Once closed the Moro-Christian cycle of this year 2017, from the Governing Board of the Festeros Society of the Holy Christ of the Agony of Ontinyent we want to congratulate the Festeros Charges of 2017, representatives, public bodies, comparsas and all citizens for the magnificent development of the parties we have shared.
Participation has been at all times correct and the progress of acts ordered and without notable incidents. So it was that on the day of the entrance the schedules of each of the entrances were closed closing the Buccaneers at 21:30. (as it was established) and the Comparsa Moors Berberiscos at 02:25, (20 minutes later than anticipated, due to the circumstances caused by the fall of one of the horses in the path of the entrance).
The response of the public, always positive, has given record numbers in the events of the Tickets Cristiana and Mora.
If we speak of objective data, it is worth noting in 2017 that there has been a rebound in the participation of party goers in the events, following the trend followed in the last two years. If the previous year were 60 Christian squads and 99 Moras, in this they have been 67 in the Christian side and 105 in the Moor. As far as bands and bands are concerned, there have been 80 bands and groups that have participated in the tickets, by bands there have been 35 bands of music at the Christian entrance, and 45 in the Moorish band. A total of 3 bands more than the previous year and 8 bands of music more respect to the year 2014, as well as 15 more squares of festeros.
Time that it has taken to pass the Christian Entrance for a point: 2 hours and 30 minutes. Time it has taken to spend the Mora Entry for a point: 3 hours and 15 minutes.
But the most significant fact is that there is a continuous increase in the number of parties, this 2017 has been the third consecutive year in which the number of members has grown considerably in more than 170 new registrations in members older than 14 years (with the right to leave at the entrance). This adds a total of 392 new members (compared to 2014) since the team of Jose Rafael Sanchis assumed the management of the Festeros Society. It is a good indicator to observe that a recovery period is consolidated after several exercises where the amount of festeros was reduced.
From the Government Board, we are aware that the public has 1 hour and 20 minutes (between the two entrances) for dinner, but at no time does the solution pass by advancing the Christian entrance or delay the opening hours, since the time in which the entries pass by a certain point would be the same, given the increasing tendency of the number of parties. In any case, the possible solutions will arise from the debate and the proposals produced within the Board of Governors.
Thanks also to the national and local bodies and security forces that with their presence and vigilance, have given us that tranquility and security necessary for everyone to enjoy the holidays properly. We would also like to express our sincere thanks for the support that Ontinyent’s City Council has provided in each of the planned activities, and we highly appreciate the efforts and work of all the departments involved.
Another important aspect that the Governing Board wishes to emphasize is that of the acts of Arcabuceria. These parties have been the first since the entry into force of the new Explosives Regulation, specifically ITC 26, as well as the repeal of the Resolution of 8/03/1999 of Government Delegation in the Valencian Community that was not valid, for what happened to demand to the participants in the acts of harquebusier the corresponding license of weapons of charge. From the Government team of the Society of Festeros, the appropriate arrangements were made through different collaboration agreements so that the processing of these licenses would be the minimum cost for the party and had the least impact on the traditional acts of arquebus, in addition to carrying out negotiations with the Government Delegation in the Valencian Community to authorize, as it finally happened, a second delivery of powder for the same Monday of the Embassies. For all this, the government board is positively valued these efforts and the great effort made by the government team, not only to carry out the acts of arquebus, but also to get a second distribution of gunpowder.