La Noche de San Juan Beach party in Sabinillas, Manilva, Sunday June 23rd 2013

Every year on the evening of 23rd June, Manilva has a fantastic beach party on the beaches of Sabinillas celebrating the start of the summer,  in honour of St John the Baptist, on the shortest and most magical night of the year

It is known as  “La Noche de San Juan” which is a festivity of pagan origin which celebrates the arrival of the summer solstice  and coincides with the evening celebration before the feast of St John.

It is a night full of rituals, bonfires, fireworks, music, dancing, sardines and bread.

On Sabinillas Beach in Manilva, a large monumental bonfire is constructed a few days before the event which takes the form of a different theme each year. 

Originally, the effigies were supposed to represent Judas Iscariot but now, the religious relevance seems to have become secondary to the enjoyment factor but the principle the same.

At midnight these effigies are set fire to to become monumental bonfires.

The pagan purpose of this ritual was to ‘give more force to the Sun’ beacuase as from this day of the year onwards the days are becoming shorter until the winter solstice.

Symbolically the fire also has a ‘purifying’ function in people who watched it

According to tradition, if people jump three times over a bonfire on San Juan’s night, they will be cleansed and purified, and their problems burned away.

This year  festivities begin at 9.15 pm when students from Manilva’s Rhythmic Gymnastics School carry the Blue Flag along Sabinillas promenade from Burger King to the Plaza del Cali where it will be raised in a ceremony involving local dignitaries.

This will be followed by a display of rhythmic gymnastics.

Around 10.15 pm the group  “‘Tentación” will begin their evening’s performance.

At midnight the bonfire will be lit which will be followed by a fireworks display along the beach in front of La Noria.

It is always a fantastic night and one to put in your diary when you plan your holidays or are thinking of things to do when you live in Manilva.

To see a extract of last years event watch this YouTube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KjdyRARM8M&feature=youtu.be

The fabulous Lola Boys will be welcoming the summer here in Manilva with a party tonight June 15th at 8pm at Chiringuito Malibu – in front of Los Granados de La Duquesa, Manilva, Spain.

For those of you who havent heard of the Lola Boys yet, they are an international West End cabaret act with over 20 years of professional experience playing lead roles in the West End and internationally.

They bring this experience and their own unique brand of humour to their Lola Boys show which they have been entertaining the residents of Manilva and elsewhere along the Costa del Sol and Gibraltar for several years now.

If you feel like letting your hair down and having good party then going to see the Lola Boys is a must as they really know how to throw a good party.

The dinner and show has been organized by Manilva’s Foreign Residents department and tickets can be bought by contacting 952893548.

Manilva will be celebrating its 3rd Manilva Horse Fair or Feria de Caballo tomorrow Saturday 15th June in Sabinillas.

It is being held on the beach to the east of Sabinillas in front of the area known as La Noria.

The event starts at 18.30 with a parade of the participating horses and riders along the streets of Sabinillas.

This will be followed by a number of different equestrian tests and competitions including lancing (with a pole similar to jousting), the ribbon test and a horse race along the beach.

If you are on the Costa del Sol this weekend why not visit Sabinillas to watch this typically spanish event and follow it up with a lovely meal in one of the excellent restaurants in Sabinillas or Puerto de la Duquesa.

For more information please email me at lucy@barringtonhomes.eu or leave a comment below.

Manilva Town Hall’s Department of Youth has organised another Young Persons Marathon Event

After two successful pre-marathons in Sabinillas and El Castillo, tomorrow, Saturday June 1 there is going to be the Young Persons marathon I  event  in Manilva’s multi-purpose Pavilion.

This first marathon, organized by Manilva’s Department of Youth is structured in three large blocks of children’s leisure and sports activities.

Children’s activities:

10 h – 21 h: bouncy castle
11 h: Health Gymkhana
13 h: face painting and balloon twisting

Leisure activities:

10.30 h – 14.30 h: Bouncy Castle & football pitch
16 h: treasure hunt
5.30 pm – 9.30 pm: Car race track
17.30 h: Graffiti Workshop
21 h: Karaoke

Sports activities:

18 h: self defense
18.30 h: Spining
19 h: Karate
19.30 h: aerobics
20 h: Aerogap
20.30 h: Zumba

The particularity of this marathon, which has a significant logistics, is that their activities are linked to the development of the children and their training.  For example the Health Gymkhana will have prizes in the form of pieces of fruit

There will be gift vouchers for the municipal gym and membership of municipal sports activities.

If you would like more information please email me at lucy@barringtonhomes.eu or leave a comment below