Salobrena Fiesta Virgin del Rosario
The annual Romería took place in Salobrena on 6 October. It really was a beautifully warm blue sky day and certainly cheered everyone up after the September storms and devastation they caused along the coast.
There had been quite a few debates on the exact day the Romería would be held this year and the final choice of a Saturday really helped to get the enthusiasm (not that they need an excuse for a party) going amongst the locals who turned out. We understand that the event has been held on Sundays in the past which didn’t give a lot of recovery time for the participants. The procession with the Virgin del Rosario in her white carriage adorned with white flowers and pulled by oxen started off from the Plaza Juan Carlos I and proceeded rapidly crossing the casco urbano (old town) and down to the beachfront. Hundreds of people joined the route with women and children dressed in traditional costume (faralaes) and men dressed more formerly in their rociero suits. Also joining the procession were twenty large decorated carriages and at least one hundred riders of all ages on horseback.
The Virgin del Rosario arrived at the beach at twelve noon and the festivities really took off at this point. Along the promenade were market stalls selling everything from balloons and sweets to handbags and sunglasses. At the end of the promenade there was a stage with traditional Spanish music being performed and those ever important bars with food and drink where the locals on horseback would dismount and join their friends for a refreshing drink and a tapas.
At the end of the day, fireworks were lit from the El Peñon area of the beach while the Virgin del Rosario was escorted by playing musicians back to the Casa Roja (red house) for the night and on the Sunday another traditional procession.
Make sure you put this event into your 2008 diaries now as it really should not be missed if you are living in the area or are thinking of visiting next year. The many associations who help organise this yearly Romería really do deserve top marks for a spectacular day that everyone thoroughly enjoyed.