blog alhaurin

The programme for this event has just been released, and as always I give only a summary. However I can provide a street map of the town here, so that you can follow the route if you choose to.

Friday 7th August, 10.00pm at the Parish Church (Plaza Baja) for those that have ‘come of age’ in the last year.

Monday 10th August 9.15pm, Our Lady of Grace leaves the Parish Church and travels to Calle Fuengirola, where she has her first overnight stay. The route of her journey is: Plaza de Perdon, Iglesia, Avda. Alcalde Antonio Solano, Cristo de las Agonias, Plaza Chica, Gerald Brenan, Avda de la Constitución, Torremolinos, Fuengirola. She is accompanied by the band of Santa Vera Cruz (the ‘Greens’) and carried by residents of Calle Fuengirola.

Many of the streets she passes through en route will have been decorated by the residents with plants, foliage and scenes from life and their balconies hung with decorative textiles.

The residents of C/. Fuengirola will have their own bar(s) set up and will party the night away in the street.

Tuesday 11th August 8.30pm Mass in C/. Fuengirola in Honour of our Patron.
9.15pm She travels to the Casa de la Cultura in C/. San Sebastian.
The route is: C/. Fuengirola, Gerald Brenan, Callejon de Lopez, Rosales, Plaza Baja, San Sebastian. She is accompanied by the band of Nuestre Padre Jesus Nazareno (the ‘Purples’).

Wednesday 12th August 8.30pm Mass in the Casa de la Cultura.
9.15pm Our Patron travels from the Casa de Culture to the Centro de Acogida Infantil Ntra. Sra. de Gracia (‘The Nuns’) near the bottom of C/. Albaicin. The route is: Calle San Sebastian, Altillo, Puerta de la Villa, Real, Cruz, Albaicin. The band is Asociación Musical Manuel Amador.

Thursday 13th August 8.30pm Mass in the Centro de Acogida Infantil.
9.15pm Back to the Parish Church for our Patron the Lady of Grace. The route is short: C/. Albaicin, Cilla, Plaza Baja. The band is from the Santa Vera Cruz.
10.30pm In Plaza Baja: Trophies are presented to the winners of various sporting activities and there are performances by:
-Flamenco Choir of Our Lady of Grace.
-Dance School “Lourdes la Flamenca”.
-Group “Los Pioneros”

Friday 14th August 12.00 noon. Pealing of bells indicates rejoicing for the eve of the Day of our Patron.
9.30pm In the Parish Church, a presentation and offering to Our Mother of Grace of all those ahaurinos and alhaurinas born between last years celebration and this.

Saturday 15th August 08.00am Launching of rockets (BOOM BOOM) signal the rejoicing of the Day of our Patron Saint the Virgin of Grace.
11.30am Solemn Eucharist in Honour and Glory of the Patron Saint and Perpetual Mayoress of Alhaurin el Grande.
8.00pm The three bands which accompanied Our Lady on her travels are visiting the Parish Church.

9.00pm Procession of the image of Our Lady of Grace under a canopy from Plaza Baja, San Sebastian, Piedras, Cruz, Real, San Sebastian and back to Plaza Baja and the Parish Church. The procession will include the Queen of the Ferria and Maids of Honour, Mister Feria and boys and girls in typical costumes of the neighbourhoods visited by Our Lady, together with the various bands.

This is an early warning for the next event in our town, the celebration to honour the Virgin of Grace, the town’s Patron.

On the evenings of 10th, 11th and 12th August, the image of Our Lady of Grace will be carried from one neighbourhood of the town to another, staying overnight at each venue. She starts from the Parish Church on the 10th and is carried back there on the evening of the 13th. Well worth seeing. The actual day of Nuestra Señora de Gracia is the 15th August.

As this post is just dates for diaries I will elaborate more nearer the time.

As always I am only providing highlights from the programme, particularly things you are likely to see happening in town. The full programme is available here.

This annual event is organised by the “Purples” and it commenced this year on the evening of  Thursday 18th June, finishing the evening of Sunday 21st.

Thursday evening it was floral offerings to Our Father Jesus of Nazareth at the San Sebastian church from 8.00 pm, which is why, during the evening, you may have seen lots of people heading in that direction bearing huge bouquets of flowers. The Guard of Honour and band were in attendance and you may have seen them in the streets.

Friday evening from 8.30 pm (scheduled) the soldiers and the band of the brotherhood will be in the streets.

11.00 pm. Mass in the Plaza San Sebastian.

12.15 at night.  “Retreat” by the soldiers and band of the brotherhood in the Plaza San Sebastian.

Saturday. 8.00 am. Reveille by the band.

12.00 noon. Ringing of bells and firing of rockets BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.

12.45 pm. Guest band and soldiers arrive.

7.30 pm. Two more bands, from Málaga and Sevilla, join in and all visit the Parish Church in Plaza Baja.

11.00 pm The big Procession. Our Father Jesus of Nazareth leaves San Sebastian Church and travels via C/. Nueva, C/. Callejoncillo, Plaza Alta, Cruz, C/. Real and C/. San Sebastian to Plaza Baja and the Parish Church. Jesus spends the rest of the night in the Parish Church.

These pictures are from the Saturday night of Jesus Day in 2007. The one on the left is the scene outside San Sebastian Church about 11.00 pm. The one below is the start of the procession at about midnight. As you can see, it is very busy as almost the whole town turns out to see the spectacle.

Many of the bars in and around Plaza Baja and Bar Sardina will be open late to accommodate the crowds.

Sunday. 8.30 am. Reveille by the brotherhood band together with one of the guest bands.

11.30 am. Religious Function and Mass in the Parish Church.

1.00 pm. Bands in C/. San Sebastian and C./ Nueva.

7.30 pm. Band in the Plaza Baja. “Retreat”.

8.00 pm. Return Procession. Our Father Jesus of Nazareth returns  from Plaza Baja to the Church of San Sebastian.

Photo taken Sunday 21st June 2009 near Bar Sardina.

The Feria programme finally appeared on Tuesday 26th May, but  as the events do not start until Wednesday evening 27th, it’s considered that it was in plenty of time!

I do not intend to reproduce the whole thing here, just the main times and places.

Wednesday 27th May:

7.00pm. The whole thing kicks off  with rockets, yes the BOOM, BOOM, BOOM type, followed by:

7.30pm. A parade of “Giants and Big Heads” and a couple of bands (great for kids & kids at heart), which starts at Avda. de Andalucia and comes into town via Camino de Coin, C/. Nueva, C/. San Sebastian, then  past Plaza Baja, along C/. Cilla, down Camino de Gerald Brenan, left at the Cruz de la Misíon (Stone Cross), down Ctra. de Cártama and into the Feria Park.

9.30pm. You should by this time have moved to the Feria Park (known as “Feria Ground” among the English), for the official opening of the Feria, with fireworks.

10.00pm. The inauguration of the “Casetta Municipal” and “Caseta de la Juventud”. These “Casetas” are enormous marquees provided by the Town Hall for your entertainment. There are other casetas provided by other organisations

10.30pm. In the Casetta Municipal, the election of the Feria Queen, her Maids of Honour and Mr Feria (last year he was Raul, of Meson el Cobertizo in Plaza Baja).

Then entertainment going on ’till late.

Thursday:

1.00pm. The old folks lunch party in the Caseta Municipal. If you attend the lunch party, please tell us about it on here!

10.30pm. Performance by orchestra “A Compás” and dancing competition for sevillanas, pasodoble and salsa.

12.00 midnight. Concert by María Lozano.

Friday:

10.30am. Official parade of the Feria Queen, Maids and the band of Vera Cruz.

12.00 noon. Mass in the Parish Church (Plaza Baja).

1.00pm. Official inauguration of the Daytime Feria and performances on stage in the Plaza Baja through the afternoon until four ‘ish.

Plaza Baja and surrounding streets (C/. Cilla, C/. San Sebastian, C/. Real and C/. Nueva will be packed with people enjoying food and drink from the outdoor bars. One of the favourites is the Partido Popular bar outside the bank in C/. San Sebastian, as it is usually cheapest!

7.15pm. Rodeo in the bullring at the lower end of the Feria Park. See the posters all over town for more details of this event.

01.00am. Concert in the Caseta Municipal by Medina Azahara. Aimed at the younger people, this will go on late and most likely be very loud if previous years are anything to go by!

Saturday:

11.30am. Feria Queen goes walk-about again with a different band.

1.00pm. Entertainment on stage in the Plaza Baja all afternoon untill four ‘ish. Comments about the outdoor eating and drinking on Friday afternoon apply to Saturday too.

7.00pm. Bullfight in the bullring at the lower end of the Feria Park. See posters for more details.

11.00pm “Music for Everyone” in the Caseta de la Juventud.

01.00am. Entertainment in the Caseta Municipal “El Arrebato”.

Sunday:

7.15am. (How do they do it?) Loose heifers in the bullring. Can’t tell you anything about this, it’s much too early for me. Post an entry here, if you go!

11.00pm. Entertainment in the Caseta Municipal “El Mani”.

01.00am. End of Feria and fireworks.