Ordino Lights Canigó Flame to Launch Andorra's 60th Sant Joan Festival

Ordino welcomed the Canigó flame on Tuesday to open Andorra's 60th Sant Joan festival, with the sacred light then shared across all seven parishes in nationwide processions featuring falles, light falles, bonfires, and gatherings that extended into Wednesday's festivities.

Youth volunteers from Ordino's Comissió de Festes del Roser transported the flame over Coll d’Ares to Plaça Major, where it was received by consuls Maria del Mar Coma and Eduard Betriu alongside Associació de Cultura Popular d'Ordino representatives before a large audience. Coma described it as a vital regional connection, expressing gratitude to the Centre de la Cultura Catalana and urging young people to sustain the custom. Centre president Teresa Cabanes highlighted its Andorran origins in the 1980s, links to nearby communities, and resilience during quieter periods. Fadrí major Aritz Álvarez expressed pride in Ordino's hosting duties and dedication to heritage.

That afternoon, the flame arrived at Plaça del Consell General in Andorra la Vella by tractor, drawing around 400 attendees to a family event led by Síndic General Carles Ensenyat. He emphasised its ancestral ties to the summer solstice and purification rites across the Pyrenees, recalling how falles once dwindled to private family affairs before public revival in the capital in 1987, now thriving countrywide. The ceremony included prolonged applause for Centre de la Cultura Catalana members and flame bearers, followed by the division of the mother flame into seven for Canillo, Encamp, Ordino, La Massana, Andorra la Vella, Sant Julià de Lòria, and Escaldes-Engordany. Parish representatives then passed capes to successors, spotlighting young participants like La Massana's Ian, the first fallaire menor from his parish, who remarked that the occasion unites past, present, and future.

Eduard Vergara from La Massana succeeded Ferran Mata as major fallaire, donning the red cape amid evident emotion. Drawing on his rugby and Protecció Civil experience, Vergara called the role a privilege to speak for a tradition-keeping people, likening the flame's endurance to Andorra's need for balance, effort, and mutual understanding. He thanked Andorra la Vella for sparking his interest, Escaldes-Engordany from his childhood, Ordino for showcasing popular culture's strength, and La Massana. Vergara lit and rolled a falla to cheers, then was hoisted by peers to continue over the crowd, symbolising communal support. Officials refrained from rolling falles this year, yielding fully to fallaire groups, which featured Sant Julià's young light-falle carriers, Andorra la Vella's giants, music, trabucaire blasts, and tributes to 2025 fallaires. The evening offered shared coca, chocolate, and moscatell.

Hundreds of fallaires, including many children with light falles, filled evening events. Andorra la Vella drew the largest crowds, with Puial's traditional falla burning delayed by a Ciutat de Vall crash until nearly midnight; young light-falle rollers led, followed by fire falles, the mascle cabró rite with Esbart Dansaire witches, a foguera, and Fenya Rai concert at Plaça Guillemó. Escaldes-Engordany set a participation record with over 50 fallaires—13 light, 30-plus fire, many girls—starting at Engordany bridge, proceeding along Avinguda Carlemany to Església square's foguera, joined by diables, pubillatge figures, and UPTEE logistics. Encamp marked its second year with light falles debut, processions to Plaça dels Arínsols and Prat de l’Areny foguera lit by Culture Councillor Joan Sans, Diables de les Corts, 'Super Chodettes' pyrotechnics, and a covers band drawing nearly 100 dancers. Canillo's group moved to Sella parking then Prat del Riu foguera, with Komanem concert and refreshments; Consul Major Jordi Alcobé thanked fallaires, services, and sponsors. La Massana processed to Sispony with 'Dones de llegenda' performances; Consul Menor Roger Fité rolled a falla. Sant Julià observed uniquely.

Andorra la Vella's Wednesday Festa del Poble at Plaça del Poble featured eight paelles yielding nearly 1,500 mountain rice rations with chicken, artichokes, and ribs, plus desserts, with over 650 tickets sold out; heat prompted air-conditioned refuge at Sala Consòrcia and take-home meals. Consul Major Sergi González praised the menu over last year's Valencian paella, crediting coordination for inclusivity and Protecció Civil director Cristian Pons for heat protocols.

Ordino plans to close its falles cycle on Sunday with the mai planting and dance by Trio Daura at noon, including fallaire menor handover from Daniel Rico Antequera to Isaac Guerra Andrés—missed earlier due to a school trip—plus 40 light fallaires (ages 5-11) and 65 fire fallaires, Esbart Valls del Nord, Grallers, and tabalers in evening events at Plaça Major and Prat de Vilella.