Rosabel Tavera | Castelló (EFE) unique in Castelló with scenes of the pilgrimage, the gaiatas, the “dansà”, the gunpowder and the fire.
The city’s Plaza Mayor has welcomed 9,500 people, according to data provided by the Local Police, for one of the most anticipated acts of the Magdalena, although also one of the saddest as it marks the end of the capital’s big week of La Plana.
“Comboi de festa” is the title of the show that reviews the roots and festive traditions of Castellón that the veteran street theater company from Vilarreal has put together to conclude a festival in which good weather and high participation have been the predominant note.
With the square already full, at 8:30 p.m. the sector commissions of all the gaiatas of the city began to arrive, still eager to dance and party and raising the banners with the awards obtained during these festivities to the rhythm of the brass bands that they have provided the tireless soundtrack to the celebrations.
“People were asking for one more week”
The mayoress of Castelló, Amparo Marco, and the councilor for Fiestas, Omar Braina, have received the godmothers and presidents of the commissions who have been followed by several of the folkloric groups that have participated in Magdalena events such as the XXXII Festival International Music Festival, among them, the Ukrainian children’s dance group, who have been received with warm applause.
The mayoress assured that people “were asking for one more week”, and recalled that this act is “also sad”, as it marks the end of the festivities. For Marco, the neighbors were “happy” and “if the neighbors are happy, their mayoress is too.”
Finally, the queens of the festivities, Selene Tarín and Alejandra Sáez, have arrived at the Plaza Mayor, who, after the official reception, have gone up to the balcony of the Town Hall where, minutes later and helped by the pyrotechnician Reyes Martí -in charge of firing the final fireworks-, they have lit the fuse at 9:56 p.m.
the final firecracker
The final race has started quickly from the Plaza Mayor to go through the streets Vera, Gasset, Porta del Sol, Ruiz Zorrilla, Rey en Jaime, Sant vicent, Ronda Millars, Zaragoza, Colón, Enmedio, Puerta del Sol, Trinidad, Ximénez, Plaza de la Paz, Mayor, Plaza Maria Agustina, Sanahuja, San Roque, San Félix, Enmedio and Colón up to El Fadrí.
While the gunpowder toured the main streets of the center of Castelló, the singer from Castellón Bárbara Breva, accompanied by a DJ, has enlivened the wait. The artist had confessed a few hours before her that whenever Xarxa Teatre proposes something to her, she doesn’t know how to “say no”.
So her voice has served as entertainment, covering songs like “Magdalena festa plena”, until at 10:08 p.m. the firecracker has returned to the Fadrí and has started the Vítol show.
El Fadrí, the static symbol of Castelló, has come to life in the form of an animated character and has given way to the queens to stage the end of the festivities to the cry of “Magdalena”, unanimously answered by the public with the “Vítol”.
A review of history and traditions
The narrator has taken the floor again to remember that it was on March 3, 1945 when the Fiestas de la Magdalena were born as they are known today with the first Cabalgata del Pregó. The people of Castellón, he said, “have been faithful to your ancestors”, and “you have been faithful to your traditions that dye Castelló green and turn on festive lights that have become the most solemn song of your festival”.
A choir then took center stage to sing the beloved “Rotllo i Canya”, and then the traditional “dansà” took over, giving prominence to the farmer’s costume, the castanets, the fandango, the Arab bolero and the seguidilla.
The lively Fadrí, once again, has recalled the roots of the festival, and one of its most massive acts and loaded with symbolism and history, the Pilgrimage of les Canyes. To stage this founding of the city, some giant characters have filled the square carrying long canes crowned with ribbons.
Gunpowder, an indispensable ally of the party, has later taken over the square to star in one of the best moments with a musical combination and rhythmic and rhythmic fireworks with the imposing drums of Desperta, Ferro, who have interpreted a melody fully accompanied by the fireworks that were fired from the Co-Cathedral of Santa María.
After remembering the gaiata, the central monument of the festivities and with a final castle of fireworks, the Magdalena 2023 has put an end, “There are 349 days left for the Magdalena of 2024”, could be read printed in the Fadrí.