La Festa o Misteri d'Elx (Elx)
Performance that takes place on August 14th and 15th (dress rehearsals August 11th, 12th and 13th), and that has been declared as being a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. It also holds distinctions such as National Artistic Monument and Festival of International Tourist Interest.
Around this representation, it is worth to mention the celebration of La Nit de l'Albà and the traditional Roà.
Nit de l'Albà (August 13th)
The night of August 13th is La Nit de l'Albà, one of the most awaited celebrations by the inhabitants of Elche. That night, in which hundreds of pyrotechnic devices light up the sky with color and sound, it is also known as the night of fire. This characteristic festivity of the city is rooted in the Middle Ages, when families offered the Virgin a rocket for each of their children. At the present time, that tradition has led to the firing of hundreds of palm fireworks that are fired in a coordinated and alternate way from different points of the city. In addition, citizens buy and fire pyrotechnics individually and spontaneously at the same time that the fireworks are being fired.
The rockets and the fireworks start being fired from 11p.m. to a few minutes before the midnight. At that moment, the pyrotechnic activity stops, the city lights are switch off and the inhabitants of Elche silently wait for the most important moment of the night, while the most significant piece of music of El Misteri d'Elx sounds: el Gloria (the Glory). In the middle of the darkness, the Virgin's palm firework is fired, a large palm firework of white light that is fired from the Basilica of Santa Maria, and illuminates completely, for a few seconds, the entire sky of the city.
After this magical moment, the lights turn on again and you can see in the tower of the Basilica a small "virgin of fire" while listening to the famous habanera Aromas ilicitanos that all the citizens sing from their terraces and balconies. To conclude, it is traditional to end the celebration eating watermelon. Some people will continue firing rockets until the early hours; others, the most daring ones, will join the traditional wheelbarrow war that takes place in some areas of the city center, specially delimited for this purpose, which become genuine hells, only suitable for authentic fire enthusiasts.
Mystery Play of Elche (from August 11th to 15th)
The Mystery Play of Elche is the most genuine cultural identity sign of the city, proclaimed as being a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001 by the UNESCO.
Originally medieval, It is a singing drama that represents La Dormición (the Dormition), Coronación (the Coronation) and Asunción (the Assumption) of the Virgin Mary to the sky.