Programme of festivities in English - see bottom of page for more details.
Press Release from the Town Hall
The Moors and Christians Festivities begin Saturday in Jávea
11.07.2011
The 12 filaes (companies that represent the opposing legions) participating in the Moors and Christians festivities celebrated in Jávea in honour of San Jaime (St. James), are gearing up for this Saturday July 16, when the rocket fire and switching on of lights signal the official inauguration of these festivities, which will fill the Port of Jávea with activities up until Sunday July 24th. The very same Saturday at 10.00 pm, the comparsas will gather at Avenida Jaime I to attend the official presentation of the stars of the festivities; the standard bearers Mar Asenjo Cardona for the Moors and Elisa Buigues Bisquert for the Christian, and the 2011 captains Maria Cholbi Segarra and Ramon Ferrer Santacreu of the Al-Tarik legion. The event will be attended by the President of the Local Board, Francisco Jose Moya, the Councillor for Fiestas, Juan Ortolá and the Mayor of Jávea, Jose Chulvi
On Sunday at 8.30 pm on the Jaime I promenade, the Musical Arts Centre of Xàbia will offer its seventh edition of the festival music concert under the direction of Juan Sanjuan and guest composers. On Tuesday, the festeros (festivity participants) will visit the old town to make an offering to the shrine of San Jaime.
On Wednesday the twelfth edition of the Moors and Christians Street Fair will open to the public on the Calle Triana until Sunday. Also on Wednesday you will be able to witness the blasts of gunpowder in homage to the patron saint and the flower offerings to San Jaime, parading through the streets of the Port with music, en route to the Parish of Loreto. In the evening there will be a fellowship dinner followed by a DJ with dance music.
Thursday July 21 marks the start of the ascent to the climax the festivities. At 9.30 pm the landing of Moors will be staged on the beach of La Grava. Then the two sides will battle for control of the city, there will be a parliaments between embassies until the Christian troops surrender the castle. This will be retrieved 24 hours later on Friday at 9.00 pm, with the Christian re-conquest. Also on Friday, the legion captain Al Tarik will invite all who come to lunch on sardines on the Jaime I promenade. In the evening, the captains will also offer a Batukada (Brazilian percussion parade) by Kabila and a DJ with dance music.
The weekend brings the gala parades and children’s activities such as the free hot chocolate and games. On Saturday 8.00 pm in the Pío V passage, the entry begins, opened by the Christian troops in the following order: Trabuquers, Ballesters, Pirates de Sant Jaume, Cristians del Tossals and Contrabandistes de Xàbia. They will be followed by the crescent moon squadrons: Xíbia, Baharis, Jalufos, Almoriscos, Almoradins, Schaitans and the capitain legion Al-Tarik’s.
On Sunday at 7.00 pm there will be a choir performance of the Xàbia Paso Doble accompanied by all the bands participating in the parade under the baton of David Canet Benavent. At 8.00 pm, the second gala parade will close the festivities followed by fireworks.
