council means that it is impossible to translate the whole programme at our own expense as we have done in previous years, so many apologies, but these are the key elements which you may find worth a visit.

What is the Feria of Murcia?
The Feria is an autumn fair, which began life as a livestock fair, a place where farmers could sell their stock and purchase farming goods. This naturally meant a lot of money would change hands, so attracted those determined to help the farmers to spend it on pleasurable pursuits and then all those who wanted to sell luxury goods to those with money to spend, and off it went.

The events start with the descent of the Virgen de la Fuensanta from her sanctuary just outside Murcia on the same day as the livestock fair opens, which this year falls on Thursday 4th. This takes place in the Murcian countryside several kilometres outside the capital. This concludes with a horse parade into town on Sunday 7th. The fair has displays of various livestock, trade stands and livestock-related demonstrations, so may interest some people.

At the same time, a pop festival, lemonpop, entertains the younger population with a programme of Indie Music.

After this, the Bullfighting begins, and whilst this is happening in one part of town, the Moors and Christians have got their costumes on and are enjoying their own celebrations with their encampment based behind the tapas gardens along the riverbank.

The Feria ends with the big religious occasion, the Romeria of the Fuensanta in which the Patrona of the city is returned to her sanctuary after overseeing the festivities.

Intertwined with all this is entertainment for all ages with go karts, workshops, street theatre, concerts and activities for the kiddies in some of the museums.

The two main centres of the Feria are the attractions area at La FICA showground and the Jardines de  Malecon, in which the tapas gardens are constructed, and there are other places for the specific activities..

LA FICA.
The Recinto de la Fica covers an area of 46,000 square metres and is full of fairground attractions, entertainments and a showground. Its enormous and is an evening out on its own. Thousands of people pack into here to enjoy the fair rides and it is open every evening throughout the Feria.
For 2014 the fair will host 150 odd attractions and stalls, including sixty mechanical attractions such as rides for both children and adults and various sideshows, along with shooting galleries, restaurants and sundry eateries. The fair opens from 4th to 14th September, and on the first day “two for the price of one” offers will be available on most of the rides.

As always there is a special children’s day, where reduced prices of 1.50€ or 2€ can be paid for the rides as opposed to the normal prices of 2.50€ or 3€. Children’s Day this year is scheduled for 9th September, and on all days the customary closing time of 10 p.m. is to be extended until the stall holders decide to close down for the night and the gates are closed.

Be warned, thousands of people inevitably leads to crush and pickpockets, and although there is a large police presence in this area, be careful where you put your wallet, dont forget that keys fall out of pockets when hung upside down on a fairground ride, wear flat shoes, and avoid taking a handbag unless absolutely necessary.

There are nearly 3000 parking spaces available here and in the commercial centre
Click for map, LA FICA, Avenida Primero del Mayo

JARDINES DE MALECON
This is the soul and stomach of the Feria. Along the banks of the River, the peñas huertanas, the groups dedicated to the agricultural traditions of Murcia, construct their barracas. These are little traditional houses, each set in their own garden area, and from here the peñas serve tapas and refreshments, the typical gastronomy of the Region of Murcia.

Throughout the Feria there is live music, singing and dancing, folk, and many activities for the whole family, including puppets and workshops for the kids. There is also a gastronomic area, where the regions food producers sell their products and offer tastings of regional foods.
Its a lovely place to visit, atmospheric, busy and bustling.
Dont be shy to go into one of the gardens and order food. We were a bit nervous the first time we went as we had no idea what to do and wandered around for quite a while until the permanently hungry member of our household lost his patience and said for goodness sake make your mind up and just go into one, so we chose the one nearest to where the argument was occurring, and in we went.
Some barracas have a menu, some dont, so if your Spanish is a bit ropey just have a look to see what everyone else is eating and point at what you like. Make sure you are clear if you want one portion, or that dish for two people, or you can end up with double the amount you actually want which is what happened to us the first time, but at least it kept the hungry member quiet for the concert afterwards.
The most standard dishes youll find are morcilla, the sweet brown sausage which is like black pudding but eaten warm with bread, michirones, a rich dish of broad beans simmered for hours with salted meat, Pelotas en caldo, which is a rich stock served with meatballs simmered on the top, Salchicha, sausages served with bread, sopa which can be all types of soup, guiso a sort of hearty stew and all types of deep fried cod balls and vegetables.
Its not usually expensive, we tend to find it costs around 12-14 euros for the two of us to enjoy a filling meal and you cant beat the atmosphere.

There is usually parking in the underground carpark on the opposite side of the road to the gardens by the Almudi, or just past the gardens on the right hand side opposite the town hall.

Its really the easiest place to get to in Murcia, just follow the signs off the ringroad that say Centro Ciudad, Town Centre, and as you drive down the gardens are on your right, and you can either turn left at the lights just past them and double back to one parking lot, or stay on the right and immediately past the bridge drive down into the car parking. There is a large area of open air parking behind the gardens, accessed via turning right at the first bridge, then immediately right, but no guarantees are given for the security of the vehicle, its an open area with lots of willing "parkers" who fail to provide any security once tipped.

Click Jardines de  Malecon, shown on map as Jardin Botanico ( Calle Arocas)

Outline Programme.

Please note, these are the core events only

The Livestock Fair, the Feria de Ganado is on a separate document and takes place over this same weekend-

Friday 5th September
11am to 1pm - Children’s Karts for all the family.
Venue: Glorieta de España( in front of the town hall).

7pm - Exhibition of artisans and traditional crafts
Venue: Huertos del Malecón. Alongside the traditional tapas gardens and the banks of the river.

7.30pm - Official inauguration of the livestock fair, the  XX Feria de Ganado de Murcia
Venue:La Azacaya, Carretera de Beniaján( see separate article)

8pm - Free concert, “La Magia de los Puentes”
Classic piano and saxophone concert with pieces by Mozart,Beethoven and Handel
Location: By the Puente Nuevo, the new bridge across the River Segura almost opposite the town hall

8pm - Lemon Pop Festival
Indie pop with performances by:
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart(USA),
Helen Love (GB),
French Films (FIN),
The Spook School (GB),
Vacaciones, Nunatak, Lidia Damunt and Murciano Total
Venue: Auditorio Parque de Fofó.
Free of charge

9pm - Children’s entertainment and wordshops: Balloon tying
Venue: Huertos del Malecón, the tapas gardens alongside the river.
Free of charge.

10pm - David Bisbal in concert
Venue: Plaza de Toros ( Bullring)
Ticket Price: 32, 41, 61€ Ticketmaster.com

10pm - Free concert, Fran Botía
Venue: Jardines del Malecón.
Free of charge

2am - Lemon Pop Festival, free concert.
Afterlemon. Actuación de Airbag DJ ́s y Ángel Pop DJ.
Venue: Sala 12&Medio.
Free of charge


Saturday 6th September
11am to 1pm and 6pm to 8pm.- Children’s Karts for all the family.
Venue: Glorieta de España ( in front of the town hall).

7pm - Exhibition of artisans and traditional crafts
Venue: Huertos del Malecón. Alongside the traditional tapas gardens and the banks of the river.

8pm - Street act “la Magia de los Puentes”
Jugglers and acrobats
Venue: Puente del Hospital ( the bridge across the Segura River in front of the hospital)
Free of charge.

9pm - Children’s Musical, “Pinocho, el musical. Un niño de madera”
Venue: Auditorio de Fofó.
Ticket Price: 9€
Tickets can be purchased at Fnac Murcia, Carrefour Zaraiche, Zowie discos and Ticketmaster.

9pm - Children’s entertainment and workshops: Children’s games.
Venue: Huertos del Malecón. In the Malecón Gardens, half way along the tapas stands
Free of charge.

10pm - Concert, Mónica Naranjo.
Venue: Cuartel de Artillería.
Ticket Price: 30€
Tickets can be purchased via: Ticketmaster, misterentradas.com, El Corte Inglés and Discos Tráfico.

10pm - Free concert, Son del Malecón
Venue:Jardines del Malecón. In the stage area about half way along the gardens
Free of charge

10.30pm - Lemon Pop Festival.
Concert performance by Joe Crepúsculo, El Nuevo Acelerador and The Purple Elephants
Venue: Sala 12&Medio
Buy tickets at Ticketea, Discos Tráfico, La Yesería and Café Ficciones

2am - Lemon Pop Festival, free concert, Gonzalo DJ and Suzukid DJ.
Venue: Sala 12&Medio.
Free of charge


Sunday 7th September

11am to 1pm and 6pm - 8pm - Children’s Karts for all family.
Venue: Glorieta de España ( in front of the town hall).

During the morning there is a parade of horses and carriages from the livestock fair into the heart of Murcia. Once all the horses and carriages arrive, refreshments are provided for all participants
Leaving from La Azacaya towards Murcia at 10.30am
The route as follows: From Beniajan along the edge of the river, crossing over the bridge of La Fica, Avenida Intendente Jorge Palacios, Paseo de Garay, Avda. Teniente Flomesta, Gran Vía -via the bus lane, C/ Maestro Alonso, C/ Sta. Clara y Avda. Alfonso X el Sabio
Between 10am and 1pm in the Lago ( lake) in Calle Pintor Almela Costa, the remote control model club of Murcia holds their annual display of radio control models, with a wide range of submarines and sailing vessels of all descriptions on the lake.

7pm - Exhibition of artisans and traditional crafts
Venue: Huertos del Malecón. Alongside the traditional tapas gardens and the banks of the river.

8pm - Children’s Musical “Cantajuegos. Juega y Canta”.
Venue: Auditorio de Fofó.
Ticket Price: 7€
Tickets can be purchased at: Halcón Viajes, Viajes Carrefour, Zowie discos, Fnac Murcia and Ticketmaster.

8pm - Street performers  “La Magia de los Puentes”
Jugglers and acrobats
Venue: Puente del Hospital, opposite the hospital, about 200 metres along the riverbank from the gardens of Malecón .
Free of charge.

9pm - Children’s entertainment and wordshops: Popular Murcia Games and Musicoterapia.
Venue: Huertos del Malecón. In the Malecón Gardens, half way along the tapas stands
Free of charge.

9.30pm - Free concert, Flamenco Jazz Fusión
Venue: Plaza de las Flores.
Free of charge.

10pm - Free concert, Salva Ortega
Venue: Jardines del Malecón. In the stage area about half way along the gardens
Free of charge



Monday 8th September,

7pm - Exhibition of artisans and traditional crafts
Venue: Huertos del Malecón. Alongside the traditional tapas gardens and the banks of the river.

7pm - “II Festival de Teatro de Calle” Festival of Street theatre
Desequilibrados Company from Murcia-Argentina presents “Circo en Familia”, family circus
Venue: Jardín de Floridablanca.
Free of charge

7pm - “II Festival de Teatro de Calle”
El Carromato Company (Cádiz) presents “Big Dancers”.
Venue: Avenida de Libertad.
Free of charge

7pm - “II Festival de Teatro de Calle”
Circo Psikario Company (Madrid) presents “Aloló.Co”.
Venue: Plaza Santo Domingo
Free of charge

8pm - Moros y Cristianos. Some of those participating in the Moors and Christians Festival later in the week gather in the Plaza Santo Domingo and then head off into the streets to announce their forthcoming celebrations
Venue: Plaza Santo Domingo.

8pm - Orfeón Fernández Caballero free concert.
Different sections of this large orchestral and choral group perform various pieces
Venue: Plaza de la Universidad.
Free of charge

8pm - Free concert, “La Magia de los Puentes”
Classic piano and saxophone concert with pieces by Mozart,Beethoven and Händel
Venue: Puente Nuevo

9pm - Children’s entertainment and workshops: Handicrafts.
Venue: Huertos del Malecón. In the Malecón Gardens, half way along the tapas stands
Free of charge.

10pm - Free concert, Susana Re presents “Siguiendo la Carretera”
Venue: Huertos del Malecón. In the Malecón Gardens, half way along the tapas stands
Free of charge.

11pm -  Moros y Cristianos. Inauguration of the Moors and Christians encampment, which is at the back of the Gardens of Malecón


Tuesday onwards will be posted on a separate document.