CRAFTSMANSHIP

Craftsmanship has always been very important in these lands. It is not a basic element nowadays but still keeps a remarkable importance that you will see when visiting any town. Currently craftsmen work not for fame or for money but to keep alive our forefathers´ tradition.

In the region of the Alto Palancia the old tradition of stick craft is kept up with care and craftsmen today keep the same inherited skill and procedure; making them of beech and hackberry wood.

The region of Els Ports, with Morella being the first place, has a wide textile activity: common clothes, carpets, blankets and "cordellats". This activity was maintained by dyers, wool combers and weavers.

In the 16th century there were about five hundred textile mills. Examples of this industry can nowadays be watched and admired throughout the region. Shawlls, knapsacks, needlework bags, coverlets, etc. are made and form a singular offer, unique of this corner of the province and still renowned all over Spain.

Hemp growing in Els Ports as well as in La Plana, reached its highest point in the 18th century. Domestic manufacture of this hempen cloth for different uses, is still kept in its purest style. Nowadays ropes, cordes and rope-sole sandals (the typic footwear of our people for centuries) are still manufactured.

We can find a good example of this craftsmanship in Castellón, la Vall d'Uixó, Villores, Forcall and la Mata.

As a complementary task to fieldwork, esparto was manufactured for many years and that favoured the beginning of a craft activity still in use for the manufacturing of plain rope, "trenella", round yarn and other products. Evidence of this craft are kept in Castellnovo, Morella and Vilavella.

Although the industrial change, there are other fields of craft work such as wood, in furniture and carving: bedroom suites, console tables, images, reredoses, etc. We can find craft workshops in Borriol, Càlig, Castellón, Cervera and other towns.

Ceramic craft has a special meaning in Castellón and plenty of examples of it are kept alive to-day. It comes from earthenware craft and the first finds date from the Neolithic period, but later Moslem improved it with the introduction of the most refined glazed earthenware and decoration. It is still in demand and we can watch in our province beautiful works close to perfection in the "Muy Noble Cerámica del Conde de Aranda en l'Alcora.

At the beginning of the century the County Council opened the "Escuela Oficial de Cerámica" in Onda, still working and that meant a great school of artists.



FESTIVALS

The province of Castellón offers through the year, a wide and varied range of folklore feasts with fun and games.

In January we celebrate San Antonio Abad which is a christianization of pagan feasts long ago celebrated at winter solstice. This festival is more or less celebrated in all towns. In the area of Els Ports the "santantonada" of Forcall is important for its theatre performances of this saint's life. The most popular elements are the animals parade, common in every region, blessing of the cavalries and the distribution of the blessed bread and the roll. Fire is also an important element. Big bonfires are lit in the squares of the towns as these festivals are celebrated in the coldest months of the year. Fights between good and evil are occasionally performed, giving these celebrations a touch of mystery and legend.

In the last years, shrovetide has become more important. It is celebrated in February and the one in Vinaròs is worth the visit for its colour and display.

The festivals in the capital take place on the third Lentel Sunday, generally in March. This festival is "Fiestas de la Magdalena" where the move from the mountain to the plain is celebrated. This happened thanks to the "Carta Pobla" which was signed by King James l on 8th September 1251 in Lleida. That is why the people go on a pilgrimage to their forefathers´ hill "Castell Vell", carrying canes with green ribbons which gives the pilgrimage a special beauty. During the whole week, Castellón lives intensively its "Festa Plena" with highly popular feasts and acts. One of the most attractive features about Castellón is that it is the seat of the first bullfighting fair in the year.

About 19th March, Saint José, festivals of the Fallas are celebrated in some towns of the province. Burriana is the pioneer but a short time ago Vall d'Uixò and Benicarló joined in. There are a number of feasts typical for this commemoration such as "Cabalgata del Ninot" (a colourful parade), "Plantá de la Falla" (the setting of the "Falla"), "Ofrenda Floral" (flower offerings to the Virgin) and "Cremá" (the burning).

As the Holy Week arrives, popular performances of the Passion take place, the most remarkable being the ones in Borriol, Torreblanca and Chilches. Solemn processions are held, as well as beautiful "pasos" (floats representing part of the Easter story) of well-rooted traditions.

Easter offers a different kind of feasts too, the outbreak of joyfulness of the Resurrection that is shown in picnics, dances and popular celebrations, when people eat the famous "mona" (a type of bun).

The outburst of spring in May brings us other popular and touristically attractive festivals, such as those in Almassora and Vila-real. The distribution of rice "calderes" amongst the neighbourhood is very typical in Almassora, old remains of the distribution amongst the poor a long time ago. Towns such as Cabanes, Castellfort and Lucena, celebrate festivals in May too. In Morella, Corpus Christi has a really special feature: giants and carnival figures with enormous heads march past along the main streets, as well as Biblical characters and typical dances with medieval reminiscences, offerings and unsurpassable spectacles.

In June our province celebrates Saint Juan and Saint Pedro festivals, Vinaròs and Grao de Castellón being the most remarkable. Saint Juan festivals have lots of celebrations with a pagan origin. Having a bath in the sea at midnight and dancing around the bonfires is a tradition throughout the Costa Azahar.

The most representative celebrations in July take place on the beach of the Grao de Moncofa where Santa María Magdalena is put ashore, and a later parade can have great interest to the visitor.

In August most towns in Costa Azahar celebrate their festivals preferably dedicated to the Virgen de Agosto and Saint Roque. A bustling activity fills the towns which have a quiet life during the rest of the year.

An important celebration is the "Sexenni de Morella", called like this because it takes place once every six years and is held in Virgen de Vallivana´s honour. The town dresses up with tapestries and pieces of architecture to celebrate one of the most varied and folk festivals with traditional nature that occur in the province. The pilgrimage where the Virgin is moved from her sanctuary to the town is a cavalcade with clear medieval reminiscence.

In September and October popular celebrations also take place throughout the whole wide province.

Special attention must be paid to the festivals in Zorita, in the region of Els Ports, which occur in the sanctuary of the Virgen de la Balma. It is a combination of ancient customs and Marian faith.

In Peñíscola, the traditional feast of Moors and Christians, which also has a medieval origin, takes place in the Castillo del Papa Luna, and due to its evocative character, it is a landmark in the important events of the year.

In Segorbe, the feast where bulls and horses make their way in, has been declared just as touristically interesting as well.

In October the Thrush Fair takes place in Onda, and opens the imposition of a close season.

Bulls are the common element in all the festivals throughout the year. Castellón is the province which displays the highest number of bulls. Typical bullfights are present in any town, especially in Castellón, Vilafranca, Vinaròs and Benassal, but the most widespread tradition is the bull on the street, obtained by groups, circles and festival committees. The bull has its own spectacular ceremonies such as taking it out of the bullpen, the test and the locking bull. And at night, young fellows make foreshortenings and dodges to avoid the charge of the "toro embolado" (bull with wooden fire balls in its horns).

All these are popular festivals par excellence and in many cases unique for their conception and peculiarity which are the most important attraction for the visitor of our Costa del Azahar.