The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (the Virgin of Carmen) is coming up this Wednesday. The Fair (Feria del Carmen) opened Sunday at the fairgrounds.
The Virgin of Carmen is the patron saint of fisherman and mariners — and of our neighborhood of Los Boliches.
I couldn’t find the fair’s official hours online, so asked around and was told, “Oh, the rides won’t be running during siesta [around 2–5 p.m.] but the vendors will all be open and there’ll be food all day.”
So, Judy and I walked over Monday around 1 p.m. thinking we would have some fun before the rides all started up and the crowds arrived.
Well, we didn’t have to deal with any crowds, because absolutely nothing was open. But, since there’s no charge to enter the fairgrounds, we were free to wander all over, and we had a great time exploring. One section of the fairgrounds is lined with permanent “casetas.” When not being used for the numerous fairs throughout the year, the casetas are used by different local social and cultural associations (peñas). I’ve never taken the time to check out this street when it hasn’t been filled with people. (Click any image to see how much space we had to ourselves.)
We still have to go back to see all the lights and people… and to hear the music and noise. Wednesday night is the procession and fireworks. I’ll have plenty more pictures and stories.
In the meantime, enjoy our first day at the fair… without the fair.
Although I live with (the very ironically named) San Geraldo,
you’ll never make a saint of me…
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Author: Moving with Mitchell
From Brooklyn, New York; to North Massapequa; back to Brooklyn; Brockport, New York; back to Brooklyn... To Boston, Massachusetts, where I met Jerry... To Marina del Rey, California; Washington, DC; New Haven and Guilford, Connecticut; San Diego, San Francisco, Palm Springs, and Santa Barbara, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Irvine, California; Sevilla, Spain. And Fuengirola, Málaga..
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