Enjoy the Mayos in Alhama de Murcia

Harlequins and "corremayos" will flood the streets of Alhama de Murcia on May 7 and 8 thanks to the 34th edition of the Mayos Festival, where the 21,000 residents of the town will recreate traditional scenes and parody current events through fabric and rag puppets.

The festivities will begin on Saturday, May 7 in the afternoon when locals and groups will perform the "plantá" of the mayos, recreating with rag dolls critical scenes from both current and old times, set against a backdrop of social satire. These rag dolls, dressed in old home clothing and painted with human-like features, will dialogue with each other through signs using words, idioms, and expressions typical of the region, generally in verse. The basic themes are usually three: the recreation of old trades that have disappeared and were typical of Alhama; the representation of everyday life scenes, generally treated humorously; and, lastly and most famously, satirical scenes that critically highlight specific current issues.

The mayos representing traditional scenes will dress in clothing, utensils, and accessories that are now out of use, such as baggy pants, farming tools, and equipment, which turns the municipality into almost an ethnographic museum.

Events will continue with the presentation of the Corremayo Mayor in the Town Hall Square, at which point locals and visitors will dress as harlequins with bells to participate in the "Corremayos," a parade that traverses Alhama de Murcia.

This parade precedes the rest of the activities that complement the festival program, such as the May Crosses Contest, the National Folklore Festival, the Custom Motorcycle Gathering, the Folk Festival, the Gathering of Music Groups, or the traditional Medieval Market that lasts all weekend.

The Mayos Festival is celebrated every year on the first weekend of May. The first written references date back to the 1920s, though they are older if we consider oral tradition, which speaks of a pagan origin. The critical aspect of this festival was lost during the Civil War and post-war but was recovered in 1982, since when it has been celebrated as it is now, blending the welcoming of spring with the Christian tradition of the May Crosses.