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Programme of activities of the Sant Joan Festivities.

As usual the Sant Joan Fiestas of Ciutadella began last Sunday with the "Dia des Be" and on June 23 is the "Dissabte de Sant Joan", that this year falls on Thursday. The whole of Ciutadella is waiting for the arrival of 2 p.m. on this day, the moment when the Fabioler, riding an ass, goes to the Palace of the Caixer Senyor (carrer Major des Born, cas Comte), to ask for permission to start the fiesta. Immediately afterwards, the piper will start the gathering of "caixers i cavellers" following the customary rituals.

As from this moment, the horses and their riders will be the stars of this emblematic fiesta that has been held without interruption for centuries. Of the events for the "Dissabte de Sant Joan" the most spectacular and colourful are the "Caragol des Born" accompanied by the Music Band and the emotional "vespres" in the chapel of Sant Joan de Missa. The programme for this day is completed by the fiesta of the "Avellanas a sa Contramurada", the "Corregudes a sa Plaça", the "Caragol de Santa Clara", the farewell on horseback by the Caixer Capellà and the Caixer Senyor, the drink by the caixers and cavallers in the house of the Caixer Senyor and, finally the farewell by the Caixer Capellà.

On "Dia de Sant Joan", Friday 24, at 8 a.m., the piper will ask permission from the Caixer Senyor to start the gathering and once the "qualcada" is completed, there will be trials "Jocs des Pla", the "Corregudes de Sa Plaça" and the "Caragol de Santa Clara". The morning's programme will end with the solemn "Missa de caixers" in the church of Sant Francesc, the drink for the caixers and cavallers in the home of the Caixer Capellà and the farewell of the protocol.

In the evening, the "qualcada" will descend to the Pla, where it will await, together with band and the town councillors, who will have been invited especially to preside the games. After the first "Caragol" there will be the games "s'Ensortilla", "Carotes" and "Córrer abraçats". Once the games have finished, there will be the last "Caragol" followed by the "Corregudes de Sa Plaça" and the "Caragol de Santa Clara". Finally, the farewell on horseback by the Caixer Capellà and the Caixer Senyor, the drink for the caixers and cavallers in the home of the Caixer Senyor, the farewell on foot by the Caixer Capellà, and the last piping by the flabiol, that will mark the end of the fiestas.

Everyone who takes part directly in the fiesta is dressed rigorously in formal attire, and the most outstanding are those who make up the "Junta de Caixers". These represent the ancient nobility of Ciutadella: nobles (Caixer senyor), clergy (Caixer capellà), artisans (Caixers menestrals) and farmworkers (Caixers pagesos). The "Flabioler", that accompanies the "Junta de Caixers", is in charge of announcing the orders with the drum and whistle during the fiestas.

Image: Poster of the Sant Joan Festivity 2005 designed by Ivan Triay Llabrés and edited by the Ciutadella Town Concil.