Today, Tejina is joyously celebrating the Verbena de la Pamela, one of the most renowned events during the Fiestas de San Bartolomé de Tejina. This event gathers hundreds of people annually, showcasing the attendees’ creative headwear. The festivity kicks off at 3:00 p.m. in the church square with live performances by the Guaydil and Dorada Band orchestras. Later, at 5:00 p.m., DJ Jesu will also entertain the crowd from the Plaza del Ramal.
An interesting change this year is the relocation of the stage where the orchestras will perform. Due to ongoing construction work in the usual area in front of the church, the stage has been set up on one side of the temple square – on the space typically used as a car park. This adjustment was detailed yesterday by the San Bartolomé de Tejina 2024 Festivities Commission.
This same space has been prepared to receive the three iconic hearts of El Pico, Calle Arriba, and Calle Abajo neighbourhoods. On the main day of the festivities, Sunday 25th, residents will carry these hearts to the square where they will arrive around 11:30 a.m. and then be raised as an offering to San Bartolomé, who will be placed in this spot for the ritual. The works prevent the traditional procession to the church door, as noted by the commission.
This celebration is deeply rooted in the festivities dedicated to San Bartolomé de Tejina and is highly anticipated by the locals. The hearts are elaborate wooden and iron structures weighing approximately 800 kilos. They are adorned with fruits, branches, flowers, and flour cakes.
According to the Corazones de Tejina Association, each neighbourhood will commence baking these cakes from the following Monday, continuing until Thursday. Subsequently, on Friday 23rd, representatives of the hearts’ committees will head to the public forest to gather beech branches – this year in La Guancha, in coordination with the Council and the local authorities. The branches will be returned by midday for the assembly of the hearts, decorating them with fruits, branches, flowers, and cakes. Finally, in the early hours of Sunday, floral bouquets will embellish the tops of each heart.
The festivities will extend until September 1, featuring a diverse range of recreational, sporting, religious, and cultural activities. Notable highlights include the awards ceremony for the XXXVIII Corazones de Tejina Poem and Song Contest, scheduled for tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. at Teatro Cine Unión, followed by the Reggae Festival at 9:00 p.m. Additionally, this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. will witness the XXXVII Bicycle Festival.
The vibrant events will continue until the pinnacle of the festivities on Sunday, August 25. The day will commence with the procession of the hearts into the church square around 11:30 a.m., followed by the traditional offering to Saint Bartholomew, a religious service, and a subsequent procession. In the afternoon at 6 p.m., the captivating Battle of Flowers will weave through the town’s streets, concluding with the Festival of Exaltation of the Hearts of Tejina.
The following day, amidst various events, the Descuelgue de los Corazones will take place at 6:30 p.m.
