The Bando de la Huerta, which takes place in the heart of Murcia, is one of the most important days for most Murcians. It transforms the city center into a vibrant celebration box. In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about this beautiful event!
Table of Contents
- Bando De La Huerta: An Incredible Party In The Murcia Region
- The Most Important Day Of The Fiestas De Primavera
- Origins and Meaning
- Bando De La Huerta 2023
- Bando de La Huerta: An Unmissable Celebration!
- Enjoy Your Private Paradise in Villa Murcia!
The Most Important Day Of The Fiestas De Primavera
The Bando de la Huerta is one of Murcia’s most important and traditional festivities. It is part of the Fiestas de Primavera (Spring Festival) and takes place the week following Holy Week, marking the beginning of spring.
Bando da Horta (In Spanish) is celebrated on the first Tuesday after Holy Week, the first Tuesday after Easter. It is a day of celebration of Pomeranian traditions, closely connected with the city’s history. At this time of the year, the city buzzes and takes all its cultural roots and festive eccentricities to the streets.
It consists of a parade of oxen-drawn carts and stalls from where participants, known as “huertanos,” hand out flowers to spectators. After a floral offering to the Virgin of Fuensanta, this cavalcade begins with folk groups through the city’s streets. The entire city and the orchard participate in this festival, either by parading or as an audience.
Origins and Meaning
The Bando De La Huerta originated in the nineteenth century, more precisely in 1851, when it emerged as an initiative of young people from Murcian high society. Initially, it was conceived to satirize the peasants of the Huerta place, during the last day of the Murcia carnival. At that point, the parade commenced at the Plaza de Toros de San Agustín, with majos riding horses at the front. They were accompanied by a horse embellished with hands, vegetation, veggies, and many people dressed in conventional costumes.
As time passed, the initial intention of mockery disappeared, remodeling the Bando de la Huerta. It turned into a party that honors the traditions and agricultural subculture of the place. Since then, the event has gone through numerous stages and interruptions, precisely because of historical problems, including the Santa Teresa flood in 1879 and the Spanish Civil War.
From 1967 onwards, the Bando de La Huerta embraced new traditions, incorporating a chain of cultural initiatives and periodical courses. It turned into one of the most popular fiestas in Murcia, celebrated with enthusiasm and annual innovation.
Bando de la Huerta has been a Festival of International Tourist Interest since 2012.
Activities and Attractions
During Bando de la Huerta, the streets of Murcia transform into a large stage for various activities and events that attract both locals and tourists.
Traditional Parade
One of Bando de la Huerta’s highlights is the traditional parade, which fills the streets of Múrcia with colors and joy. Richly decorated floats parade through the city, often adorned with flowers, palms, and agricultural products. Participants wear traditional orchard costumes, including a rounded skirt and embroidered blouse for women and socks, poncho, and skirt for men. The parade celebrates agricultural heritage and promotes a sense of community and cultural pride.
The Bando de la Huerta parade has its children’s version, which is usually celebrated on the afternoon of Ressurreição Sunday and in which the little ones recreate the older people parade, also counting with several floats and giving a nice moment to spectators.
Musical Culture
Folk music and dance play a central role in Bando de la Huerta. Throughout the event, folk groups animate the streets of Múrcia with vibrant presentations of jotas, malagueñas, and other traditional rhythms. These groups preserve traditional music and dance and adapt to maintain interest and cultural relevance. Live music creates a festive atmosphere, inviting everyone to participate and celebrate the cultural roots of the region It’s for all ages. Everyone is so kind and receptive!
It Is For All Ages!
The Bando de la Huerta is an inclusive festival for all groups of ages. For children, there is an area with activities designed for them, such as traditional games, craft workshops, and interactive shows. These activities are not just entertaining but also educating the children about the cultural traditions of Murcia, making sure that the more youthful generations keep a bond with their history. Offering a varied program, the occasion ensures that the whole family can revel in and participate in the celebrations.
Traditional Food
The Bando de la Huerta parade is a perfect opportunity to present visitors to these lands’ proud harvests. Legumes, fruits, and vegetables are distributed on the floats, while stalls across the city offer local cuisine, including traditional foods such as Zarangollo, Ensalada Murciana, meat pastry, and tapas.
Tradition And Political
Since the origins of this celebration, it has the tradition of imitating the way countryside people speak. This is done by reading the official announcement in verse to describe the program of the festivities.
The moment is usually used to criticize some political issues in a humorous way, making it an entertaining start to the party. Knowing the peculiar twists of the Murcian dialect will help you better understand the essence of these celebrations.
Furthermore, exhibitions and fairs of crafts, agricultural products, and animals reflect the diversity and cultural richness of the Huerta Murciana.
Bando De La Huerta 2023
In 2023, I was in Murcia and witnessed the spring fiestas and the Bando de la Huerta.
The Bando de la Huerta itself was celebrated with great enthusiasm on April 11th. It’s incredible how many people the event attracts. Everyone stops to take part in the festivities wearing typical regional costumes, such as the Huertano and Huertana costumes.
The celebrations started early, with the traditional “Misa Huertana” held in front of the baroque façade of Murcia’s Cathedral. This was followed by a procession in honor of the Virgen de la Fuensanta, the city’s patron saint. Thousands of Murcian people and visitors, dressed in traditional Murcian clothes, escorted the Virgin on a short walk around the city centre. After the religious acts, the party spread to the city’s squares and gardens, where the streets were filled with music, typical food, and a wonderful, very welcoming festive atmosphere.
The parade, which is the festival’s highlight, began at 5:00 pm on Avenida San Juan de la Cruz and passed through several central streets, including Calle Mozart, Alameda de los Capuchinos, and Gran Vía Salzillo, ending at Plaza Juan XXIII. Around 1,500 people participated in the parade, distributed in 60 carts that displayed various cultural representations and traditions of the region.
In addition to the parade, the program included a series of parallel activities, such as traditional dances and the “Tronaera,” an artificial firework show that leaves the sky all colorful. This was a wonderful event in front of the Ayuntamiento. The city was busy all day, and as I was with my family and children in the group, we had a great experience finding a wide range of entertainment for all ages.
Bando de La Huerta: An Unmissable Celebration!
The festivities occur around the city, where colorful parades pass by an enthusiastic audience, all dressed in traditional costumes. It was fantastic to enjoy with friends and family and to take advantage of the hours of festivities, enjoying typical foods such as broad beans and a variety of fruits. If you ever think about spending your holidays in Spain, be sure to consider Murcia during this festival — you won’t regret it!
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