INTANGIBLE HERITAGE
Popular Festivals
Talking about Sant Joan d’Alacant is talking about its festivals. With the exception of November, some celebration is celebrated during all months of the year. Many of our popular representations are of medieval origin. In recent years, festivities such as pilgrimages or music bands have been revitalized, thus reinforcing our identity. The Santjoaner character has also been forged with music, dances, songs, prayers, gastronomy or Holy Week. All this rich intangible heritage is becoming an attractive driving force for tourism activity in the municipality.
Music in Sant Joan
The La Paz Musical Society is among the most traditional musical entities in the Valencian Community and its work has not only been to bring music to the hearts of Santjoaners, but also to educate by learning to play an instrument. The proof that Sant Joan has a good musical tradition is the band, which since its foundation in 1871 has always been part of its history. Two major educational projects stand out within the entity: the Maestro Climent Elementary School and the Vila de Sant Joan Authorized Professional Music Center.
Games and sports
Talking about pilota is talking about tradition, talking about sport and talking about culture, and in Sant Joan d’Alacant, this set of items is maintained to perfection by the Benimagrell Pilota Club. All members of the club maintain its use by playing sports and transmitting our culture to family and neighbors, but not only to those in the Benimagrell neighborhood, no, but also to different regions of Europe. Taking a historical journey, the Valencian pilota has always been closely linked to our people, through very fighting people.
Traditional Cuisine
The typical gastronomy of Sant Joan d’Alacant is based on the products of the land, the Alicante Huerta. During the 18th century, agricultural exploitation was focused mainly on wine production, fondillón, which was without a doubt the main harvest of the L’Alacantí region. In traditional cuisine, rice is the protagonist in almost all dishes, highlighting Alicante-style rice, rice with onion, and among the vegetable dishes, olleta. The putxero amb tarongetes remains the dish of great celebrations.
The Alicante oligarchy
During the 18th and 19th centuries the Alicante oligarchy was made up of nobles, soldiers and ecclesiastics. At that time, the ways of spending free time began to constitute a sign of social distinction. This situation gave rise to the wealthy families of the incipient bourgeoisie to seek recognition that would equate them to the status of the traditional nobility. For this reason, the upper classes acquired the best estates in the Alicante Huerta, thus signifying their power and wealth in the society of the time.