The bars mark the rhythm of the Crosses in Cartagena

The festival brings thousands of people to the streets of the old town, between rebujitos and typical dishes, from morning until dawn

«How beautiful is Cartagena like this. There was already desire.” Carmen María Gil, dressed in a pearl white flamenco dress, with a red carnation in her hair and accompanied by her husband, Pedro Luis Conesa, and her three-year-old son, Alejandro, from Fuente Álamo, took the opportunity to wear her dress for the first time and spend an “unforgettable” day with family and friends. The three, around 1:00 p.m., were walking this Saturday through Puerta de Murcia street in search of a free table to have an aperitif. But at that time, between those who were already occupied and the reservations, it was going to be complicated. The solution, said Pedro Luis, “the bars.” And there they went. Honda, Jara, Campos, Palas streets and San Francisco, Rey and Juan XXIII squares were the busiest, on a day in which the bars set the pace for the May Crosses.

At that time, the old town was beginning to get from boat to boat. The color of the costumes and the lanterns and the garlands of the decorations of the bars and altars stood out above all else. The music was put on at noon by Adrián Ruiz in Plaza del Icue, Al Relente, in Plaza Juan XXIII and Aires de la Calle, in Plaza San Francisco. In each of them, couples were seen dancing and having a good time, while having a drink, a rebujito or a seafood, like Javier de la Casa and his girlfriend Aranzazu del Valle. “We are spending the weekend in La Manga and we have taken the opportunity to come and see this party,” he said.

Residents from the neighborhoods and councils were joined by visitors from neighboring municipalities, such as San Javier and San Pedro del Pinatar, and tourists from the two luxury cruise ships docked at the Juan Sebastián Elcano Pier: ‘Le Bellot’ and Clio.

Gallery.

antonio gil / agm

about twenty bars

At lunchtime, there were hardly any free tables in the bars and restaurants of the old town, nor room in the twenty or so bars scattered throughout the streets and squares. Sausages, blood sausages and sausages, but also typical tapas and other more elaborate ones were tasted by the thousands of people who gathered strength for the afternoon at that time. Paella was, in some places and stalls, the star dish and the most sought after. The good temperature, close to 25 degrees, and the desire to party without pandemic restrictions helped the hoteliers make good boxes.

Where more people gathered throughout the day was in Palas street, in the bars installed by the Association of Hospitality Entrepreneurs of Cartagena (Hostecar), where in previous years the Brotherhood of the Resurrected put them. The yellow and blue colors of the Ukrainian flag stood out in the ornamentation. And it is that, that group, along with several local hoteliers, came together to raise funds for the Association of Ukrainians of Cartagena. Only on Friday they had already obtained 6,000 euros, according to Hostecar sources.

Very close to there, in Plaza San Francisco, the Brotherhood of the Romeros de San Ginés de la Jara was missing, which this year declined to mount its cross there due to disagreements with the hoteliers. They came to say that “they have appropriated the party.” This time they celebrated it in the neighborhood parish, where, after blessing the cross, they distributed scrolls and typical local wine.

Street music was also the protagonist. From Honda Street to Campos there was a musical thread, whose volume was controlled by workers from the City Council. The intention was to avoid neighborhood complaints, since days ago residents of the center threatened to go to court, if the nuisance of music outside of hours were as great as in previous years.

popular concerts

Precisely, through those streets, next to Jara, around five in the afternoon you could hardly walk, around 7:30 p.m. through the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. There began the concert of José Manuel Soto. After him it was the turn of the Sevillian group Siempre Así, who also brought together a large audience.

Among the best adorned crosses, the one of the Folkloric Group of La Palma, in Cuesta de la Baronesa street, and those installed in Jara and Cañón stood out. Also that of the Marraja Brotherhood, in Cuatro Santos street.

The party lasted until dawn in the old town, although it was also lived in other areas of the municipality, such as La Azohía, Los Dolores, Barriada Hispanoamérica and La Magdalena, among others. Today the celebration and concerts continue. At 12 noon, the Plaza del Ayuntamiento will host the performance of different dance academies in the city. At 1 pm, Aires de la Calle will play in Plaza del Icue, Paco Maca will play in Plaza Juan XXIII and Filiu Trio, in Plaza San Francisco.