Fogueres 75: New book highlights last 25 years of the biggest party in Xàbia
The second volume continues the story from 2000 after the first was published to celebrate 50 years in 1999.
With just days to go before the formal presentations kick off the 2024 edition of the Fogueres de Sant Joan in Xàbia, the excitement and anticipation was elevated a little higher with the presentation of a special book to mark the 75th anniversary of the festivities, one which tells the story of the last 25 years.
On Wednesday evening, the plenary hall of the town hall was filled with local authority representatives, members of the Fogueres Commission and 75th Anniversary Commission as well as the residents of the town interested to commemorate this special occasion.
The new volume is a continuation of the story of the Fogueres first published in 1999 for the 50th anniversary of the festivities, released to mark the 75th anniversary and capturing an addition quarter of a century of history and tradition.
The authors, Aurora Ferrer and Verónica Blasco, explained how the book is divided by year, telling the details and stories that have been experienced in each edition, including the change of location of events and the difficulties of adapting the celebrations to the circumstances of construction or economic crisis. They also highlighted the difficulties in locating photographs that showed the real festivities, despite new technologies.
The book also includes four articles written by Vicent Chorro, Joan Bou, Aitor Mahiques and Isabel Català, which tell the story of the festivities and music during the festivities.
Those in attendance were able to enjoy a preview of the book on a big screen that complemented the presentation, enjoying some of the most iconic images captured during the past 25 years.
The councillor responsible for Fiestas, Mavi Pérez (CPJ), highlighted the important of preserving and documenting the history of the Fogueres de Sant Joan de Xàbia, not only as an act of celebration but also as a legacy for future generations. “We have recovered great photographic and audiovisual documents that show the great tradition and enthusiasm of a town for its fiestas.”
The book can be purchased on local bookshops and is priced at 10 euros. The first volume, covering the period 1950 to 1999 is also available online here at the Municipal Archive website.
