They are celebrated on August 1 and 2 in honor of St. Joseph and the Virgin of the Angels.
The Fiestas Patronales de Serra have been declared a festival of local tourist interest in the Valencian Community by the Generalitat Valenciana. “Les Festes Patronals en honor en Sant Josep i la Mare de Déu dels Àngels” are celebrated in Serra at the beginning of August. These festivities are deeply rooted in the municipality and date back to the 17th century.
The patron saint festivities in honor of St. Joseph and the Virgin of the Angels have as big days the 1st and 2nd of August with the traditional parades of clavarios and clavariesas and night processions. The days prior to the patron saint, different activities are organized for all audiences, from festivals, children’s activities and the traditional popular dinner. The act of the offering of flowers to the Virgin, the Sunday before August 2, is one of the most emotional events and marks the beginning of the festive calendar along with the presentation of the Queen of the festivities.
In the words of the mayor, Alicia Tusón: “It is a joy to receive this recognition for our patron saint festivities. Festivities that represent our way of feeling our town and that we have been celebrating for more than three centuries.”
In fact, the confraternity of the Virgin of the Angels was founded in 1698, although previously there are documents that prove the veneration of the Virgin and this year marks the 75th anniversary of the image of St. Joseph by the confraternity of St. Joseph and the Cross, of more recent creation.
The distinction comes after in the last two years the Generalitat has recognized the Calderona Fair-Cherry Day as a festival of regional tourist interest and the Festa de Sant Roc Serra as a festival of provincial tourist interest. “We have done a great job so that our festivities have the distinction they deserve. We are very proud” says the mayor, Alicia Tusón.
The recognition was published yesterday in the Official Journal of the Generalitat Valenciana and was notified to the consistory a few days ago. The declaration of the festivities in honor of St. Joseph and the Virgin of the Angels as a festival of local tourist interest of the Valencian Community will be registered in the Special Register of festivals, itineraries, publications and audiovisual works of tourist interest of the Valencian Community, section one.
