Alcoy’s city center will host a parade honoring composer Gonzalo Barrachina during the Modernist Fair. The Asociación de San Jorge is organizing the procession, scheduled for Sunday, 27 September at noon. It will set off from the Font Redona and finish at the Església de Sant Jordi.
The organizers have paid close attention to historical accuracy. Twenty-eight filaes will wear costumes inspired by styles from 1915 to 1919, when the Himno de Fiestas became official. Carla Julià, artistic advisor for the Asociación de San Jorge, described the months of research and garment restoration. Christian and Moorish groups will appear as they did a century ago. The Christian side has changed the most: today’s Almogàvers will march as Astures, while Tomasines take the role of Escuadrón de San Jorge. Creuats will appear as Visigodos, and Aragonesos as Salomonistes. Period beards and mustaches, alongside hairstyles of the era, will help set the scene.
Music is basic to the event. The Primitiva and Nova bands will perform Barrachina’s works, including 'Ecos del Levante' and selections from the zarzuela 'Goya.' Barrachina was born in 1869 and studied music in Madrid. He later returned to Alcoy, where he composed symphonic works. His other compositions included the pasodoble 'Ecos de Levante' and the official festival hymn, Radio Alcoy reports. The parade will also introduce the new Christian sergeant. Paco García, president of the Asociación de San Jorge, said this year’s participation is especially meaningful as Alcoy marks 750 years since San Jorge became the city’s patron. Radio Alcoy reports that the Association has arranged an audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on 3 February 2027 to commemorate the anniversary.
City officials see the parade as more than a cultural event. Lorena Zamorano, Alcoy’s tourism councillor, said collaboration with local associations expands the fair’s program and supports local shops and hospitality businesses. The event is expected to draw residents and visitors, adding life to the city’s streets while strengthening Alcoy’s sense of community.
The commemorative program for Barrachina also includes educational events. Radio Alcoy reports that a dedicated conference will bring researchers and musicians together to examine his life and legacy, giving the fair a broader cultural context beyond the costumed procession.
Alcoy’s approach to heritage stands out as cultural events elsewhere in Spain face controversy. A recent art exhibition in Valladolid, for example, was cancelled over political references, as previously reported. Alcoy’s Modernist Fair, by contrast, uses history to bring people together.
The Gloria Modernista parade reinterprets Alcoy’s festival traditions through historical research and music. This year’s tribute to Gonzalo Barrachina, alongside the 750th anniversary of San Jorge’s patronage, reflects the city’s local identity and keeps its traditions alive on the streets.
