ARCHIVED - Until June 19, Moros y Cristianos and Corpus Christi fiestas in Archena

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

Two weeks of parties, concerts, parades and the famous colored salt carpets in the town of Archena

Archena has two major blocks of fiestas sewn together, providing almost continuous partying throughout June and into the early part of July, with the Fiestas of the Moors and Christians and Virgen de la Salud combining with the fiestas of Corpus Christi.

The fiestas are based on the typical Spanish combination of religious devotion and popular partying, and as well as on the feast day of Corpus Christi, in Archena this is also the case on the feast days of San Cosme, San Damián, San Juan Bautista, San Roque and the Virgen del Rosario.

Prior to Corpus Christi the patron saint of Archena was San Juan Bautista (John the Baptist), to whom the parish church is dedicated, reflecting the fact that the town belonged to the Military Order of San Juan. The fiesta at the start of the summer coincided in many ways with the end of the agricultural year and the harvest season.

Later, in the 18th century, the faithful in the town were devoted to the cult of San Roque, and the first record of any celebration of Corpus Christi dates from as late as 1884. These were declared civic fiestas by the Town Hall in 1904, and the first official procession took place six years later.

One of the unusual features of the Corpus Christi celebrations in Archena is the preparation of coloured salt carpets over which the procession passes. In the past when the procession was held the tradition was for households to drape their most colourful carpets, blankets and embroideries outside their homes to decorate the route, and on the ground carpets of petals and aromatic plants were created. Nowadays the carpets are made from coloured salt, and are real works of art in the streets of Archena.

Corpus Christi falls 60 days after Easter Sunday, and this year’s fiestas in Archena last from 1st June to the 7th July. This year the program of events includes the following:

Wednesday June 8

21.00: Opening of the medieval camp for the Moros y Cristianos fiestas outside the Colegio Miguel Medina), followed by dinner, a concert by Grupo 40 Duros and hot chocolate at 1.30 in the morning.

Thursday June 9

19.00: Children’s Moros y Cristianos parade followed by entertainment for the youngsters at the Colegio Miguel Medina. Route: Calle Mayor, Calle Ramón y Cajal, Avenida del Carril, medieval camp.

Friday June 10

10.30: The Moorish and Christian emissaries visit social centres and care homes.

20.00: The fairground opens at the the Polideportivo Municipal with a special two-for-the-price-of-one offer on June 10 and June 13.

20.00: Migas competition in the Jardín de Villa Rías and surrounding streets, followed by music until late in the night.

22.00: Musical “chupinazo” parade in the Jardín de Villa Rías.

Saturday June 11

21.00: The main Moros y Cristianos parade. Route: Carretera del Balneario, Plaza 1º de Mayo, Avenida del Carril, Calle Duque de Huete.

Sunday June 12

8.00: 18th annual “Archena Tu Paraíso” country walk, leaving by coach from Plaza 1º de Mayo. Registration and further information at the Centro Cultural Ramón Centenero.

12.00: El Reino del León, children’s musical at the Teatro Villa de Archena. Tickets 5 euros in advance, 8 euros on the door. Available from Centro Cultural Ramón Centenero or entradastotal.com

12.00: The Moorish and Christian emissaries gather, the Moors in Calle Mayor and the Chritians in Calle Ramón y Caja, to parade to the junction of the two streets and the Town Hall. They then move on to the church of San Juan Bautista, accompanied by medieval arquebuses (similar to muskets).

13.30: Floral offering to the Santísimo Corpus Christi by the Moros y Cristianos groups along with the arquebus musketeers at the church of San Juan Bautista.

18.00: The Romería of the Santísima Virgen de la Salud. The figure of the Virgen is taken from the church of the Balneario spa resort to the parish church of San Juan Bautista, where another foloral offering and choral Holy Mass are held. route: Balneario, Carretera del Balneario, Avenida del Carril, Calle Ramón y Cajal, Calle Mayor, Plaza del Príncipe, Parroquia de San Juan Bautista.

19.30: The Virgen de la Salud is welcomed with firecrackers in the Jardín de Villa Rías.

21.30: Enactment of the parley and emissaries of the Moors and Christians in the Jardín Juan Pablo II, followed by the tolling of bells, firecrackers and music.

Tuesday June 14

21.00: Guided tour of the Juan de la Cierva exhibition followed by food tasting at the Museo de Archena. Bookings by Whatsapp on 626 239333, price 5 euros.

Wednesday June 15

13.00: Floral exhibitions created by florists from all over Spain at the Town Hall and the two main churches of Archena.

18.30: Creation of the salt carpets on the route of the Corpus Christi procession.

23.00 The recinto of the peñas (fiestas groups) opens in the playground of the Colegio Miguel Medina.

22.00: Concert by Fanny Hidalgo in the Plaza Primero de mayo.

23.30: Los Happys in concert in the Recinto de Peñas.

Thursday June 16, the feast day of Corpus Christi

10.00: The salt carpets are officially placed on display along the procession route.

11.00: Musical parade featuring the local Santa Cecilia music society, following the procession route.

11.00 to 14.00: The Corpus Family Day event, especially for youngsters, with bouncy castles (for adults as well!). Cartoon characters will be in attendance and music and dancing will be to the fore in the Plaza 1º de Mayo.

11.30: Holy Mass in the Parroquia de San Juan Bautista

12:00: Holy Mass in the Parroquia de Corpus Cristi - La Purísima, followed by a short procession in which a blessing of the town will be offered on the salt carpet created by the parish church.

19.00: Outdoor Holy Mass in the Plaza de la Iglesia Parroquial de San Juan Bautista, held by José Manuel Lorca Planes, the Bishop of Cartagena. Following this, the procession of Corpus Christi sets out from the church to the Iglesia del Corpus Christi-La Purísima across the carpets of salt.

Route: Iglesia de San Juan Bautista, Plaza el Príncipe, Calle Mayor, Calle San Juan, Avenida del Carril, Carretera del Balneario, Calle Siria, Calle Vicente Aleixandre, Iglesia del Corpus Christi-La Purísima.

22.00: Archena Fest, music from Transistores, Malas Pulgas and Desenkanto at the Recinto de Peñas.

23.30: Concert by Sergio Dalma at the venue in Plaza Valle de Ricote. Tickets 15 euros. Misión G in the Plaza 1º de Mayo.

00.30: Fireworks at the Centro Cultural.

Friday June 17

17.00: Foam party in the Jardín de Villa Rías.

20.00: Holy Mass and blessing of the sick at the Parroquia San Juan Bautista.

22.30: Comandante Lara in concert at the venue in Plaza Valle de Ricote. Tickets 15 euros, available from the Ramón Centenero cultural centre or at entradastotal.com.

00.30: Free concert featuring Orquesta La Mundial at the summer cinema.

Saturday June 18

10.30: 10.30: Bicycle ride from the Polideportivo municipal, followed by bike games in the Carretera del Balneario next to Plaza 1º de Mayo. Use of helmet obligatory. At the end of ride, carrera de cintas on a bicycle, prize draw amongst the participants for two bicycles.

14.00: The paella competition of the peñas and a giant paella for all in Avenida Daniel Ayala.

19.00: A new event, the parade of the peñas del vino with a “carroza del vino” (wine float), in the Avenida del Carril.

17.00-22.00: Disco Light Adda Club for teenagers at the Adda Dance Club, admission 3 euros.

22.30: Free concert by Misión G at the summer cinema.

23.00: India Martínez in concert at the venue in Plaza Valle de Ricote. Tickets 10 euros, available from the Ramón Centenero cultural centre or at entradastotal.com.

Sunday June 19

11.30: Traditional choral Mass in honour of the Virgen de la Salud in the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista.

12.30: Magic spectacular for children at the Teatro Villa de Archena with magician Toni Bright. Tickets 5€ in advance, 8€ on the door.

19.30: Carnival-style Corpus 2022 parade, featuring festive floats, music and various troupes, starting in Avenida Antonete Gálvez and ending in Avenida del Carril.

22.00: Concert by La Espartera at the Plaza 1º de Mayo.

Midnight: Fireworks and music at the Colegio Miguel Medina to signal the official end of the 2022 fiestas in Archena.

For more upcoming events in the Costa Cálida visit the What’s On section of Murcia Today.