Ordino villagers plant Mai tree with record youth turnout in Sant Pere kickoff

Ordino villagers celebrated the traditional Mai planting in Plaça Major on Sunday, launching Sant Pere festivities with a record youth turnout, a fallaire menor handover, inclusive dances, and a nighttime fire parade culminating in the tree's burning at Prat de Vilella.

Members of the Associació de Cultura Popular d’Ordino retrieved the pine from nearby mountains around 8am, transported it to the village, and hosted a breakfast over embers for roughly 100 participants. Shortly before noon, villagers raised the trunk in the square, drawing crowds for the opening ceremonies ahead of its evening cremation amid fallaires.

Before the dances, Daniel Rico handed over the fallaire menor role to Isaac Guerra, who earned the 2026-2027 position by claiming the collaret del petit Mai in the Esclada del Mai gimcana. The ceremony, delayed from the Sant Joan revetlla at Plaça del Consell General due to the children's end-of-year trip, underscored generational continuity.

The Esbart Valls del Nord then staged the Dansa del Mai, transitioning to a participatory round dance created last year by Ivan Caro with Trio Daura accompaniment. Tailored for all ages and abilities, it formed a large circle around the tree with dozens joining in. Caro noted the aim for the melody and steps to become synonymous with the event. Fourth-year ESO students from Ordino's Escola Andorrana de Segona Ensenyança practiced the routine to teach others.

A record 40 children aged five to 11 served as fallaires de llum, or light carriers, supported by about 60 fallaires de foc. Association member Albert Roig attributed the surge to ongoing youth initiatives, including falles and the Ossa festival, which build lasting connections to traditions. Many current adults started as light carriers.

At 10:30pm, fallaires de llum—around 30 children with glowing orbs, joined by grallers and tabalers from Castellers d’Andorra—paraded from Plaça Major through darkened streets, including Carrer Major, Carrer de la Grau, Placeta Pajó, Carrer del Mig, Placeta Ferino, and Carrer dels Coms. Around 40 fallaires de foc followed, rolling flames to Prat de Vilella for the falla burning, Mai lighting, and wish papers tossed into the blaze. Fire wheels encircled the trunk until it collapsed, with the Esbart performing Ball de Bruixes and coreografia Sota la lluna de Sorteny, plus Duet Daura dances. A costellada capped the night at Plaça del Prat del Call.

The events built on Ordino's 23 June Canigó Flame reception for Sant Joan, reinforcing fire rituals tied to Sant Pere rather than other parishes' Sant Joan links, and celebrating summer's onset through communal heritage.