Our reporter, who lived in Lanjarón for several years, shares her tips on how to enjoy this ‘loca’ fiesta, which features more than just a water fight and carnival parade…
ONE of the best known and much-loved fiestas in the Alpujarra of Granada takes place annually in the spa town of Lanjarón, to celebrate San Juan on 23 June. It is known as ‘Fiestas del Agua y del Jamón ’. This year, it takes place from Friday June 21 to Monday June 24.
The “fiesta of water and ham” started in 1979, when townspeople devised the theme. It was declared an Andalucian Tourist Interest Festival in 2018. It is best known nationally (and, perhaps, internationally) for the ‘carrera de agua’ (mass water race), that takes place annually on the night of June 23, to coincide with the saint’s day of San Juan.
This year, the busiest day (on the programme) is Sunday 23, so prepare yourselves mentally and physically for an onslaught of watery fun! To help you out, South of Granada has compiled a guide to the fiesta highlights, based on personal experience …
The official programme
Credit: Ayuntamiento de Lanjarón
The “Mister” and “Reina” coronation – Friday 21 at 23hrs
This year, Friday is the “quietest” (we use that word advisedly!) day of the fiesta programme. For many people, it is a working day. For others, not so…
An important event on the night of Friday 21 is the coronation of the ‘Mister and ‘Reina’ (queen) of the fiesta, in the plaza. At this ceremony, dressed-up juveniles and young adults, who have been nominated for various roles, participate in the town’s equivalent of a ‘beauty pageant’. For an hour, they parade on the main stage, wearing their finery. Finally, they receive prizes of ribbons and flowers. Who will be the belle and beau of the ball?
HINTS:
- Don’t “start too early” with drinkies in the plaza bar – or any other bars, for that matter. You’ll be frazzled by nighttime.
- Wear comfortable shoes if you’re going to watch stage performances on foot.
- If you’re snapping photos, try to find a device that performs OK in low light / night mode.
‘Día de la Bicicleta’ – Saturday at 11.30hrs
The second day of the fiesta involves a celebration of bicycles, with a couple of hundred people performing an easy communal ride from the Casita de Papel (at the top end of town) down to the Venta del Buñuelo (a short distance along the road to Órgiva), then back up to the plaza. There’s usually a raffle to win a prize (such as a new mountain bike), a free t-shirt, and complementary sandwiches and bottled water at Venta del Buñuelo. The event has a sporty, family-friendly vibe, suitable for all ages.
HINTS:
- Wear appropriate gear and a helmet.
- Put on the free t-shirt.
- Take a water bottle.
- Maintain a safe distance from other riders.
- Don’t turn up having eaten zero breakfast (like the reporter did last year!).
- If you really must participate, having not slept on Friday night, don’t knock other people off their bikes!
La Publica – Saturday 22 at 18hrs
One of the main attractions of San Juan in Lanjarón is the huge carnival parade that always takes place on the Saturday (this year, the 22nd), known as ‘La Publica’. Groups of townspeople spend several months preparing special outfits, decorating floats, and choreographing dance routines for the big parade through the town centre. And rehearsing, rehearsing!
The parade always starts near the ‘balneario’ (spa) at the top end of town and makes its way (slowly) down to the plaza, arriving after dark. Along the route, many ‘tinto de veranos’ are consumed by the participants, some of whom have the craziest attire and props you’ve seen in a while!
Spectators line the streets, watching the colourful spectacle pass by. One of the most popular (and best) viewing areas is the small plaza with bars and ice cream parlours, just below Hotel Andalucia. This is a viewpoint at which participants tend to be fresh and sparkling.
HINTS:
- Occupy a prime spot in good time.
- Consider taking your own folding chair.
- Wear your sunhat.
- If you plan to take photos, the participants look much ‘neater’ at the top end of town. By the time they reach the plaza, they’ve been dancing in the heat for hours, with mainly the ‘tinto de verano’ to cool them down…
- When you’re near the plaza, enjoy a genuine ‘mojito’ from Julio the Cubano at ‘Rincon de la Salsa’ fiesta bar.
Water-throwing contest – Sunday 23 at 11hrs
This year, Sunday is a super-rammed day on the programme. It really does have “mucho agua”… “mucho agua”!
The watery fun kicks off with an event called “lanzamiento de agua” – a water-throwing contest that first appeared a handful of years ago. Taking place in the main street, just up from the plaza, it starts at 11hrs. The contest has categories for men, women, and children, who must throw water from a bucket as far as they can. The participants in each category whose water reaches the longest distance (measured with markings on the road) win a ‘’jamón serrano’. Whether you are victorious or not, it’s always amusing.
HINTS:
- Don’t arrive even slightly late or you won’t be successfully ‘apuntado’ (entered).
- Don’t throw your bucket too far upwards – you want length, not height.
- If you have an expensive camera, and are shooting the contest, remember to step backwards immediately when someone strong appears behind a bucket…
Family water run – Sunday 23 at 13.30hrs
For those who don’t fancy being drenched during the nighttime water fight, and jostiling with thousands of other revellers (some of them drunk!), there is a ‘tranquilo’ solution. A family-friendly water run occurs at 13.30hrs on the Sunday. During this time slot, the sun is (hopefully) shining and nobody will get too cold!
Suitable for children, adults, and anyone who likes a daytime hosing, this mini water run attracts mainly local people from Lanjarón and neighbouring villages. The event has a chilled vibe – especially when you’ve been sprayed by some flying water! Ha!
The daytime water fight is suitable for even the younger children, supervised by an adult.
HINTS:
- Take a towel and change of clothes. You can deploy your towel (in a bag) near the route, to dry off a wet child quickly.
- Don’t wear flip flops – trainers with non-slippery soles or hiking sandals are better.
- If you simply want to watch the spectacle, find a side street with a good viewpoint – or stay behind the end-of-race barrier near the plaza!
Climb a greasy pole to win a ham contest – Sunday 23 at 14hrs
A lesser-known component of the San Juan programme – but one worth experiencing – is the contest to dislodge a ‘’jamón serrano’ from a greasy pole. This year, it takes place in the plaza on the afternoon of Sunday 23, and is accompanied by a DJ.
It’s always entertaining to see nimble young people (and some older ones) attempting to grab the ham. Amazingly, sometimes the younger children manage to scale the pole and knock down the ”jamón’. This is a great contest if you’re accompanied by an agile teen and want to eat ‘’jamón serrano’ for the next few weeks!
HINTS:
- Try to wipe some of the grease from the pole with your t-shirt (shhh!),
- Grippy footwear might help!
The famous mass water fight – Sunday 23 at 00hrs
Although the ‘carrera de agua’ is the best known attraction of the festival, it’s not for everyone – i.e. those who don’t like getting wet and cold at night! However, you should try it at least once in your life!
During the evening of 23 June, hordes of revellers arrive on coaches to join local people to run the 1.5km route through the town’s main street, while being hosed with the strong (and freezing) municipal fire hoses. People carry buckets full of water, water guns – in fact, anything that can hurl ‘agua’ at each other! They also wear all manner of amazing attire – including rubber swimming rings, rain macs, and wigs.
Up to a million litres of water can be squirted during the hour-long race, which starts on the stroke of midnight (with a canon shot) and ends on the stroke of 1hrs. Anyone who is not participating will be hermetically sealed into whatever bar/venue/hotel they are attending at the time!
The busiest San Juan nights can attract 15,000 people – generally if 23 June falls on a Friday or Saturday. However, this year, it falls on a Sunday, so the water race should be somewhat less manic. It is followed by a “Water Party” in the plaza, which features well-known techno DJs and (usually) go-go dancers, until dawn,
Because of the popularity of the water fight – and people throwing water before midnight – paid wristbands were made obligatory in 2017. These cost 5e from the town hall. You must buy one to participate, as security staff will check your wrist before midnight.
HINTS:
- Ensure you have your wristband.
- Take a towel and change of clothes, including a warm top layer/fleece. Leave them somewhere dry, such as in your car.
- Don’t wear flip flops – you’ll slip, slide, and then the central toe bar will snap.
- Don’t get too drunk beforehand – it comes with injury risk.
- Cover any smartphones in a tried-and-tested waterproof casing.
- If you aren’t participating, avoid being locked into a bar that isn’t of your choice about 20mins before midnight.
- Don’t use anyone’s doorway/plant pot/alley as a toilet. There are public toilets in Lanjarón. Nobody, repeat, nobody, wants to find a “number two” in their prized flower display on the morning of 24 June.
Romeria and Misa – Monday 24 June from 11hrs
Taking place annually on the morning of 24 June, from 11hrs, the Romeria is a good chance for people to display their hangovers from the “Water Party”. No, let’s start that again. The Romeria is a good chance for people to dress in their traditional flamenco finery and participate in a reasonably sombre religious ceremony concerning San Juan, called a ‘misa’. This takes place in the Parque del Salao at 12hrs. It is followed by a performance from the town’s talented choral group, ‘Agua Fresca’. At 13hrs, there’s a giant public paella with free beer for everyone – a welcome treat in the sun.
HINTS:
- Don’t make noise during the sermon.
- Bring a sun hat and suncream.
- Bring a fan – not only is it a stylish accessory but you might need it!
- There are some fantastic flamenco-style outfits – why not wear one too?
- Be aware that the queue for the paella is long – either turn up early or late avoid standing in it for ages!
- Try to find a shady spot to eat.
- Driking too many beers looks distasteful.
Other honourable mentions…
Other events you won’t want to miss at this fiesta are the Mayorettes, the Santuka Batucada drummers, the parade of witches, the ‘caravana’ of music through the main streets (bands on pickup trucks) and the Sevillana flamenco dancers at San Roque.
Last but not least, thanks go to Fernando Poyatas for depicting our lost ‘cañonero’, Sorrel Badger, on the fiesta poster.
