Caravaca de la Cruz is decorated to live its big days and receive the thousands of visitors and Caravaqueños who gather in the municipality on the occasion of the celebration of the patron saint festivities of Moors, Christians and Caballos del Vino in honor of the True Cross. In recent weeks, both municipal workers and technicians from the winning companies have been working around the clock to get everything ready for the Next Sunday, April 28, when, after the proclamation of the festivities, the lighting of the ornamental students will take place.
“The City Council always makes a great effort to prepare the patron saint festivities in terms of lighting, infrastructure and other devices, but this year we have put a special enthusiasm and dedication when it comes to Jubilee Year 2024“, said the Councilor for Celebrations, Joaquín Zaplana, who detailed that “more than 300 pennants or flags for the streetlights have been renewed, with the image of the patron saint, and new hangings have been made for the City Hall and a pastry stand with the shield of the city.”
“The lighting – added the mayor – will also be reinforced with four large arches of lights on Gran Vía, which enhance and complement the rest of the special lighting for these dates.”
Regarding lighting, in Gran Viathe main artery of the city where most of the events, processions and parades take place, a highly spectacular assembly has been installed with allegorical designs to the Moors and Christians, made up of a total of 23 arches and 4 doorways. The rest of the streets that host the festival events – such as Maruja Garido, Ciruelos, Mayrena, Gregorio Javier, Alfonso Zamora, Mayor, Rafael Tejeo or Cuesta de la Plaza – have Eye-catching and colorful designs combined with replicas of the Caravaca Cross. A novel setup has also been prepared for the Plaza del Arco. Likewise, the lighting is maintained at the El Salvador fairgrounds, where the children's attractions fair is installed.
All the holiday lighting is low consumption, with LED technologywhich means energy and economic savings and a reduction in CO2 emissions.
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As for the ornamentation, More than 300 pennants have been made for the streetlights of Gran Vía, Constitución, Maruja Garrido, Gregorio Sánchez Romero and Granada highway avenues, as well as Rafael Tegeo, Mayor and Cuesta del Castillo streets in the historic center, recovering a design by Manuel Sánchez. On the other hand, they have been made new hangings for the Town Hall and a pastry bowl with the city's coat of arms, since these elements were very deteriorated and aged from so many years outdoors. To match, the pennants of the Plaza del Arco and Puentecilla street lamps in maroon velvet and gold embroiderygiving greater beauty to this environment.
The Caravaca City Council delivers the subsidies to the Celebrations Commission and the three sides, for a total amount of 85,000 euros
The mayor of Caravaca de la Cruz, José Francisco García, accompanied by the Councilor for Celebrations, Joaquín Zaplana, has delivered the municipal subsidies intended for the Celebrations Commission and the Moorish, Christian and Wine Horses sides that, for a global amount of 85,000 eurosare intended to collaborate with the development of the patron saint festivities.
This direct financial support, It adds to the effort that the Caravaca City Council makes in terms of infrastructure, lighting, visitor services, cleaning devices, security and health care plans, as well as musical performances and shows.that will take place at the end of the official events.
The mayor has highlighted that “the Festivals in honor of the Most Holy and True Cross, in addition to being the maximum expression of our identity and devotion to our patron saint, are our best showcase and have a very positive impact on the economy of the city.” location”.
José Francisco García wanted to “thank the dedication of all the people who are involved in the organization of the festivities, whose work is essential to stage unique celebrations.” “But everything that happens in Caravaca de la Cruz in its greatest days would not be possible without the effort and enthusiasm of an entire people that is dedicated to all aspects,” he noted.
The Celebrations Commission of the Royal and Illustrious Brotherhood of Vera Cruz receives 40,000 euros, which represents an increase of 15,000 euros. In addition, each of the three sides receives 15,000 euros. Added to the municipal contribution is the aid of 10,000 euros that, since last year, has been granted by the Tourism Institute of the Region of Murcia (ITREM) and the 21,000 euros that are received through the agreement with the Estrella Levante Foundation, part of which are also allocated to the Barranda Cuadrillas Festival.
Tourism publishes 10,000 brochures with information on the patron saint festivities, safety tips and the location of public services
The Caravaca de la Cruz City Council, through its Department of Tourism, has published more than 10,000 diptychs that contain information related to the patron saint festivities of Moros, Cristianos y Caballos del Vino, as well as safety tips and a map indicating park and ride facilities, sanitary services, public toilets and other information of interest to the visitor. From April 30 to May 5, they will be distributed both at the Tourist Office and by Civil Protection and Red Cross volunteers.
Likewise, they will be installed information panels on the main stages of the festival, translated into several languages, as well as, also in several languages, will broadcast messages on days 2 and 3 announcing the start of the events and advice from the organization to enjoy them in an appropriate way and under safe conditions.
On the other hand, the Department of Tourism has planned a reinforcement of visitor services with the opening of the Tourist Information Point every day of the festivities, located at the beginning of the Cuesta del Castillo. Its opening hours will be April 30 and May 1 in the morning and afternoon (from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) and May 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the morning hours (from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ).
“As it is a Jubilee Year and we have a constant arrival of pilgrims and tourists, we have considered keep exhibition spaces opensuch as the Company of Jesus with the exhibition 'The Mystery Man', or the church of San José, as well as the municipal museumswhich until now had always remained closed from May 1 to 5,” as reported by the councilor who heads the Tourism area, José Santiago Villa.
Specifically, on Saturday, May 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Casa-Museum of the Caballos del Vino will open and on Sunday, May 5, the rest of the spaces in the municipal network will join in, at the same time: the Museum of the Fiesta, the Archaeological Museum 'La Soledad', the Museum of Ethnic Music – Blanco Fadol de Barranda Collection and the Las Fuentes de Marqués Nature Center.
On the other hand, the Departments of Tourism and Celebrations have deployed during this month of April a promotional campaign with the motto 'An extraordinary holiday', which is appearing in the media, social networks and other advertising spaces. The official festival poster, made by the watercolorist Zacarías Cerezo and published by the Festival Commission, has been taken to numerous municipalities in the Region of Murcia and other parts of eastern Spain through the hiring of mupis on public roads.
Likewise, within the actions to disseminate the patron saint festivities, the Caravaca de la Cruz City Council will offer one more year institutional broadcast of the Wine Horse Race, in order to give the signal free of charge to all regional, national and international media that are interested. On the other hand, the Procession on May 3 and the Great Parade Parade on the 4th can be followed on regional television 7 Region of Murcia, as well as on the local channel Telecaravaca. “The City Council makes a great effort to achieve the greatest impact in the media, since they are a window to the world and it is an important aspect to preserve the declaration of International Tourist Interest of our festivals and to publicize recognition of the celebration. of the Wine Horses as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO”.