Patron festivities and impressive rocket festival in Ojós (Murcia)

Ojós is a town of about 500 inhabitants in the Region of Murcia, located in the Ricote Valley. Every year from the 26th to the 29th of August the Festivities of San Agustín are celebrated in Ojós in honor of San Agustín and the Virgen de la Cabeza. August 28 is characterized by launching a large number of rockets (about 18.000) after the procession through the streets of the village.

The valley of Ricote en Murcia

Rincón de Ojós in the Ricote Valley

More than four thousand people from the region and outside the Region of Murcia have come this year to see the launch of the spectacular ‘rocket’ and subsequent fireworks organised by the Peña Cohetera de Ojós. It is the largest pyrotechnic event in Spain. This year the fireworks provider of the event and in charge of the installation is the company Pibierzo S.L. from León (Spain).

 

Lot’s of visitors visit the event every year

This year costed us to park in the small town. Hundreds of cars were parked inside the town centre, on the road from Blanca to Ojós and on the road to Ricote. There were many Civil Protection volunteers who have come from villages and cities all over the region such as Alcantarilla, San Javier, Torre Pacheco and of course Valle de Ricote. For protections they all wore their helmets and protective clothing. We have also seen Agents of the Forest Brigade of El Valle -Carracoy, units of the Civil Guard and Firemen. Lot’s of security measures that let to the Ojós rocket event taking place without any incidents.

 

Festivities declared Regional Tourist Interest

Citizen from the town of  Ojós have been promoting this event for years and two years ago the Festivals of San Agustín and in particular the rocket of Ojós where declared Festivities of Regional Tourist Interest. To support the declaration of the event as Regional Tourist interest, this year the citizens of Ojós have seen, before the rocket event took place and during the procession, apart from the regional president, the national government delegate, Diego Conesa, and the spokesman of the Group Socialist Parliamentarian Joaquín López Pagán.

Photographs of the event

Preparation of the rockets

Preparation of the rockets

More than 18,000 rockets awaiting to be launched

More than 18,000 rockets awaiting to be launched

Rocket in the valley of Ricote (Murcia)

La Peña Cohetera prepares for days the great rocket event

Rockets on the bank of the river Segura

Rockets on the bank of the river Segura

Rockets on the river bank

Rockets next to the river Segura in the Ricote Valley

Thousands of rockets prepared for the great rocket event

Thousands of rockets prepared for the great rocket of Ojós

Start of the la gran traca in the main street

Start of the great fireworks trail of more than 50 meters in the main street

Humo de pólvora en las calles de Ojos

Gunpowder smoke in the streets of Ojós

la Virgen de la Cabeza

The Virgin carried by men in the procession of the patron festivities in the town

San Agustín en procesión por Ojós

San Agustín in procession through the streets of the town

Protección Civil listo para la gran cohetada en las fiestas de Ojós

Civil Protection prepared and ready for the great rocket event at a bridge crossing

Lanzamiento de cohetes

Rocket Launches a long the riverbed

Cielo lleno de cohetes en la cohetada en Ojós

Sky full of rockets in the amazing rocket event

Cohetada en Ojós en el Valle de Ricote

The Ricote Valley illuminated by the thousands of rockets from the Ojós rocket event

 

Almost four thousand people from the Region and the rest of Spain watched the spectacular ‘rocket’ launched from the banks of the Segura River. For almost fifteen minutes, thousands of rockets were launched, that is, more than 18.000 rockets, or the equivalent of almost 5,000 kilos of gunpowder. The authorities took the opportunity to insist on the declaration of the ‘rocket’ event as a festival of Regional Tourist Interest.

More information: (Spanish) newspaper La Verdad

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