The lanterns for Saint Bartholomew

The twenty-fourth of August is the feast day for Sant Bartomeu, Saint Bartholomew the Apostle.

Alcudia doesn’t celebrate Bartholomew as such, but on his feast day there is the annual festival of the lanterns, the revival of which in 1978 led to similar lanterns processions elsewhere in Mallorca. It was an old tradition in Alcudia, one linked to the harvesting of melons in what was once a predominantly farming community. It fell into abeyance, but the founding of the local association for traditional Mallorcan culture was to bring about its revival. That association, Sarau Alcudienc, is perhaps best known for its ball de bot folk dance, but it has been responsible for various initiatives over the years. The association was founded in 1978; the lanterns festival was its first initiative. Made from melons or peppers, the procession through the streets features traditional children’s songs. A thoroughly charming event.