‘La Nit de les Ànimes’ (Halloween) returns to Dénia with a programme combining tradition, culture, music and fun for all ages. Under the slogan ‘Let Halloween tremble!’, Dénia Town Council, through its Youth and Culture departments, has organised a new edition of this celebration, which this year focuses on the monsters of Valencian folklore and invites the public to enjoy a day full of fantasy, mystery and festivities in the town’s streets.
The activities will begin on 19 October and run until 7 November.
The big day for Valencia’s monsters
The day on 31 October will begin with LEGO workshops, which will take place from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm at the Juventud centre.
At midday, the children’s storytelling session ‘El tresor de l’Encantada’, presented by Paco Bertomeu and Davinia Lekeux, is scheduled to take place at the Juan Chabás Public Library.
In the afternoon, at 5.00 pm, families will gather on Calle La Vía, on the stretch between Calle Diana and Calle Carlos Sentí, leading into one of the day’s main events at 5.30 pm: the parade of Valencian monsters.
The route will pass through La Vía Street, Maria Hervás Square, Marqués de Campo Street, Sandunga Street and La Mar Street before reaching the Plaza del Consell.
Once the parade has finished, at 6.30 pm, Plaza del Consell will host the opening dance, led by the group Llunàtics, and at 6.40 pm a ‘Valencian monsters’ mini-disco will begin, followed by a collaborative coven dance which will also pass through Plaza Maria Hervás, Calle Marqués de Campo and Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
The programme will continue at 10.00 pm with a parade from Els Quatre Cantons to Plaza del Consell, where the evening’s opening dance will take place at 10.15 pm. The celebration will culminate with a mobile disco featuring macabre choreographed routines, from 10.30 pm to midnight, also in Plaza del Consell.
Throughout the afternoon and evening, various photocalls will be set up at different locations in the town centre: Plaza Maria Hervás, Plaza del Convent, the País Valencià roundabout, Plaza del Ayuntamiento and inside the Municipal Market, so that participants can capture their experience.
In addition, from 6 pm to 10 pm, the Multi-purpose Youth Centre will host the group role-playing game “La Purga”, starting from the esplanade in front of the Youth Centre building. This activity is aimed at those aged 14 and over.
Charity LEGO
The celebrations for All Souls’ Night begin on 19 October with a Halloween-themed LEGO exhibition, in aid of Luca, the boy from Denia with IFAP syndrome. The exhibition, which will run until 7 November, will be held in the Sala Joves Art at the Youth Centre. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 1 pm and from 4 pm to 9 pm, and on Saturdays, from 9 am to 1 pm.
Let’s banish fear
The Juan Chabás Public Library and the reading centres in Jesús Pobre and La Xara will also be taking part in the celebrations with activities linked to the “Banish Fear” campaign, which celebrates the monsters, legends and characters of Valencian oral tradition.
On Thursday 22 October, at 5.30 pm, the Enric Valor reading centre in Jesús Pobre will host the special workshop “La bruixa safranera”, with Sara Bono. The activity will be repeated on Thursday 29 October, at the same time, at the Josep Ivars reading centre in La Xara.
On Saturday 24 October at 12 noon, the Juan Chabás Public Library will host the children’s storytelling session “La María no té por”, presented by Disparatari Teatre.
Crime in Dénia
One of the most interesting events for adult audiences is the tour ‘A stroll through Dénia’s criminal history (1823–1923)’, led by Antoni Reig, a journalist and writer from Dénia and author, amongst other works, of the book *Stories of Crimes and Criminals in the Marina Alta (Edicions 96, 2016), which was awarded the 1st “Antoni-Lluís Carrió i Artigues” Prize for Research and Essays.
The guided tour (in spanish) will take place on Friday 30 October at 7.30 pm, setting off from the Juan Chabás Public Library. An opportunity to discover episodes from the town’s darkest and most mysterious history.
