FOGUERES @ 75 – A History: The 1980s

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.

---

1980s. To be exact, on November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, symbolizing the end of the Cold War and the birth of a new era in Europe. A Europe that welcomed Spain to NATO. A country that celebrated in the football world cup. Do you remember Naranjito? In the 80s, the golden years of Spanish pop, where La Movida Madrileña gave us groups like Alaska and Dinarama, Mecano and where Burning asked themselves: What is a girl like you doing in a place like this? And in Xàbia: changes and renewal: The ‘quintos’ are the new people in charge of organizing the party: the night of the San Juan fires begins in earnest.

🔥 1980 🔥

Barely eighteen months after the ratification by referendum of the 1978 Spanish Constitución, the month of June in 1980 is remembered not just for the Fogueres festivities but also for the less festive acts committed by the Basque terrorist group ETA which planted a series of bombs in tourist resorts along the Mediterranean coast. Jávea became a target; a first device found underwater close to Club Nautica de Jávea was retrieved and deactivated before it could explode but ten days later, three more devices successfully exploded in El Tosalet, in Club de Tenis Xàbia and in La Guardia, causing extensive damage but no casualties.

There was also conflict during the preparations for the 1980 festivities after the president resigned at the end of April, just weeks before the start of the fiesta, and was replaced by José Baño Cruañes. The Fiesta Commission was made up of 16 people who worked hard to try and make the celebrations as successful as possible despite the many problems that they faced on a daily basis.

The Youth Commission, led by Vicent Buigues Alentado and Mª Teresa Cholbi Salinas, was enjoying greater acceptance and in 1980 it was made up of a large group of seventy-three young men and women who were enthusiastic about the fiesta. Many of them, active participants in the festivities for many years, would be part of the first quintadas in charge of organizing the Fogueres.

The programme started on Sunday 15th June with the pregón after which there was open-air dancing in Thiviers. Over the next few days, bull-running took over the streets in Thiviers, Freginal and the centre of the town. The last three days were marked by several processions, including the traditional flower offering to the treasured image of Jesús Nazareno, the offering of grapes and figs to the images of Sant Joan, horse-riding, fire-jumping, a football match – until the final day brought about the burning of the foguera monument in the Placeta del Convent.

Regina del Foc: Ángela Espasa
Regina de la Foguera: Juani Marzal
Regina Xabiera: Fina Costa Sapena
Regina Infantil Foguera: Kika Pedrós Fornés
Regina Infantil Xabiera: Pepa Bas Molina
President Fogueres: José Baño Cruañes
Presidents Juvenils: María Teresa Cholbi Salines & Vicente Buigues Alentado

---

🔥 1981 🔥

In 1981, the local council became much more involved in the organisation of the Fogueres, changing the means of fund-raising to assume that everyone would contribute to financing the fiesta. It was a decision that didn’t last long.

José Baño Cruañes continued as president of the Fogueres Commission which was formed by just eight members, although, in a sign of things to come very soon, they were joined by almost 50 quintos and 20 ladies who made up the Women’s Commission.

Thirty-four young ladies presented themselves for election as one of the three queens. Isabel Cruañes Buigues was selected as Reginal del Foc, María Espasa Vives as Regina de la Foguera, and Toñi Álvarez Picó as Regina Mayor Xabiera. Their proclamation ceremony took place at the football ground and the Spanish group Mocadades, runners-up in the 1973 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Eres tú”, provided the entertainment.

The younger children were represented by the Youth Commission, headed by Vicent Buigues Alentado, and they celebrated their own proclamation ceremony at the Central Cinema where Rosa Mª Torres Catalá was crowned as Regina de la Foguera Infantil and Mª Eugenia Sapena Quero as Regina Xàbiera Infantil.

The festivities began on Monday 15th June with the traditional pregón made from the balcony of the town hall and the following days were, as always, most popular, especially for fans of bull-running and included novelties such a walk across the Montgó, a marathon run through the town, a paella competition and even a motocross competition.

These were followed by the processions, open-air dances, the flower offering and the float parades that many will remember, not because they were so memorable – but because it rained.

Regina del Foc: Isabel Cruañes Buigues
Regina de la Foguera: María Espasa Vives
Regina Xabiera: Toñi Álvarez Picó
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Rosa Mª Torres Catala
Regina Xabiera Infantil: Mª Eugenia Sapena Quero
President of the Commission: José Baño Cruañes
President Juvenil: Vicent Buigues Alentado

---

🔥 1982 🔥

1982 heralded one of the biggest changes in the history of the Fogueres de Sant Joan in Xàbia that would lead to a complete change in the organisation of the fiestas a couple of years later. There was a noticeable lethargy amongst those who were involved in the festivities this year but there was a special event to be held in Xàbia, the Spanish National Sports Pigeon Competition, the King’s Cup, and it was held within the framework of the Fogueres.

A new president, Celestino Ern Mengual, headed up a Fogueres Commission made up of 17 men and 18 women from the Women’s Commision. The election of the three queens was held in the Casa de la Falange in Plaça del Baix and the quintos were handed the task of voting for their prime representatives as is done now. Lola Ivars Cardona was elected as Regina del Foc, Susana Ern Almudi as Regina de la Foguera and Mª José Rodríguez Llamas as Regina Xabiera. Representing the younger members of the community would be Mª Victoria Chorro Buigues as Regina Foguera Infantil and Loli Tortajada Villanueva as Foguera Xabiera Infantil.

The festivities kicked off on Friday 11th June with the proclamation of the queens and live music provided by Dominican singer Ángela Carrasco, most famous for playing Mary Magdalene in the first Spanish version of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’. The National Sports Pigeon Competition was held the following day and the pregón took place on Sunday 13th June.

The foguera monument in Placeta del Convent was dedicated to ecology, a grand design featuring a globe out of which emerged waves and fish pushing up a fishing boat. It had a message: “if we don’t remedy it, we’ll go under”. Things haven’t changed much.

Regina del Foc: Lola Ivars Cardona
Regina de la Foguera: Susana Ern Almudi
Regina Xabiera: Mª José Rodríguez Llamas
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Mª Victoria Chorro
Regina Xabiera Infantil: Loli Tortajada Villanueva
President of the Commission: Celestino Ern Mengual
Presidents Youth Commission: Inmaculada Andrés Vallés & Pedro Luís Cholbi Cardona.

---

🔥 1983 🔥

If the lethargy of 1982 was overcome, the fatigue felt in 1983 proved to be a year of crisis for the organisation of the Fogueres. Those who had been part of the organising committee for many years were tired and, writing in the fiesta magazine, mayor Enrique Bas reflected on the perceived lack of participation in the festivities: “I think that we have not known how to connect the fiesta with the people, or that, in the best of cases, the existing connection does not reach the desirable levels. If the people do not fully participate, if the people do not breathe the fiesta, if the people do not feel the celebration, it lacks its main support.” There needed to be a radical change although this would not be seen until the following year, 1984.

Yet, despite the organisational crisis, the quintos and festeras remember this edition as one of the most memorable moments of their lives. Twenty-nine young ladies put themselves forward for election for the three main representatives and, once again, the votes were cast by the quintà rather than the general public to determine those who would have the honour of being queen.

Ultimately, Maria Luisa Buigues Agrasot was elected Regina del Foc, Toñi Buigues Bisquert Regina de la Foguera and Rosa Maria Cardona Pedrós, Regina Xabiera. The younger members of the community were represented by Ángela Molins Buigues (Regina de la Foguera Infantil) and Sandra Cardona Hammerton (Regina Xabiera Infantil).

The festivities began on Wednesday 15th June following the usual programme of bull-running, open-air-dances, processions, flower offering and the fire-jumping but there was a notable addition, the Día del Turista on Tuesday 21st June. On the final day, the foguera monument in Placeta del Convent was set alight, a design based on pirates which dealt with the issue of money in many different aspects of life, gambling, work, the crisis, unemployment, etc.

Regina del Foc: María Luisa Buigues Agrasot
Regina de la Foguera: Toñi Buigues Bisquert
Regina Xabiera: Rosa María Cardona Pedrós
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Ángela Molins Buigues
Regina Xabiera Infantil: Sandra Cardona Hammerton
President of the Commission: Celestino Ern Mengual
Presidents Youth Commision: Mª Victoria Cardona Cruañes & Vicente Bas Alentado.

---

🔥 1984 🔥

And so came 1984, a huge milestone for the Fogueres in Xàbia which opened the door to a system of organisation that more or less continues to this day. From this year, the quintos and quintas would oversee the planning and preparation of the festivities.

The Fogueres Commission had already resigned and the local council’s solution was to offer the quintos the chance to organise the fiesta. At this time, Spain still operated a policy of compulsory military service – “la mili” – and recruits called up to serve their time had long been referred to as “Quintos”, a name which stems from the early 18th century when an annual quote of 50,000 men was chosen by lot, with one soldier for every five men selected: the “fifth”. Thus, it was a symbolic act to be “called up” by the local council to take charge of the organisation of the fiesta.

By April 1984, boys and girls born in 1965 were brought together to form the first mixed-sex organising committee – Quintà “La Rebolica” – with Jaime Buigues Bisquert and Pepa Sart Cholbi elected as presidents. They had just two month to organise the festivities with little funding and almost no support from the previous organisation, although some quintos had some experience of the world of the Fogueres through their involvement in either the Women’s Commission or the Youth Commission. Their work was exacerbated by the fact that few trusted the youngsters and contributions from residents fell. However, through the sale of lottery tickets and the organization of raffles, they did their best to organise festivities that might have not been as spectacular as before but proved to be very popular.

The election of the queens was made by vote during a meeting of the quintos with Tere Andrés Cardona chosen as Regina del Foc and Charo Torres Espasa as Regina Xabiera. This year, there were just two queens, the alicantina group being abandoned. As for the children’s representatives, Mª Pilar Polvoreda Cardona was chosen to be the Regina de la Foguera Infantil and Mª Teresa Cardona Sivera was selected to be Regina Xabiera Infantil.

On Saturday 9th June, the proclamation ceremony took place which included live music provided by South American group “Rut de Kok” whilst the proclamation of the children’s court featured entertainment from a group of clowns.

Other changes in this landmark year was the change of the bull-running which only took place in the Placeta del Convent on June 19th and 20th, the inauguration of the new football stadium in Freginal, the visit to the port area on the 23rd before the offering of the grapes and figs and the Indult del Ninot, the act of saving a piece of the foguera monument from the flames, determined by selection by the queens. In addition, the penyas were also starting to become more involved in the organisation.

The theme of the foguera monument in Placeta del Convent was “Music Maestro” and featured the figure of a band director alongside several critiques of local politics, including the granting of building permits.

Regina del Foc: Tere Andrés Cardona
Regina Xabiera: Charo Torres Espasa
Regina de la Foguera Infantil: Mª Pilar Polvoreda Cardona
Regina Xabiera Infantil: Mª Teresa Cardona Sivera
Presidents Quintà 1974 “LA REBOLICÀ”: Pepa Sart Cholbi & Jaime Buigues Bisquert

---

🔥 1985 🔥

In 1985, a new key position appeared, the councillor responsible for Fiestas, providing a direct contact between the local council and the quintos, and Rafael Bisquert Vidal would be allocated the position. Monica Cruañes Segarra and Antonio Català Marí were elected as presidents of Quintà 1985 “El Micapà” and Mª Amparo Llidó and José Femenia as presidents of the restored Commission Juvenil.

Twenty-six young women put themselves forward for election to become the highest representatives of the fiesta and Rosana Delhom Codoñer was elected as Regina del Foc and Paqui Galán Gonzalez chosen as Regina Xabiera. The children were represented by Mª Angeles Ros Cardona as Regina Infantil del Foc and Mª Francisca Bas Esteve as Regina Infantil Xabiera.

The proclamation ceremony was held on Friday 7th June and included a performance by “Euroméxico”. The following day, the children’s proclamation ceremony took place and featured a performance by a children’s theatre group.

The pregón took place on Sunday 9th June, fifteen days before the feast day of Sant Joan and the programme didn’t vary much from previous years. The bull-running started on Thursday 13th June, taking place in Thiviers, Freginal, the historic centre and, for the last couple of days, in Placeta del Convent. Afterwards, there came the processions, parades, open-air dances, fire-jumping, all leading to the final day, the Día de Sant Joan.

It was an exhausting day for the quintos which started at 8.00am with the loud despertà whilst the girls did their hair, dressed in the traditional mantillas and waited nervously for the procession to pass by their house to collect them for mass at the church. Afterwards, there was the popular mascletà. Then a football match followed by the float procession. As night drew in, the fiesta concluded with the burning of the children’s foguera monument in Plaça del Baix, the burning of the foguera at CEIP Vicente Tena as well as that in Freginal. Fireworks burst into the night sky and then the central monument in Placeta del Convent was set alight. A year of effort, work and fun came to end.

Regina del Foc: Rosana Delhom Codoñer
Regina Xabiera: Paqui Galán González
Regina Infantil del Foc: Rosana Monfort Cholbi
Regina Infantil Xabiera: Mª Francisca Isabel Bas Esteve
Presidents Quintà “EL MICAPÀ”: Monica Cruañes Segarra & Antonio Català Marí
Presidents Juvenil: Mª Amparo Llidó & José Femenia

---

🔥 1986 🔥

This was the third year that the quintos would be responsible for organising the fiesta and the obligation was taken on by the young men and women born in 1967 and 1968 who formed Quintà 1986 “Els Desculats” who were led by Rosa Vallés Pons and Jaime Roselló Castelló. The Commision Juvenil consisted entirely of girls in 1986.

Forty-seven hopefull young women put themselves forward for election with Mari-Fran Mata Cardona selected as Regina de la Foguera and Maruja Buigues Catala, Regina del Foc whilst Regina Xabiera was Rosa Morell Roselló. The xabiera children’s court was represented by Merche Bisquert Martínez as Regina Infantil de la Foguera whilst the fallerets children’s court was represented by Marí Luz Espasa Segarra as Regina Infantil Fallera. Anabel Devesa Segarra was chosen as Regina Infantil del Foc.

In this year, Thiviers and Freginal celebrated ten years as independent centres of the fiesta and the latter marked the occasion with street decorations and a grand community dinner for the whole neighbourhood.

The proclamation ceremony took place on Saturday 7th June with the pregón scheduled for Thursday 12th June with a special bull-running session in Roquetes. The programme was suspended briefly on Sunday 22nd June to allow residents to cast their votes in the General Election – the PSOE won a second consecutive term with Felipe González remaining as prime minister – but resumed once again at 11.00pm the same day with an grand open-air dance in the Placeta del Convent with music provided by the prestigious Orquesta Mancy from Vinaròs, renowned for playing traditional Spanish fiesta music.

Regina del Foc: Maruja Buigues Catalá
Regina de la Foguera: Mari-Fran Mata Cardona
Regina Xabiera: Rosa Morell Roselló
Regina Infantil del Foc: Anabel Devesa Segarra
Regina Infantil de la Foguera: Merche Bisquert Martínez
Regina Infantil Xabiera: Rosa Mari Caballero Sapena
Reginal Infantil Fallera: Marí Luz Espasa Segarra
Presidents Quintà “ELS ESCULATS”: Rosa Vallés Pons & Jaime Roselló Castelló
Presidents Juvenil: Mª Amparo Llidó & José Femenia

---

🔥 1987 🔥

It was the turn of Quintà 1987 “La Moguda” to organise the fiestas. Headed by presidents Encarna Marzal Cabrera and José Sart Vallés, they had help from a small group of people who had been part of the festivities for some years and returned to offer the advice and opinion from the background. After a brief resurgence, interest in forming a Commisión Juvenil had declined dramatically and only four boys made up the committee in 1987, charged with accompanying their queens and ladies.

Rosana Monfort Gil was chosen as Regina de la Foguera and Ana Llidó Ivars as Regina del Foc and, for the first time in some years, the entire quintà appeared in the fiesta magazine dressed in the traditional festive costumes. The children’s courts were represented by Belén Soler Pardo with the title of Regina Infantil del Foc and by Lucia Segarra Pineda as Regina Infantil de la Foguera.

The festivities began on Saturday 6th June with a parade through the town to the Plaça de l’Esglèsia for the pregón before the foguera riu-rau was inaugurated in Carrer dels Oms, a tradition recovered from the early years of the fiesta which would function as a casal for a couple of years.

This year, the programme of events was suspended for a while on Thursday 18th June – “Corpus Christi” – so as not to interrupt the religious ceremonies that marked this occasion but resumed in the evening with a new addition, the communal penya dinner with live music provided by Orquesta Madrigal. The phenomenon of the penyas continued to gain strength as they collaborated and participated in various events in the programme.

On Tuesday 23rd June, the eve of Sant Joan, there was the usual fire-jumping and eating of roasted beans but one of the more significant acts to emerge was the burning of the old furniture and other junk – Foguera dels Trastos Vells – which was lit in Carrer Colón. These days, the same act takes place a little further out of town in the square in Raval del Baix as the conclusion of the fire-jumping part of this spectacular evening.

Regina del Foc: Ana Lidó Ivars
Regina de la Foguera: Rosana Monfort Gil
Regina Infantil del Foc: Belén Soler Pardo
Regina Infantil de la Foguera: Lucía Segarra Pineda
Presidents Quintà 1987 “LA MOGUDÀ”: Encarna Marzal Cabrera & José Sart Vallés

---

🔥 1988 🔥

As has now become tradition, the embers of the 1987 bonfires were barely out before the young men and women of Quintà 1988 “Als Sabocs” celebrated with great enthusiasm their opportunity to organise the next edition of the festivities. Led by presidents Mª Carmen Sancho Vallés and Federico Climent Gregori, a special commission of twelve young people was formed to ensure that everything turned out as best as possible.

Their responsibilities were not only for the festivities in June for the quintà was also tasked with organising the parade of Los Reyes Magos on January 5th as well as the popular carnival the following month. They also had to select their representatives, the queens. Turis Gisbert Jaramillo was elected Regina de la Foguera and Merche Llidó Cholbi, Regina del Foc. The children’s courts were represented by Mariví Espasa Pons (Regina Infantil de la Foguera) and Teresa Tachó Polvoreda (Regina Infantil del Foc).

A gala dinner was celebrate in May, a tradition that continues to this day, and on Saturday 4th June, the proclamation ceremony took place. The rest of the programme followed a familiar vein: bull-running, open-air dances, parades and processions.

The quintà also collaborated with the monument designers to erect the two fogueras, the central monument in Placeta del Convent and the children’s monument in Plaça del Baix. However, an “incident” between quintos and some of the residents in Plaça del Baix forced the move of the children’s fire to a location in Carrer Escola next to the garden of L’Oreto, next to Restaurante Trinquet. Fortunately, the fiesta ended without any further “issues”.

Regina del Foc: Merche Llidó Cholbi
Regina de la Foguera: Turis Gisbert Jaramillo
Regina Infantil del Foc: Teresa Tachó Polvoreda
Regina Infantil de la Foguera: Mariví Espasa Pons
Presidents Quintà 1988 “ALS SABOCS”: Mª Carmen Sancho Vallés and Federico Climent Gregori

---

🔥 1989 🔥

It was the turn of Quintà 1989 “Els Estorats”, composed of young men and women born in 1971, to organise the festivities and the hard work began from the moment the last few embers were extinguished at the end of the previous year. The first step of any quintà is to choose their presidents and Mayte Morant Cholbi and Juan Francisco Torres Ferrer were given the honour of heading the organising committee.

As before, in addition to making the preparations for the Fogueres, the young people had to take on the responsibility of organizing the parade of Los Reyes Magos and the nativity scene as well as the carnival the following month before all efforts can be concentrated on the great Sant Joan festivities.

As for the main representatives for 1989, Inés Bolufer Berenguer was elected Regina de la Foguera and Cati Leyda Ern, Regina del Foc whilst the children’s court would be represented by Mª Dolores Bolufer Costa, Regina Infantil de la Foguera, and Leonor Puig Santacreu, Regina Infantil del Foc.

Once again, the programme of events followed a familiar format with the bull-running opening up the festivities. It is an event that is always most anticipated by the quintos for the fun and excitement that it brings but in 1989 there was a little incident when Inés Bolufer, Regina de la Foguera, broke her arm, meaning that she became the first queen to wear a cast at all the subsequent acts (see the photos above) but without ever losing her smile.

A few additions to the normal programming included a Vila de Xàbia Walking Tour, greatly attended and appreciated, and the fourth edition of the gathering of the Valencian Music School of the Marina Alta which featured a performance by the singer Paco Muñoz. In addition, a raspall competition amongst penyas was held in Carrer Jesús Nazareno, recovering one of the festive traditions that had been lost and was so important in the early days, whilst musicians serenaded the high representatives outside their homes.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the importance of the penyas in taking on the responsibilities of organizing some of the events was acknowledged when their images appeared in the fiesta magazine for the first time.

Regina del Foc: Cati Leyda Ern
Regina de la Foguera: Inés Bolufer Berenguer
Regina Infantil del Foc: Leonor Puig Santacreu
Regina Infantil de la Foguera: Mª Dolores Bolufer Costa
Presidents Quintá 1989 “ELS ESTORATS”: Mayte Morant Cholbi & Juan Francisco Torres Ferrer

---