PRESS RELEASE
Running with the bulls returns to the Town Hall square after a 20-year absence
Promoted by the Associació Cultural Taurina de Xàbia (ACTX) as part of the San Sebastian festivities
Javea. Tuesday, 10 January 2012. The Associació Cultural Taurina de Xàbia (ACTX) has promoted the return of the traditional bull-running in the middle of the Old Town after a 20-year absence (the last occasion was in 1992). The running with the bulls event forms part of the traditional celebrations in honour of San Sebastian, the patron saint of Javea, and will be held from Friday 20th to Sunday 22 nd January. A special bull-ring will be set up in the square in front of the Town Hall building as well as in the Plaça de Baix, accommodating about 15 cadafales for the peñas interested in participating. Meanwhile, a bull pen will be mounted between the church and the Celestino Pons square.
According to the Councillor for Fiestas, Juan Ortolá, the initiative has come from the Association, who will be responsible for the organisation of the event as well as covering all expenses. Ortolá also said that the Town Hall has processed the necessary permits as well as insurance and agreed on all the proposals for the event with the local businesses, but insisted that this 'new' festivity will not cost "a single Euro" to the municipality. On the contrary, it is hoped that the celebrations will provide a boost to the old town catering establishments throughout the weekend, when they hope to attract many aficionados to Javea, as the bull-running events in the Region are few and far between during these months.
José Juan Ribes, the president of the ACTX, revealed that his association had been hard at work for nearly four years trying to raise enough money to carry out one of their dreams: the revival of the San Sebastian festivities of yore and the return of bull-running to the centre of the town. Initially, the event will cover only the two squares of Plaça de l'Esglèsia and Plaça de Baix, connected by the two sets of steps, so as not to burden shops and local businesses with an additional cost of buying suitable protection for their windows. Should the revival prove to be a success, then future events will run down towards Calle Primicies. The front door of the church will not be affected and all the entrances will be closed off by the club boxes. The event will begin on Friday 20th January at 5.30pm and 10.00pm ; Saturday 21st January at 12.30pm, 5.30pm and 10.00pm and Sunday 22nd January with at 12.30pm and 5.30pm.
In addition, the organising committee of San Sebastian Patron Saint of Javea will carry out their traditional events. Acording to the spokesperson for the committee, Vicent Salvador, they are set to start this Sunday 15th January at 10.00am with the bicycle race 'Vuelta Ciclista a la Marina' and then on Friday 20th January, the day of San Sebastian, with bell-ringing, a small parade through the town accompanied by the sound of dulzaina and the handing out of traditional cake, and then visits to the two chapels of San Sebastian as well as a solemn mass.
To end the program of festivities, there will be a special children's magic show on Saturday 21st January at 11.00am in the Casa de Cultura. An hour later in the Plaça de Baix the ACTX have organised a half-hour of children's bull-running with 'carretones' (small wheeled trolleys with horns), allowing the younger members of the community to enjoy the bull-running without risks.
Salvador is very excited about the boost that these local festivities will receive thanks to the bull-running. He reminded us that at one point the celebration of the San Sebastian festivities had completely stopped for many years.