The cloudy sky dawned on Tuesday in the capital. But the sun made its way quickly to remind us that it is already spring in Murcia – “the most beautiful in the world”, as the president of the Federation of Peñas Huertanas, Juan Pablo Hernández, likes to say – and that he was celebrating his big day, the of the Bando de la Huerta. After a morning in which parks, gardens and booths were once again filled, thousands of residents and visitors came to the shores of the route to enjoy a parade that had already made a comeback last year, after the pandemic drought caused by the coronavirus and their restrictions had brought the orchard traditions. Murcia flourished for another year, back to the natural order of things, as if nothing had ever happened.
After 5 in the afternoon, a procession left the Infante that had posted the “no tickets” in the only section of the itinerary that has had “online” sale of chairs during these days, that of Gran Vía. Less fortunate were the chairs to which the sun executed beyond the Plaza Martínez Tornel.
“And luckily this year there seems to be no trouble, like last year,” commented José. If this was a problem from 2022 that seemed to have been overcome, another was Covid or the fear of it. “I fell ill last year and cannot come,” said Carmen accompanied by her grandson. “I have not dared to return until this year,” said Domingo, a resident of La Alberca. The years that Murcia was also without a side also served as an incentive for Lucía and Joaquín to make their debut enjoying the orchard procession. “You don’t miss it until it disappears,” they comment.
With that small delay, a procession made up of 1,500 ‘huertanicos’ and up to 60 floats began to walk, loaded with novelties compared to the already renewed 2022 parade. The first of all was represented by the nod to tradition that was made with the float of the Queens of La Huerta, Andrea Sánchez and África Peñalver, which was drawn by five mares, instead of the usual tractor of recent years, a set known in the garden as ‘half power’
In addition, not only the respective Courts of Honor found a place in the procession, but also the candidates who have not been elected this year and all those who wore the orange blossom crown during the years of management of the Federation’s board of directors that will soon end its mandate. .
Along with all of them, trailers loaded with traditional scenes could not be missing. If the Patiño Balls party was finally able to return this year after the ‘via crucis’ of Covid-19, this year it had its space, as an already entrenched tradition, within the parade. To these was added the presence of another delicacy of Murcian gastronomy: paparajotes, the quintessential orchard dessert, accompanied, of course, by a pot of coffee. There was no shortage of milkmen, cyclists, florists, carts drawn by horses and donkeys, the triveros and the perráneo, small rolling orchards or a corral full of small farm animals. Huerta bowling returned and there was even a game of dominoes on wheels.
The procession closed, as it could not be otherwise, the floats for the distribution of typical products, which represented, on this occasion, half of the trailers deployed. As always, a good number of spectators came to his feet to put some beans, lemons, tomatoes, sandwiches of sobrasada or some piece of ‘sausage’ and dry sausage in their mouths.
“There was a desire, there was a large influx of people, even more people than last year, this gives you strength to continue working,” said Hernández, who joined the parade. “Half a million people are on the streets of Murcia today,” commented the mayor José Antonio Serrano. The usual spring is definitely back and she has no intention of missing her appointment ever again.
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