The night of fire that opens the door to summer

From Manilva to Nerja, all the coastal municipalities of the province have celebrated the long-awaited arrival of summer. Thousands of Malaga residents of all ages have completed the ritual of bathing on the beach and celebrating around the purifying fire on the shortest night of the year. Lots of people on the beaches of Malaga and on the walks. The bars and restaurants full. The celebration for the rise of Málaga was noticeable and the beaches of the capital did not fill up until late afternoon.

For many it has been an intense weekend of celebration. In fact, on the beaches you could see many young people and adults wearing Málaga t-shirts and with dark circles under their eyes reflecting an endless party, which began on Saturday night with Málaga’s epic rise to the second division. This is the case of María, Pablo, Mateo and Juan, who made a space for themselves in the scarce free space of La Malagueta having just arrived from the promotion celebration. In plastic bags, ice, drinks and snacks “from the Chinese” near the La Malagueta church.

In one of the oases of palm trees and grass, friends and families gathered, still light out, getting ready to have dinner. Groups of people who had wanted to see their team on Paseo del Parque kept arriving along Cánovas del Castillo Avenue. On all the beaches of the capital there are many garbage containers and cardboard boxes, in an attempt to stop the embarrassing images of the day after the party. A Civil Protection post has also been installed in La Malagueta.

As in previous years, the San Juan evening organized by the City Council took place on La Misericordia beach. The A Compás orchestra has animated the crowd gathered at the Glorieta 1º de Mayo starting at 10 pm.

The music and the ‘júa’ are a great attraction and there was a large concentration of people here. This is the case of Mariela and a number of friends of different nationalities. They have been staying on the night of San Juan for several years now. On the floor, on towels, typical foods from different countries. For later, stronger drinks. It reminds Mariela of her party in the countryside of her native Argentina, where dolls were stuffed to burn.

María, Antonia, Juan and Adela had already taken a seat at La Misericordia to listen to the music and see the fires. They live nearby, in the area of ​​Las Delicias and La Luz. Adela expresses the wish that stars in this year’s ‘júa’. “Let the oil go down,” which arouses the unanimity of the friends. “We have to cook with sunflower oil, and it is not the same,” they say.

Under a brand new tent, Patri, Yésica, Virginia, Sergio, Alberto, Pedro and the children Nacho and Dalia waited for night to fall. Patri, eight months pregnant, will wish that everything goes well. And Virginia, approve the opposition for Primary teacher that she did on Saturday.

Around a portable barbecue, Mariela, Camila, Romina and Rafael were preparing something for dinner. They are originally from Paraguay, but they have been in Malaga for some time and they like to participate in the customs of the city that has welcomed them. “At twelve, I bathe, so that it gives us good luck,” Mariela said.

Shortly before midnight a pyrotechnic show began from the Espigón de la Térmica. The fireworks illuminated the sky of Malaga for a quarter of an hour, competing with a moon that looked completely full. This year’s júa, also mounted at La Misericordia, made reference to the price of oil: the creative and Fiestas technician Fernando Wilson has represented two oil tanks and above them the Parthenon, the Olympus of the gods, crowned with the euro symbol. The wish of many present, which Adela expressed: for the price of oil to drop.