Enough days went by since the end of our Annual Festival, more than enough to make a balanced assessment of what the Festival brought us. For this reason, I wanted to use the blog to expound three main ideas.
National interest
Our Annual Festival was, alongside Vilafranca and Tarragona, the first Annual Festivals to be declared of National Interest by the Catalan Government. That was in 1991 and the distinction was awarded based on the richness of our festive heritage, which still remains as the most identifying element of our Festival. Folk dances, short plays and processions or the March of Guilds justify by themselves such distinction. I had the opportunity to discuss it in detail with the Minister of Planning and Sustainability, Santi Vila, which we invited to the March of Guilds, and I'm pleased to say that he was amazed with what he saw and experienced. This is the essence of our Annual Festival, what sets it apart from the rest and what we must continue caring as it deserves.
The work of the Commission
Again, it has been shown that to make a good Annual Festival we should not make expenditures beyond what is necessary. As happened in 2012, the Commission of the Annual Festival and Santa Tecla performed a commendable, rigorous and effective work. The Commission cared for details, took into account the needs of dance parades, and achieved an attractive program with events for different audiences with high quality and plural proposals. The Annual Festival needs the help of our City Council budget. I am entirely convinced of such a fact, but as demonstrated with the Three Wise Men Parade or the Carnival, money does not correlate exactly with a good festivity.
Civics
The work done by the security forces and support services (health, cleaning ...) to achieve a perfect Annual Festival deserves public recognition. This task is neither easy nor grateful, but was carried out with proven effectiveness. The protocols worked and the results were evident. However, we must reflect on what was seen at the Entrance of the Flaviolet Players, when some dimwits lighted crackers. The event was totally ruined due to a nonsense like this, and it is clear we must try to avoid it. But the danger of such an action at a point where there's a high concentration of people is quite considerable, and for this reason it is necessary to act.
We just entered September and the local calendar takes a different pace. And, every September, Santa Tecla brings a shine to the eyes of the little ones and ignites the hopes of children. We have already started work, and this week we will initiate registrations so parents can register their children in the Big Kiddy Celebration.
