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The bonfires of San Juan (Alicante)
Some people think it's a sister celebration to Las Fallas, but it's not. It has its own distinct character.
The Bonfires of San Juan in Alicante are very often considered “the little sisters” of the Fallas of Valencia. In fact, quite a few people claim that if you can't see the ones in Valencia, there are always the ones in Alicante.
A quick search for information might lead us to believe that the Bonfires are something like a summer version of the Fallas: there is also a “plantá” during which the figures that will burn are set up, a pyrotechnic show or “mascletá” takes place every day, there is likewise a flower offering to the Virgin, and in the same way, the figures burn on the night of the “cremá.”
However, the festival that takes place on the night of June 24th deserves a moment to observe those details that make it unique and completely distinct. Broadly speaking, and with apologies to some, we could say that while the Fallas have a satirical sense, the Alicante Bonfires represent “art for art's sake.”
We are not exaggerating: the first Bonfires burned back in 1928, the height of Modernism or “Art Nouveau,” a movement that wanted to bring beauty to everyday life and democratize art (the works of Alphonse Mucha come to everyone's mind). The Bonfires took elements from this art, from its elegant and sinuous lines to the philosophy where aesthetics took precedence over meaning. By looking at the figures that will burn in the bonfire, we can see their purely artistic sensuality.
Artists dedicated to the Bonfires insist that their work is freer than that of the Fallero artist: they can give free rein to their creativity and challenge themselves with complicated and baroque forms. Their sculptures do not have to deal with a specific theme, and the urge for mockery takes a back seat: what matters is the challenge of building something beautiful or even something excessive. We repeat: art for art's sake.
Another detail that stands out is the color: the Bonfires are more “discreet” in that aspect. If we compare them with the Fallas, we will see that the Valencian ones have more vibrant colors while the Alicante ones have more discreet and soft tones. Is this an unconscious differentiating trait? The answer is simpler than we expect: the light is more intense in summer, so the same colorful effect can be achieved with less intense tones.
Finally, we will highlight an aspect that, while direct, is rarely noticed: the importance of the ninot. While in the Valencian Fallas the dolls are the main element, in the Bonfires they are not as important. We can even find some where there are none at all, and it is just a beautiful but carefully crafted stage.
There are many more subtle differences that the visitor will discover as soon as they set foot in Alicante on the night of San Juan. Of course, we recommend attending both the Fallas and the Bonfires. But let’s remember we are in June... and now it’s time to delight and, why not? Suffer a little with the burning of the monuments. This time we really can say that, no matter how much they are repeated, the Bonfires are a unique spectacle.