Alcoy celebrations, televised nationally, 22nd 23rd and 24th April.

In Alcoy, history, legend and spectacle join hands in a celebration full of sparkle and fantasy to commemorate events that took place in the 13th century.

The festival of Moors and Christians is the biggest event of the year in Alcoy. It is dedicated to Saint George, a figure steeped in age-old tradition. The festival dates back to the 16th century and commemorates a battle which was fought in 1276. At that time, Alcoy stood on the border of the Muslim-held territories of Spain. There were frequent skirmishes between the two factions until, on 23 April 1276, the Moorish troops of Al-Azraq attempted to storm the town. According to legend, St. George appeared during the battle and, thanks to his intervention, the Christian army won the day, forcing the Moors to retreat and never to return. In recognition of his timely intervention, the townsfolk of Alcoy made him their patron Saint and promised to hold a festival in his honour on 23 April every year.

On 22, 23 and 24 April each year, Alcoy is decked out in the style of the Middle Ages to celebrate its ‘fiesta mayor’ (main festival). On the first day, there is a spectacular procession of Moors and Christians: the different groups that make up each army march majestically through the streets of Alcoy dressed in luxurious costumes. Around 5000 people take part in this highly popular event. On the second day, many different events are held in honour of St. George. On the final day, a huge battle is fought in España Square in a specially-built castle which represents the city. The Moorish troops approach the castle in an attempt to persuade the Christians to surrender, but the offer is rejected and the ensuing battle ends with the Moors taking over the stronghold. In the afternoon, the Christian army returns and manages to retake the castle. Then, after unsuccessfully negotiating a surrender, the final battle begins in which the Moors are ultimately defeated. In the evening, an appearance by St. George marks the end of the three days of festivities, at least until next year. The patron Saint of Alcoy appears on horseback, shooting arrows from the top of the castle. If you like, you can even take some arrows home as a souvenir.

The armies march all day to the sound of the bands. Berbers, soldiers from Marrakesh, Mudéjares, Abencerrajes, Benimerines, all preparing for war. A group of Andalusian bandits is also there, as well as Basque soldiers, an army from Asturias, even a band of Valencian peasants armed with farming implements. All are set for the battle. Martial music announces the glory of the coming struggle. The people lining the streets admire and encourage the warriors. Soldiers march, sergeants wave at the crowds and horsemen show off their skills. All day long the hosts parade through a city decked with banners, especially the red cross of Saint George. The mood is festive as Alcoy sends her armies off to war.

Two days later the city is filled with the roar of battle, the smoke of gunpowder covering the city as a fog. The Moors and the Christians do battle during the whole day; the Christians, are defeated in the morning and the Moorish crescent can be seen on the ramparts of the castle were the red cross had once flown. When the fighting is at its fiercest, Saint George himself appears at the top of the castle to aid the Christian armies. The tide is reversed; the Moors retreat.

Every year, in April, the Saint gives victory to the Christian hosts as Alcoy, in the Valencia, re-enacts the famous, and largely mythical, battle. The celebration is one of the great fiestas of Spain, the greatest in the world, according to many an Alcoyano.

La fiesta is a year-long business for the people of Alcoy, as they prepare for those four days. Membership in one of the 28 Moorish or Christian armies, called filaes, is much more than a hobby. The participants meet regularly throughout the year to commune with their brethren, raise funds, organize banquets, and plan out the many activities that make up the fiesta. For them the year starts and ends in April, the time when they don their costumes and march to the sound of the bands.

The euphoria is topped off during the battle, when they fire hundreds of blanks with their blunderbusses in this, the noisiest of Spanish fiestas. Money and time are spent prodigiously by the members of the filaes. Many save up throughout the year, and more than a few make yearly visits to the local pawn shops. The matter of clothes is expensive enough. Every army has its own traditional costume design, both fancy and fanciful. Many of them, especially those of the captains, cost a small fortune. Every year, the Christian and Moorish captains are provided by different filaes on a rotation basis. They always vie for the best-dressed captain ever. At the end of the fiesta the captains, usually well-to-do businessmen, donate their costumes to the Moors and Christians museum.

Although no effort is made to achieve strict historical accuracy in the clothes, plenty of attention is given to the details, and the costumes have to follow certain rules. Some modern things are allowed, like eyeglasses and watches, and most of the soldiers, even non-smokers, chomp on cigars. These cigars are a tradition of the fiesta, although nobody seems to know exactly why. "They're just part of the fun," says one Alcoyano.
But this is no costume party, no carnival. No tell-tale trouser legs or modern shoes remind you that this is all make-believe. Maybe because, in a sense, it isn't make-believe; it seems, rather, that you are seeing these insurance salesmen, shopkeepers or bank presidents emerge from drab existences into their true, glorious selves. After the flags and drums, horses and castles, feathered helmets and shining armor, the rest of the year seems like mere Clark Kent stuff.

But you don't go to Alcoy to see grown men and women make fools of themselves, either. A welcome balance is struck between all-stops-out abandon and respect for traditions kept alive over the centuries. This is fun taken seriously. Even in the wildest moments there are some set forms. At the end of the fiesta, Alcoyanos are always sad. But there remains a consolation: "only 361 days till the next one"