The Bonfires of Alicante Showcase Their Origins Until the Civil War

A mere three years remain until the Bonfires of Alicante, officially named les Fogueres de Sant Joan, celebrate their centenary. Before reaching this milestone, the Municipal Archive of Alicante is reviving the origins of the city's official festival with an exhibition at its headquarters.

In the windows of the Archive on Labradores Street, as well as inside, the bonfires and barracas are already set up. They are presented through explanatory panels and also through a display of sketches, posters, photographs, and 'llibrets' dated between 1928—the founding year—and 1936, when the civil war interrupted les Fogueres.

Under the theme, 'The Origins of the Bonfire Festival (1928-1936)', the Municipal Archive of Alicante showcases the most important heritage treasure of les Fogueres, carefully safeguarded by this municipal body. With this, the common front that the entity has established with the rest of the province is also celebrated.

The exhibition "is a wonderful opportunity to learn how the Bonfire festivals began," stated the Councillor for Culture, Nayma Beldjilali, who appreciates the Archive's effort to safeguard, protect, and exhibit "unique works by Alicante artists," as well as "a careful and curious selection from those early years when our Festivals were just beginning."

The exhibition allows visitors to admire some of the posters that announced the Bonfire celebrations, such as those from the early years, 1928 and 1929, both signed by the painter Lorenzo Aguirre. A selection of 'llibrets' from the most representative commissions of those years is also presented.

Additionally, original sketches of bonfires from between 1928 and 1936 are exhibited, such as Emilio Varela's for the Santa Cruz neighbourhood in 1934, designs by Heliodoro Guillén, Gastón Castelló, Lorenzo Aguirre, and Francisco Muñoz, among others.

Moreover, the exhibition includes photographs of the ephemeral art monuments from the early stage of the festival found in the collections of Francisco Sánchez and the Frías, Senante, and Ludovico Correa families.

The exhibition is organised within the framework of Fogueres Culturals, which will celebrate the traditional dansà in front of the official bonfires on June 23 at 6 p.m. with the participation of the Cresol and Postiguet dance groups, and the federal band of the Federació de Folklore d'Alacant.