The Town Council, through the Department of Culture, directed by David Martínez, has programmed more than 100 free activities for this Christmas period, so that young and old can enjoy and be entertained until January 5th, when the Three Wise Men visit the town to distribute all their toys.
As is customary and already a tradition, the Nativity Scenes will be part of the programme. «If there is something that differentiates Christmas in San Javier from other cities, it is its nativity scenes, which become a great tourist attraction these days,» said Martínez, stressing that the town is undoubtedly the «place in Spain with the most public nativity scenes per square metre».
The monumental nativity scene set up in the Plaza de España, one of the largest in the country with 2. 000 figures and more than 500 square metres, is complemented by the Marquesa Nativity Scene – which can be seen in the foyer of the Town Hall -, the Maritime Nativity Scene of Santiago de la Ribera, the nativity scenes and nativity scenes of La Grajuela and other districts, and the CaixaBank Playmobil Nativity Scene, which this year shares space in the Museum of San Javier with the ‘Christmas Village’, the work of Rosa Riquelme, and a Crochet Nativity Scene, by Mayka García.
Until 5 January, families have an extensive programme of free events to enjoy music and theatre performances, as well as the Three Kings Parade.
Storytelling
Music and Christmas shows are another of the central themes of the San Javier programme, with such novel proposals as the winter theatre, which includes a Disney Gala by the Municipal Dance Workshop (28 December), the puppet show ‘Nube nube’ by Periferia Teatro (30 December), and concerts by Amor Tempura and Maestro Espada (6 January).
As usual, the Plaza de España is one of the open-air stages for Christmas in San Javier, with numerous children’s activities, storytelling and shows, including ‘Rojo Estándar’, a contemporary circus show (29 December). The other outstanding epicentre during these weeks is the Christmas Market, promoted by the Department of Commerce and installed on the Barnuevo esplanade, with 50 stalls selling crafts and local products, next to the Maritime Nativity Scene and with an extensive programme of activities that includes multiple workshops, including clay modelling with the sculptor Juan José Quirós. Likewise, the Christmas Market offers storytelling and shows until 6 January, including the children’s chimes on the 31st, at 12.00 noon, to bid farewell to the year.
The Christmas programme in San Javier, which announces the play ‘The Adoration of the Magi’, by Gentile da Fabriano, will close on the evening of 5th January with the traditional landing of Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar at 17.30 in Santiago de la Ribera, where they will begin a procession through the streets of the town centre. Later, at 20.00 hours, Their Majesties will arrive at the Plaza de España in San Javier where the Mayor José Miguel Luengo will give them the magic keys with which they will be able to complete their distribution of gifts in the municipality. All this in the course of a great spectacle of music, lights and fire, along with the participation of local associations and groups in the Christmas of San Javier, such as the local theatre group San Javier, which presents ‘La pastora. Un cuento de Navidad’, local rondallas and choirs, and the Asociación de Amigos del Belén, among others.
In addition to this, the spectacular lighting of the main and most commercial streets of the municipality has been carried out by the Department of Commerce, to encourage local trade during the Christmas campaign, which also includes the Christmas Tram between Santiago de la Ribera and San Javier, with daily service until 4 January, between 11.00 and 20.00 hours.
