The spirit of the Bando is reborn in Murcia after two years of hiatus

After two years of interruption due to the coronavirus pandemic, this Tuesday the return of the Bando de la Huerta was experienced with authentic festive fervor in the streets of Murcia, which were a hive of activity from early in the morning. Thousands of Murcians and visitors, dressed in the typical refajos and zaragüelles, gathered in the center of the capital to celebrate the huertano traditions, yes, but also the normalization of the festivities after so many months breathing through a mask.

“We have gone out like bulls”, acknowledged some neighbors who rushed to celebrate a picnic with typical products of the land in the gardens of the Malecón. Others preferred to go to the dozens of barracks installed in the area, where they could taste a wide range of sausages, seafood, Murcian empanadas and, of course, some obligatory dishes of zarangollo. To finish, nothing better than some paparajotes to regain strength, before the parade.

“The best thing is the atmosphere, seeing so much life in the streets, it was missed a lot,” confessed a man from Murcia, visibly moved to relive a Bando de la Huerta like always. After two years of deprivation, some even had trouble finding their regional costumes. This is the case of a young woman who commented, amused, that “he was hiding somewhere” and had to work hard to locate him. Others, on the other hand, had the opportunity to wear new clothes, such as a man who bought a new zaragüel for the frustrated 2020 edition and has had to wait two years to get it out of the bag.

Curiously, this fallow period has meant that this year more Murcia than usual have been encouraged to wear the women’s regional costume, instead of opting for the cheaper and more practical male dress. A neighbor celebrated it on the Malecón, beer in hand: “Stop having women dress like orchards, man, we have to look good with our petticoats.”

Enthusiasm and joy were unanimous, feelings that the participants encouraged to share with those who traveled to the capital to discover this unique festival for the first time. “What we transmit is welcome towards people who come from abroad, you have to come!”, pointed out a mother, proud that “something is transmitted here that is not experienced in any other city”.