Christmas Lights Switch-On and Santa Claus Parade in Marchena 2024
Santa Claus paid a special visit during the Christmas lights switch-on in Marchena for the 2024-2025 season. He arrived in a sleigh pulled by two people! I couldn’t stop laughing! What happens in Marchena doesn’t happen anywhere else!
Flamenco Bonfire at the Arco de la Rosa in Marchena – Christmas 2024
By the warmth of the bonfire and beneath the imposing presence of the centuries-old monument Arco de la Rosa, we enjoyed a magnificent performance of flamenco carols (traditional Christmas songs adapted to the flamenco style). The evening featured the Asociación Cultural El Roete, with Miguel Ángel Talaverón – who will portray King Melchior in the 2025 Marchena Three Kings Parade. In the second half, the flamenco zambomba group Vivencias de la Avenida, composed of Calé Roma, left us in awe.
The audience spontaneously joined in with dances, and at one point, we saw Lole Ortiz, who will take on the role of King Gaspar, and Agustina Galán, King Balthazar, dancing alongside Miguel Talaverón.
Searching through the trunk of memories (that is, the hard drive), recovering some photos and recordings made with the iPhone from fairs from a few years ago (especially the typical Instagram stories… should I make one again?) I found myself It seemed interesting to publish them. At the end of the post I explain some things.
Fair of Marchena 2015
Llámame Lola fair booth:
Fair of Marchena 2016
Delia Suárez with La Bejazz at the caseta Llámame Lola:
Improvised flamenco in the “botellones” (area where young people bring bags with drinks, glasses and ice):
Fair of Marchena 2017
María “La Peke” with la Bejazz at caseta El Soniquete:
Of course, improvised flamenco in the street cannot be missed after the casetas close (6 in the morning):
Fair of Marchena 2018
Caribbean rhythms with Son de Cuba:
This is where the citrus fruit joke was born:
El Soniquete is a booth created by my friends. I am not a member, but my brother, my cousin, etc. are, so I consider it my booth even if I am not a member. Many of my friends are musicians, as you can see in the videos Mane Moraza, Pablo and Javier Carmona, Kisko Hidalgo, Amaga… (la Bejazz). I have known María “La Peke” since we were kids, because she was my classmate at school. Regarding “Son del Manchón”, the two in the middle are the sisters María and Ana Dorado, I have also known them since they were little, because their parents are very friends with my uncle and aunt. On the left was their cousin Marta Ponce (blonde), and on the right Carmen Ponce, cousin of Marta but not of María and Ana. In short, I am surrounded by many artists and everything is within family. This year the El Soniquete booth has been in charge of giving the fair opening speech. Ana Martín (Mane Moraza’s wife) was chosen as the person who gives the opening speech because she was who had the idea to create the booth. She chose her cousin Leticia Martín as the host. And her son Lorca was the one who pressed the button that turns on the lighting that officially opens the fair. The name Lorca is in honor of Federico García Lorca, famous Andalusian poet. Both the poetry recited by Ana in the opening speech, and the lyrics that Son del Manchón sang during the opening speech, are by Federico García Lorca. Ah! El Manchón is the name of another booth they belong to. At the Marchena fair, unlike others like the fair of Seville, all the booths are free access, anyone who wants can enter, except during the members’ dinner on Wednesday.
For such a small town (19,000 inhabitants) it is a town with a lot of culture and history (it already existed centuries before Christ). Monuments, artists, religious processions, flamenco…. And I want to show you everything, are you coming?
