2 minute read
Inthe air Visit to Valencia Carnival returns
VELEZ MALAGA’s longawaited carnival returned on Saturday, February 11 after a more than twoyear hiatus due to the pandemic. The lengthy absence of the town’s carnival only seems to have made revellers more creative as the streets filled with incredibly costumed carnivalgoers.
People of all ages gathered in vibrant costumes, from fairground themed outfits to elves and fairies along with huge accessories and floats including an enormous galacticallythemed whale! Not even strong winds could put festival goers off after two years without carnival, the town’s streets were rapidly filled with lengthy processions and marching bands.
The biggest parade of the carnival also took place on Saturday, finishing in the Plaza de Las Carmelitas where carnivalgoers were awarded prizes for the most inventive costumes in several different categories including for children, couples and large groups of more than nine people.
This year’s carnival concluded with a community meal of paella in the San Francisco Market which saw hundreds of people come together to socialise and soak up the carnival atmosphere on Sunday, February 12.
LOVE was all around in the last week in Torre del Mar as the town celebrated Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, February 14. A love themed photocall arrived in the town, offering couples and friends a chance to record their memories of a special date.
The photo opportunity featured a red campervan lit up by a lights display and a lighting message reading ‘I love you’.
The unique design will remain in the town centre until tomorrow, Friday, February 17, to allow all that want to get a photo or to soak up the loving atmosphere the chance to do so.
The deputy mayor of VélezMálaga and councillor for Tourism, Jesús Atencia Pérez announced the initiative saying, “Although it is not an official holiday, Valentine’s Day is an impor tant holiday for many couples in our town and across the world, so we wanted to give them a memory of this special day.”
A range of local businesses also felt the love over the last week with restaurants offering Valentine’s Day meals and offers on gifts.
HOLY WEEK might still be a little way off, but preparations in Almuñecar are already underway. The town launched its official Holy Week poster last week, eight weeks before celebrations begin.
Holy Week is an important celebration across Spain due to Catholic traditions, but particularly in Andalucia where the week before Easter has been declared an important cultural heritage event.
Almuñecar is no different, with 16 different processions around the town led by different ‘brotherhoods’ of faith. Each of the processions commemorates a different stage of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, with intricately decorated ornaments and platforms.
The streets of the town are filled with heartfelt devotion during this week as locals and visitors express their Catholic faith.
This year’s design is an image of a statue of Jesus dramatically lit to show the significance of Holy Week.
