No 505
Monday, 3rd February, 2014
ORIHUELA A TRIP BACK IN TIME
Tel: 96 673 0057
It promised to be bigger and better and it didn´t disappoint, the 2014 Medieval Market on the streets of Orihuela was the most successful ever, with hundreds of thousands of visitors, tourists and residents alike, taking a trip back in time through the historic city streets. In a dramatic and theatrical style, the opening procession meandered the lanes, led by knights on horseback, followed by their standard bearers, their servants and belly dancers, as well as jugglers, musicians and street performers, before the councillor for festivities, Carolina Gracia, delivered her speech, welcoming, “all who are willing and able to hear, see and understand”, taking them on a verbal journey through the imagined history of the event, addressing “Young men and women of spirit and body, Nobles, Clergy and people”, explaining how the Medieval
Market of Orihuela is representative of the “fairs and markets held from today until the dawn of the day of San Blas, when the main streets and squares of Orihuela, land of Moors, Christians, Jews and many others, in peace and harmony want to be”. Prior to the opening address, the onlookers were treated to a variety of staged shows, with the horses dancing and traditional music playing, before the street theatre actors transformed the cobbles and tarmac into a stage for their presentation. With audience participation and joy on the faces of those watching clear, the Municipal Mayor, Monserate Guillén, officially declared the event open. With a total of 151 different shows and performances running throughout the weekend, including parades, dance, theatre, exhibitions and musical performances, there was hardly any time for the cast of the show to rest, tirelessly working to maintain the reputation of the event as one of the biggest and best in Europe. Continued on Page 6