REGIÓN DE MURCIAREGIÓN DE MURCIA

Index

Introduction

Holy week

Spring festivities

Bando de la huerta

Entierro de la sardina

Introduction

Murcia is in the southeast of the Iberian

peninsula.

It is situated 388kms from Madrid , 75 kms

from Alicante and 220kms from Almería.

The city stands on the banks of the River

Segura.

The climate is dry and temperate with a

yearly average of 17’5 degrees.

1. HOLY WEEK

It takes place on Easter and it is a religious

festival to remember the resurrection of Jesus.

It begins on the Friday before Holy Week and ends

on Ester Sunday.

Brotherhoods with their bearers process through

the city carrying wood-carvings on their shoulders.

It is traditional that members of brotherhoods

hand out sweets, young in their pods and buns with

broad beans with a hard boiled egg nestling in

them.

Costume of each brotherhood has a different

colour

It depends on the day that they process

For example: if they process on Good Friday their

costume will be purple but if they process on Holy

Wednesday it will be red.

2. Spring Festivities

2.1 Bando de la Huerta Two days later of Easter Sunday, Bando de la huerta

starts.

It is a parade in which is reminded the traditions of

people who lived in rural areas of murcia in days gone

by.

It represents the fraternity between city and town

dwellers.

People dress up in the regional costume (see

pictures).

Typical regional costume for women

Typical regional costume for men

This day people enjoy typical dishes and desserts

of Murcia in “barracas”(mock country cottages).

Barracas are set up temporaly in the squares and

garden of the city.

In the parade, you can observe examples of local

craftsmanship and customs.

Some local dishes and desserts:

Michirones (stewed dried beans)

Migas

Arroz con conejo

Zarangollo

Pisto

Leche frita

Naranjas con canela

Paparajotes

2.2 Entierro de la sardina

The spring festivities round off with it.

Entierro de la sardina is a big parade with many

floats through the city streets

Floats are decorated with motifs from mythology.

In this festival, carnival groups, papier maché

giants, big-heads, chinese dragons, strollin players,

torch-bearers, stilt-walkers, jugglers and mountebanks

parade.

Visitors eager to catch one of the novelties and

toys which are thrown from the tops of the floats.

There is also a firewok display .

This night ends up at the Puente Viejo (bridge)

where the Sardine goes up in smoke.