As every year, the traditional Burial of the Sardine on Ash Wednesday marked Mojácar’s end of Carnival time and the start of Lent.
After Holy Mass and the sacred imposition of ashes at the Santa María Church, the town’s residents gathered at the Centro de Usos Múltiples to accompany the deceased sardine on the road to its final destination at the Plaza Nueva.
The light-hearted funeral procession, attended by local officials, included much weeping and wailing, with the Town Band providing a musical medley along the way. No-one wanted to miss either, after such an outpouring of grief, the reviving treat of chocolate and churros, served to everyone courtesy of the local Council.
Mojácar’s Carnival weekend kicked off with a fun, multicoloured parade with the Bartolomé Flores schoolchildren dressed in historical costumes from over the centuries, with the staff attired in outfits from more modern times. They made their way from their classrooms to the Plaza del Frontón, accompanied by some of their favourite TV and movie characters.
The “Garabatos” nursery children also joined in the celebrations dressed as cute little polar bears and penguins with their staff dressing up as Eskimos. They followed this on their own float as special guests as part of the spectacular Saturday parade along the beach road, much to the delight of those gathered for the event.
Another group of special guests, after years of absence, was the local Third Age Pensionistas group, also on their own float, that made the journey which ended at the Parque Comercial. It is an event that every year sees more people joining in with extra stunning floats and costumes that pulls together the youngest to the most senior, along with dance schools and clubs.
After the parade, the choreography contest saw Garrucha’s “Reina Entre Volantes” taking first prize with the “Ilusión de Carnaval” troupe in second place, before the party continued later at the Carnival Dance to the sounds of Melodías.
