The world revolves around all things ‘Fira and Firo’ this week. Real life is suspended as the traditional costumes, flags and patriotic music is heard. Some local people are leaving for the mainland and other boltholes for a few days. The noise, the people, and the inconvenience of life currently is too much for them.
We lose our car parks, which become fairgrounds and exhibition stands. in the middle of a parking crisis. The Town Hall respond with ‘pop up’ car parks created out of fields. This causes all sorts of bother and is one of the reasons few want to be involved in local politics. The aggravation at Fiesta times is too great a burden.
That said, the Town gives itself to Firo and children are brought up with the importance of being Solleric. To understand it fully you must be born to it. The rest of us can only participate physically, the emotions and heart of this are on a different scale.
The weather forecast is good and a sign of a good Firo. The traditional dress is ironed and ready to make a four-day consecutive appearance. Snails are on the menu everywhere and is tradition. The teenagers are ready for ‘their night’ in the Plaza tonight. The music will give them dancing feet through the night with most not being home before 6am on Saturday.
To get a table in a restaurant in the Plaza tonight, tomorrow or Sunday night is the mission of many. So many will be disappointed, however I did manage an early evening table on Saturday. How lucky are my family!
I have my favourite part of the Fira (the three-day event which precede the Firo battles). My special event is the Flower Procession which creates the mother of God sculpture in flowers. If you want to see a procession of families in traditional dress (including tiny babies) bringing their flowers, this is the place to be. The historical characters are all there receiving the flowers and weaving them together to form the statue. After the event there is traditional dancing and music. This all happens on Saturday afternoon 11th May 2024.
The funfair is brought in for the weekend and set up in the large car park in Town. A traditional fun fair with rides and amusements plus candy floss! The gardeners have their time too when they create a wonderful flower show in the Museum of Soller. The magnificent roses from local gardens are a delight. The Sunday morning animals which appear in the main car park (near the bus station) is always popular with the children.
The Firo is the tradition which brings homecomings, visitors, day trippers and the bemused, who didn’t know there was anything going on till they arrived. It is always worrying when a ‘bemused’ turns up in a central Soller hotel to find there will be non-stop partying through the night, on two consecutive nights.
Many plans and business arrangements are made at this time of year. The tradition of returning Sollerics bringing money back to invest in their Town has not gone away. Returners from France, Puerto Rico and other migration lands of the past, still continue that tradition to this day. Look out for the new businesses plus house purchasers which always happen after Firo.
So, this is love it or loathe it time. Which side of the fence am I on do you ask? I love the inaugural ceremony on Thursday evening where St Bartholomew’s is full of all participants and the scene is set for the Firo of 2024. I love the Flower Procession and the traditional dancing. I love to watch from a distance, the battle on the Repic beach. I love to join in the excitement of the children heading for the fair and the amusements. I love any family gathering having dinner in the square and seeing so many people. The all-night dancing and the final battle in the square will not be on my list. I will slip home having enjoyed the Fira and Firo my way.
If you are coming our way have a great Firo friends…