TRADITIONS KEPT ALIVE BY FESTES DEL PORTITXOL

There can be no group more dedicated to preserving local culture and tradition than the hard-working team that organises the increasingly-popular Festes del Portitxol. Having brought back this unique celebration two years ago after an absence of some 50 years, they have seen their efforts rewarded by a year-on-year increase in attendance from many hundreds of people - nostalic locals, interested ex-pats and curious holidaymakers - and the 2012 edition proved be no exception, despite the threat of rain and an incredibly hot wind that lifted temperatures to almost unbearable levels.

The festivities began with a short parade around the village of Portitxol, led by the traditional sound of the dolçaines i tabalets - oboes and drums - which served to inform the neighbours that the fiesta was about to begin. People waved from their gardens, some of them joining the procession as it made its way along a giant loop which eventually returned to the centre of the fiesta in the grounds of a private villa opposite the stone cross of Portitxol where cooling glasses of granizado were offered to everyone who had taken part in the parade.

After a short presentation of the festeros who worked so hard throughout the weekend as bar staff, furniture movers, games organisers and sales people to name just a few of their numerous tasks, the stage was passed over to Valencian singer and poet Pep Gimeno "El Botifarra" who proceeded to entertain the ever-increasing audience with traditional songs and comical poems which received much ovation. During several of the songs, couples gathered in front of the stage for some impromptu traditional dancing, thoroughly enjoying themselves free from the restrictions of the traditional dress and maybe also encouraged by a few alcoholic drinks!

As night drew in, the dancers moved out onto the roadway, the Carretera del Portitxol having already been closed off to through traffic by the local police earlier in the evening, and members of the Grup de Danses Portitxol invited those who were willing to take part in the Dansà de Carrer, a long train of dancing couples which moved gradually along the road. Meanwhile, long lines of trestle tables and chairs were put out around which families and groups of friends would sit before pulling out food from their cool-boxes and sharing it around. It is a great communal feeling for hundreds of people to be sitting together to enjoy a summer picnic under the stars and those lucky enough to be sitting near to the small British contingent, made up almost entirely of members of the recently-formed Penya Com a Gambes, were able to try some Anglo favourites such as cheese and pineapple and pork pies! In return, they offered fantastic tortilla and a tomato salad and, looking around, it seemed most people were doing the same, sharing food they had spent most of the afternoon preparing for the evening.

As the picnic drew to a close, the organisers offered a piece of coca-maria sponge cake and a complementary glass of Mistela whilst coaxing a few valuable Euros out of the diners to take part in the traditional tombola, the Brits doing particularly well with a number of prizes including a number of Pilates classes and some gold ear-rings. And then, shortly before midnight, the live music began, provided by l'Orquestra Colors playing many favourite songs that had people dancing and singing into the early hours.

On Sunday morning, after a traditional wake-up around the village with those dolçaines i tabalets, there was a chance to enjoy a communal breakfast of tasty fresh sardines accompanied with bread, huge fresh tomatoes and plates of Lupini beans and, in some cases, top up from the night before! As the hot sun climbed high into the sky, small inflatable paddling pools were filled with water for the kids, young and old, to cool down before attention turned to the traditional games and sports for all which brought the fiesta to a close for another year.

javeamigos.com and Penya Com a Gambes would like to thank everyone involved in this year's Festes del Portitxol for their fantastic hospitality - and maybe next year we'll actually have a go at the dancing! Moltes gràcies! View Javeamigos photo gallery here

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