It happens every year, on July 16th, at 20:00 PM. It lasts barely ten minutes , less even (seven or eight), but some 80.000 rockets are launched practically in unison. It's not hard to imagine the enormous explosion. Although imagining it is one thing, experiencing it live is another, because the sky turns completely gray for an instant, everything trembles beneath our feet , and in those intense minutes, the pungent smell of gunpowder seems to reach everywhere, even the memories of those from Cangas, whether by birth or adoption, who couldn't be there.
The sheer volume of around 90 decibels makes the quiet village of Cangas del Narcea seem like a large city capable of unleashing all the noise it contains in a few minutes.
The Download Party
The highlight of the festival is setting off firecrackers, rockets, and all kinds of gunpowder (more than a ton in total) in the shortest time possible. There's applause, shouting, and our faces freeze in vibrant smiles that we can't wipe off. Some insist on taking photos, but they'd be better off covering their ears, as such a barrage is designed to push our eardrums to their limits. The final burst of fireworks is so extraordinary that a sudden rush takes hold, an excitement that will stay with us all day.
The Cangas Artisans' Society (founded in 1902) plays a vital role in organizing this ephemeral yet intense event . With its approximately 3.000 members, it finances a significant portion of the Descarga (fireworks display), assembles and disassembles the launching machines in the legendary Prau El Molín, and ensures compliance with the regulations. In addition, there are about thirty affiliated groups, known as "Las peñas de la pólvora" (The Gunpowder Groups) , which hold their own displays throughout the week-long festival.
In a pyrotechnic event of this magnitude, safety measures are paramount, so talks are given days in advance to raise public awareness. Part of the display is carried out manually by approximately three hundred pyrotechnicians with their assistants. The organizers and state security forces verify beforehand that all these individuals have received the appropriate training, that all batches of fireworks are correctly labeled, and that the public, numbering around 50.000 , maintains a distance of more than 50 meters from the pyrotechnicians.
Everyone looks for the best spot to watch the spectacle, although this isn't too difficult since the launching points are located down in the valley and the rest of the higher area serves as an amphitheater. The blasts from the El Voladorón crag herald the start of the display and put everyone in the houses and streets on alert. It's also a warning for the already anxious shooters, their pulses racing and their bodies tense. The legs of the novices even tremble. The occasion is certainly fraught. They mentally review the steps of a good throw: hold the rocket by the part called the "carretilla" (wheelbarrow) with your index finger and thumb, the fuse always facing outwards, spread your legs with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Extend your arms with the stick slightly angled forward, light the fuse and you hear the whoosh, feel the push, and release it… One after another. The hand-thrown launch is an incredibly long moment that lasts five minutes. Next up are the launching machines , capable of launching tens of thousands of flying objects per minute and generating an unspeakable noise.
With the sudden cessation of the explosions come shouts and celebration. Tears, kisses. "Happy New Year!" the residents of Cangas wish each other, counting the years from one Descarga to the next.
The Virgin of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
She is the star of the festival. In the press, her image is usually featured prominently with rockets exploding behind her. Both the extravagant fireworks and the ringing of the bells are in her honor. As early as July 7th, nine days before La Descarga (the main firework display), the novenas begin with large dinners for the peñas (social clubs) and their own unique "tiradas" (fireworks displays). During that week, events take place, including the opening proclamation and the parade of the peñas through the town's streets.
On the morning of July 16th, a popular procession begins , carrying the image of the Virgin from the chapel to the Basilica of Santa María Magdalena. At that moment, two volleys of fireworks are set off. Around 8 p.m., after a mass in her honor, the image returns to the Ambasaguas chapel, where it will remain throughout the year. But shortly before reaching the chapel, the procession stops at the town's Roman bridge , and at that moment, the unique gunpowder prayer known as the Descarga takes place. A perfect combination of celebration and devotion , its origins are not entirely clear. It seems to be related to the use of pyrotechnics to frighten French troops who tried to conquer the town (they ended up fleeing in terror at what they believed was the sound of local artillery), and more recently, to the initiative of Gijón residents living in Cangas who wanted to venerate their seafaring Virgin in a grand way.
the folixa
The week before the Carmen festival is packed with events : exhibitions of Asturian rural sports, children's activities, markets, country pilgrimages, folk groups and bagpipe bands, parades of giants and big-headed figures, fanfares and open-air dances with musical performances every night.
Everyone's out partying (as they call a festival in Asturias). At this time of year, the southwest of Asturias is usually hot and sweltering, so it's become customary to stock up on hats, fans, parasols, sunscreen, plenty of water, and lots of cider. It's also practically obligatory to try the local wine and have some caipirinhas, Cangas-style. A great atmosphere fills every corner of the town. After the fireworks display, a full-blown party ensues ; people of all ages enjoy the longest and most crowded night of the year. A very special night shared with family and friends, with the ever-present support of the local social clubs.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
