WHEN WE DREAMED TO MARK THE IMPRONTAGE

These days come to mind the memories of so many projects, some of them never really realized because of the lack of possibilities, as they say, in which we work to strengthen the night of San Juan Coruña.

It was many years of turning and turning to themes in order to turn the night of San Juan, our Night of Burning, in all a festive referent not only national but also international level.

We knew that in order to create tourist currents that would be able to make La Coruna a point of appointment when arriving the dates of high June did not arrive with the beaches of Riazor and Orzán were filled with small bonfires in which groups of people celebrate The shortest night of the year; Not even that we organized a Cavalcade of the Meigas as complete as possible or that in the Comission of Fire of San Juan participated every year more motorcycles conferring that visibility that brings any concentration of motorcycles; He did not even want to plant an allegorical Bonfire of great dimensions or that the fireworks were lavish. More, much more was needed.

It is locked, and so we made it known to the City Council who understood it instantly, to turn to Corunna, on 21, 22 and 23 June, in an authentic reference of first order bringing to the city shows of First level but international, at least national, able to fill the Plaza de María Pita or even, if you hurry, the beach of Riazor in the days prior to the night of San Juan.

It was necessary, by all means, that La Coruna was the priority objective, the destination point, for all those who wish to live a different party of the HOGUERAS ; An objective in which the entire city would have to be involved.

And so, from tour packages by way of offer, combining trips and stay, going through a correct setting of streets and squares and a series of actions divulgativas of the traditions linked to the night of San Juan, to get those who wish to travel in these Fixed dates in La Coruña as an obligatory point of destination.

We knew that if what we were looking for was to attract quality tourism, that which spends money and generates wealth and therefore return to public investments, it was necessary to squeeze the imagination and create an attractive program that would not go unnoticed by anyone, even combining Other initiatives even if they were private in which most of the social, economic and cultural fabric of the city was involved.

The rest, the San Juan Cavalcade, the colorful parades, the San Juan Fire Commune, the burning of the allegorical Bonfire, the fireworks, the parties in the neighborhoods, etc., was, a little, the most Intimate of the party but not for the least important. It was a matter of La Coruña whole party dress for three days emulating what is so successful in other parts of Spain that have made their parties target thousands and thousands of tourists every year, even in months Worse than June.

You had to make the party really popular, that is, for everyone, not just for a few. That the party did not remain confined to thousands of people who come down to the beaches, but that all the segments of the society of Corunna and all those that visited us would live it.

Attaining the title of International Tourist Interest Party we saw the open sky believing that with this achievement the party would be saved. That mistake!

Today of all that there is nothing left and what is worse, less and less. The party of the HOGUERAS , the one for which so many and many Coruñeses worked for years without fainting. Has become a rude party, tasteless, unimaginative and only addressed to those who wish to go down to the beaches on the night of June 23, the rest are out of the call because there is nothing that can attract their attention except The little that was saved from our initial project, ours not that of any other: burn an allegorical Bonfire and throw a few fireworks.

It is a pity that the spirit of revenge is able to blind the eyes especially those who have the sacred obligation to serve the people, the whole people, and to ensure that the city takes off for real and become a reference in All the senses and not in a place more and more abandoned and that only moves by its own inertia.

José Eugenio Fernández Barallobre.