An emotional year for Xàbia, 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the beginning of the Fogueres de Sant Joan, a fiesta that has become arguably the biggest party of the year. Two books have been published, the first in the year 1999 to celebrate the 50th anniversary and the second in 2024 to bring the history of the fiesta up-to-date. Here we provide a summary translation from the information provided in both books to tell the history of the Fogueres.
The 1950s saw television reach homes, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony become a symbol of freedom and human brotherhood and when Elvis Presley become the King of Rock by exceeding 127 million copies sold. These are the first years of Fogueres in Xàbia, when the fiesta that we know today begins with events such as the cremà, the mascletà, the fires, the first traditional costumes and when we first heardrthe Pasadoble ‘Fogueres’. In the 50’s Hollywood experienced the Golden Age of Cinema with such well-known stars as James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, protagonists of some of the best films.
🔥 1950 🔥
The first Fiesta Commission was formed by a group of friends in the shade of an elm tree in the Placeta del Convent, local people who had the enthusiasm and spirit to organise the first ever Fogueres de Xàbia which would dedicated to San Bartolomé and San Juan Bautista.
They had just under three months to organise the festivities and several working groups were formed to develop the various events, coordinated by an Executive Committee which had Francisco Bas Pastor at the helm as President. Different groups were handed different responsibilities: there was a group for organising a programme of events, another charged with promoting the fiesta, one for raising money through lotteries and raffles, and a commission of artistic advisors who would conceive the idea of the first ever Foguera monument. In a short while, an ambitious programme was drawn up which was welcomed with great enthusiasm by both residents and visitors to the town.
Eleven young women made up the first court, wearing traditional Valencian dress and becoming the centre of attention during the fiestas. From them, Maria Teresa Calzada Rubio was elected Fogueres Queen whilst Gerturdis Tena Sendra was chosen as the children’s representative.
The official booklet featured photos of the Fiesta Commission, the court and the children’s representatives, a witty explanation of the Fogueres and other collaborations. A programme of events was also published which consisted of Valencian pilota featuring some of the best players of the day, nightly verbenas with the local band providing the music and the running with the bulls. As they are now, the final three days were the most intense with presentations, parades, concerts, fireworks, a flower offering and the fiery conclusion of the burning of the monuments.
The central monument was built in record time and became the central feature around which the whole fiesta revolved. Even then, its design was critical of the situation at the time. Topped by a giant fig, it was entitled “Quan caura eixa bacora?“, which translates to “When with that fig fall?” and is said to have referred to the construction of the port, a demand which stretched back more than a century. It also dealt with the problem of uprooted orange trees and the need to clean and prepare the beaches as well as other local issues. It was well-received by the local people.
Date: Sunday 18th June – Saturday 24th June 1950
Regina de la Foguera: Maria Teresa Calzada Rubio
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Gertrudis Tena Sendra
President of the Commission: Francisco Bas Pastor
75th Anniversary Presentation – 9th June 2024
🔥 1951 🔥
Buoyed by the great success of the first year, the Fiesta Commission, once again led by Francisco Bas Pastor, was handed a budget of just over 39,000 pesetas and again it was divided into working groups responsible for different organisation tasks: fundraising, street decoration, accommodation, and the creation of the monuments.
There was great enthusiasm for the fiesta and consequently there were two grand monuments, one in the Placeta del Convent and a second in the Plaça de l’Ajuntament in front of the town hall. In addition, some acts spread away from the central location in the Placeta del Convent to include the rest of the town.
The queens were elected on the 21st June. This year, there would be three, one main Queen and one for each monument. They were chosen by popular vote, the ballots handed out with the tickets for the presentation which kicked off the festivities. Twelve young women put themselves forward and the results were announced on the evening of the 21st. Teresa Ivars Salva was crowned Regina de la Foguera whilst Rosa Torres Gimeno was elected as Reina de la Foguera de la Placeta and Elena Soler Roselló as Reina de la Foguera de la Plaça. In addition, Pascualira Sapena Gual was announced as Reina de la Foguera Infantil.
In addition to the official Fogueres book, a magazine entitled Fogueres was published which included the programme of events, local news, and articles extolling the delights of the fiestas and the natural wonders of Xàbia.
The programme opened with the running of the bulls. On the 22nd, the parade to select the image on the children’s monument to be saved from the flames – the indult del ninot – took place during the morning before a flowering offering to the image of Jesús Nazareno which included a parade to the blue-domed church of Calvario.
On the 23rd, there was a procession to lay an offering of grapes to the images of Sant Joan in Carrer Cups and Carrer La Teuleria and in the evening, the bonfires of Sant Joan were lit around which the people danced with garlands and handfuls of roasted beans. The 24th culminated with the burning of the three monuments.
The main monuments were designed by local artist Vicente Bisquert. The one in the Placeta del Convent was built around a globe on which the seven deadly sins were represented and an eighth incorporated: war. The one in front of the town hall dealt with the misfortunes of the farmers with their harvests and was topped by an image of tio del cabàs, a neighbour who filled his bag at the expense of other people’s fruit.
Regina de la Foguera: Teresa Ivars Salva
Regina de la Foguera de la Placeta: Rosa Torres Gimeno
Regina de la Foguera de la Plaça: Elena Soler Roselló
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Pascualira Sapena Gual
President of the Commission: Francisco Bas Pastor
75th Anniversary Presentation – 9th June 2024
🔥 1952 🔥
The third edition of the Fogueres Xàbia was much-anticipated and the Fiesta Commission grew in size as more people came forward to assist with the organisation of the festivities. With a new president at the helm – Francisco Marí Moll – the committee was once again split into groups with unique responsibilities: fundraising, programming, processions, bull-running, sports, costumes, explosives, street decorations, accommodation, painting and the monument builders amongst them.
Once again, the three Queens were chosen by popular vote – Reina del Foc Antonia Carrió Barrera, Reina de la Foguera de la Placeta Teresa Salva Leyda and Reina de la Foguera de la Plaça Pepa Diego Marzal – with Carmen Soler announced as the junior queen.
The programme of events didn’t vary much from the previous year but did include the premier of the pasadoble Fogueres written by maestro Gonzalo Ortola with lyrics by Vicent Mengual and Francesc Salvador in the Placeta del Convent. These days, one cannot imagine the Fogueres de Sant Joan without this rousing anthem.
Once again, the official book was accompanied by the magazine Fogueres in which the progress of municipal works was highlighted. This was the year that the drinking water distribution network was laid out whilst work on the port harbour had begun. In addition, improvements were being made to the coast and the zone between Duanes and L’Arenal began to be urbanised with plans to extend further to Cala Blanca.
The two main monuments were created with plenty of local criticism. The monument in the front of the town hall was presided over by a large octopus which represented modern life with its advantages and disadvantages emerging from its tentacles. That of the Placeta del Convent was dedicated the local music band with a big bass drum from which other instruments emerged, expressing a regret at the disappearance of this institution due to neglect.
Regina de la Foguera: Antonia Carrió Barrera
Regina de la Foguera de la Placeta: Teresa Salva Leyda
Regina de la Foguera de la Plaça: Pepa Diego Marzal
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Carmen Soler
President of the Commission: Francisco Marí Moll
75th Anniversary Presentation – 9th June 2024
🔥 1953 🔥
The fourth edition of the Fogueres Xàbia saw a return to just one monument, located in the Placeta del Convent, a decision by the Fiesta Commission which caused great consternation from residents living in the heart of the historic centre. Yet, despite the grumbles, the enthusiasm for the festivities continued to grow and the budget reached just over 52,000 pesetas of which the local council contributed just 4,000 pesetas.
Francisco Marí Moll continued as president and the two main queens were selected from fifteen young women, Teresa Sart announced as Reginal del Foc and Fina Ribes as Regina de la Foguera, with Isabel Cubino Teruel declared as Regina de la Foguera Infantil.
In addition to the official book, the Fiesta Commission published two issues of a magazine entitled Montgó which details the activities and news of interest about the festivities, the first edition coming out in March and the second in April.
This year, the programme of events included a mass and procession dedicated to Sant Llúis Gonzaga on the 21st as well as the nightly verbenas which were held in the Placeta del Convent, the church square and Raval de la Mar, now part of Thiviers.
The monument in the Placeta featured the theme of time with a demon standing over a clock carrying a scythe, leaving residents to ask whether it represented new or old time.
Regina del Foc: Teresa Sart
Regina de la Foguera: Fina Ribes
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Isabel Cubino Teruel
President of the Commission: Francisco Marí Moll
🔥 1954 🔥
Francisco Bas Pastor returned for a third year as president of the Fiesta Commission and he could work with a slightly larger budget of 54,264 pesetas which included a 5,000 peseta contribution from the local council.
In a change from previous editions, the Reginal de la Foguera Infantil was proclaimed on the 16th accompanied by a special court of honour made up of 30 boys and girls. The election of the Queens took place on the 19th with Fina Cruañes being chosen as Reina del Foc and Susana Almudí as Reina de la Foguera from twelve young women.
The Fogueres official book was published with a full programme of events and with an invitation for people to come and visit Xàbia and admire its beauty. In addition, the Corpus Christi celebrations were also included in the programme since they coincided with the Fogueres festivities.
Once again, there was only one monument in Placeta del Convent created by artist Vicent Bisquert with the assistance of several collaborators, including renowned sculptor Joan Devesa. The monument dealt with the topical issue of the moment, the increase of consumerism and the daily cost of living as well as the increase of tourism during the summer and the significant economic weight it was having on the town, where the agricultural sector still dominated. The children’s monument was installed in Plaça del Baix and created with dolls and meticulously elaborated details.
Regina del Foc: Fina Cruañes
Regina de la Foguera: Susana Almudí
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Elena López
President of the Commission: Francisco Bas Pastor
75th Anniversary Presentation – 9th June 2024
🔥 1955 🔥
A new president was elected, José Català Signes, and a new format was used to present the election and proclamation of the senior queens which took place over two evenings in the Teatre Espinós (now the car-park for Restaurante Trinquet, although there is clear evidence of the site’s former use).
The presentation of the Regina de la Foguera Infantil Mercedes Serra Climent took place on the night of the 18th whilst the presentation of the senior queens took place later with Virtudes Catala proclaimed as Regina del Foc Ventura Serrat as Regina de la Foguera.
The official book was published alongside the programme of events which, this year, were only dedicated to Sant Joan Baptista. Although following a similar format to previous year, there were several new additions, including two football matches and traditional Valencia pilota games. The verbenas were in the church square in the heart of the historic centre as well as the Placeta del Convent.
The theme of the monument proved to be a curious mixture of the supposed existence of treasure buried deep in the mountain of Montgó, the central motif, with reference also made to to illiteracy due to school absenteeism and the lack of solidarity of residents in giving accommodation to the musicians. In the end, it was the dream of the rewarded farmer who saw his labours rewarded with an abundant, well-paid harvest.
Regina del Foc: Virtudes Catala
Regina de la Foguera: Ventura Serrat
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Mercedes Serra Climent
President of the Commission: José Català Signes
75th Anniversary Presentation – 9th June 2024
🔥 1956 🔥
Funding concerns hampered preparations for the seventh edition as it seemed that a sense of fatigue began to set in. The Fiesta Commision was headed by José David Bolufer with Amparo Diego proclaimed as Regina del Foc and Gertrudis Sivera as Regina de la Foguera, who were accompanied by a court of honour for the first time. Francisca Bañuls Sapena was proclaimed as Reginal de la Foguera Infantil a couple of days earlier.
The Fogueres magazine featured different articles about local institutions as well as praise for the municipality as a great attractions for visitors. The programme of events included the feast day of Sant Lluís and football matches, replacing traditional Valencian pilota games, in which the senior queens would carry out a symbolic kick-off.
This year, a statue of Sant Joan Baptista was commissioned with local sculptor Joan Devesa which was blessed during the festivities and place in its chapel inside the church of San Bartolomé.
The monument in Placeta del Convent featured a farmer carrying an orange, referencing the frosts that they often suffered, whilst also dealing with social issues such as the modest courtships of the past, the pensions that the oldest received, and the need for communal gardens.
Regina del Foc: Amparo Diego
Regina de la Foguera: Gertrudis Sivera
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Francisca Bañuls Sapena
President of the Commission: José David Bolufer
🔥 1957 🔥
The Fiesta Commission, headed once again by José Català Signes, decided to participate in the May festivities dedicated to the town’s treasured image of Jesús Nazareno to give more atmosphere due to the little support it was receiving. The representatives wore the traditional dress known locally as the xabiera which was used by the dance group.
This year, the main positions of the Fogueres were chosen before the festivities began. Gertrudis Tena Sendra was proclaimed as Regina del Foc, eight years after holding the position of children’s queen in the first ever edition of the celebrations. Francisca Ribes Catala was proclaimed as Regina de la Foguera whilst M. Rosa Crisóstomo Buigues was Regina de la Foguera Infantil.
The monument in Placeta del Convent dealt with two important town planning issues in Xàbia at the time: the narrowing of Avinguda del Port, both in the town and in the port zone, and the perceived distance between the neighbourhood of Freginal and the centre of town which required the implementation of a flight path between the two to bring them closer!
Regina del Foc: Gertrudis Tena Sendra
Regina de la Foguera: Francisca Ribes Catala
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: M. Rosa Crisóstomo Buigues
President of the Commission: José Català Signes
75th Anniversary Presentation – 9th June 2024
🔥 1958 🔥
A definite fatigue was felt during preparations for the ninth edition of the Fogueres, not helped by the disaster of the great flood of October 1957 which destroyed many houses and buildings in the old town and the port, washing away bridges, killing livestock and ruining harvests. Twenty-nine families lost everything.
Consequently, there was little enthusiasm for the organisation of the celebrations until Vicent Bisquert Riera stepped forward at Easter and rallied a group of young people to carry on the festivities and not allow them to disappear. Time was limited, they had just a few months to raise money and organise events.
This year, only a Fiesta Commission was established, there was neither Queens nor Presidents elected, no Children’s Commission was formed, an official Fogueres book wasn’t published. Even so, they managed to create a programme of events similar to previous years with a reduced budget of 34,000 pesetas.
The modest monument in Placeta del Convent was created in record time by Vicent de Gràcia which bore the motto “Pensat i Fet” and featured a man holding a great umbrella that was a clear reference to the storms that devasted much of the town the previous year.
Regina del Foc: –
Regina de la Foguera: –
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: –
President of the Commission: –
🔥 1959 🔥
The Fiesta Commission hastily put together to organise the 1958 edition remained and they now had a whole year to raise funds and organise the celebrations. Bonaventura Buigues Costa was elected as President and he gave the necessary push to achieve a budget of 104,000 pesetas. During a very emotional evening at the Teatre Espinós, Virtudes Catala Buigues was elected as Regina del Foc whilst Pepa Bas Blasco was proclaimed as Regina de la Foguera. The Children’s Commission was also formed and Remedios Castell Catala was elected Regina de la Foguera Infantil.
The official book featured the main positions of the Fiesta Commission as well as the Queens and their Courts of Honour. As part of the programme of events, a football match proved to be a popular act, well-attended by residents, whilst the float parade was also expanded, featuring groups of friends who made their own displays.
The monument in Placeta del Convent was created by Vicent Bisquert Riera, suitably critical of the local and society issues of the day and crowned by a globe on top of which a young woman was dancing with a hula-hoop.
Regina del Foc: Virtudes Catala Buigues
Regina de la Foguera: Pepa Bas Blasco
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Remedios Castell Catala
President of the Commission: Bonaventura Buigues Costa