Restrictions on Music at Mercadito de Fogueres During Offering Days

The Mercadito de Fogueres will face restrictions regarding music during the afternoons of June 21 and 22, due to the two days dedicated to the flower offering to the Virgin of Remedio.

The infrastructure located on Federico Soto promenade must respect the concentration of the commissions arriving in the area with their bands before parading through the official route.

Thus, the volume at the Mercadito must be reduced to "ambient music," as confirmed by TodoAlicante, during both afternoons, ensuring it "cannot be heard outside the tent."

The doors of the Mercadito de Fogueres will remain open during regular hours, allowing access to its interior and bars, as detailed by municipal sources in response to this newspaper's inquiries.

This regulatory measure will be implemented during the 2025 Alicante Hogueras, following various complaints from the hogueras and barracas recorded in previous years.

The 2024 Hogueras concluded with the controversy surrounding the Mercadito de Fogueres. It was during the last closing assembly where the festival-goers expressed their discontent. The criticisms were controlled, as noted in the president's report.

David Olivares himself raised the issue: "The Mercadito has affected me," he acknowledged before recounting various incidents such as a bottle thrown at the car of the bellea del foc or that "a girl had her bouquet taken away."

Nonetheless, the president of the Federació explained that he had conveyed this discontent and the proposal for greater regulation, especially regarding schedules. It was then that he detailed his request for it to "have the same schedule as us."

Months passed before a new response was received regarding the case. The Federació held a new assembly on February 27. It was there that the Councillor for Festivities, Cristina Cutanda, addressed the festival-goers present to explain that the Mercadito must comply with the regulations followed by hogueras and barracas during the two offering days.

The councillor further announced that the Mercadito de Fogueres would not be allowed to play music during the afternoons of June 21 and 22. Additionally, Cutanda detailed that the current contract "does not allow much leeway" for such modifications, "but we have finalized it for this year to oblige them to adhere to a specific schedule."

The festive ordinance stipulates that "the maximum noise levels" cannot exceed periods of "six hours daily for the same activity or show," in the case of racós and barracas.

The text also informs that, in the case of the city's official festivities such as the Hogueras, the end time for festive events will be "at most, until 4:30 am."

Therefore, the time for music to start in the racós and barracas - considering the maximum levels and end time - will be at 10:30 pm during the main days of June.

Furthermore, the ordinance indicates that "in general, musical activities should be avoided during the hours between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm."

In this case, it clarifies that "those festive manifestations where this constitutes a distinctive element and characteristic of the same and are held within the days that comprise the official program of the popular festival in question" are permitted.