«The carnival of this city knows what it means to overcome other potholes and here we continue. It is true that when there is a break, people disappoint Cáceres, in the 80s and 90s, when the atmosphere was spectacular. Then came the decline, and even stopped collective acts following the 2008 crisis. Cáceres had completely eliminated the carnival. But an informal remained to parade in 2012 from Cánovas did that of ‘where there was fire there are always embers’, and it was the turning point. Already between 2016 and 2018, the party managed to gather twenty groups in its parade. But in 2020, last edition, they were reduced to eleven. Pandemia has bent them halfway. Numerous schools are missing above all for health circumstances.

Those that resist

‘El Jaleo’, ‘Mansaborá’, ‘The blush band’, ‘tachycardia’ and the AMPA of the María Auxiliadora school are the comparsas that have confirmed their participation at the moment. The City Council has met them to organize the program. These are the groups faithful to the cacereño carnival because they consider that if they do not, no one will come to do it. "With 16 years we were going to marry Cáceres, where the atmosphere is fantastic, but what need to put on the road having a city that can encourage your party?" Asks Begoña Rivera, of ‘Mansaborá’. "And there is also no reason to look like anyone, we are able to organize our own carnival and our children deserve to live without leaving Cáceres," says Abigail Navarro, ‘The blush band." "We miss the 80s and 90s, friends, whole families were disguised ... why my nephews can't also enjoy it today?" Patricia Vaca laments, ‘taquicardia’.

Marisa Iglesias, from ‘El Jaleo’, is one of the great veteran to whom the party survival is due."We have a carnival with fluctuations, we have seen it over the years, but now for us it will not remain, we are encouraged, we are preparing it ..." she says.And how can Cáceres go back to all his appointment?The comparsas are clear: two requirements are needed.First, greater citizen involvement.Second, and priority, an anticipation of the City Council when organizing the acts (they have the feeling that it is always going with delay), as well as a more generous budget.

However, all groups without exception value very positively the work of the current Councilor for Celebrations, Fernanda Valdés.It is true that she has been personally involved in lifting the carnival and claim that there is no doubt about her efforts.But they agree that this attitude also requires a more determined support from the City Council itself.

Fernanda Valdés has already outlined the program.It will begin on February 25 (Friday) with the Lavanderas party and the burning of the pelele, and at night, the presentation of the comparsas and the proclamation.On Saturday the parade (18.00) will take place that this year changes Gran Vía for painters.On Sunday the children's parade will be held and the one organized by the Carnival Association.There will also be other activities, awards (a new one for the best individual costume), animations ... The traditional tent will also be installed in the Plaza Mayor, whose management will be bidding.

"We have crossed hard years, there is a desire to have fun and the carnival is the time to have fun par excellence, to lose shame," says Fernanda Valdés. "The groups have been working for two years, they have put their illusion, their time and their moneyin suits and in choreographies.From the town hall, the minimum we can do is throw him as much illusion as they are, ”she emphasizes.

The mayor has studied with the comparsas the most appropriate format.They have put the options on the table, and once decided, it encourages citizens to join respecting sanitary measures.«A complicated or expensive suit is not necessary, you can look between what we keep at home.Cáceres has raw material for a full color carnival, you just have to make a desire, ”she proclaims.

The Extremadura newspaper has chatted with the main troupes that will put this joy in the streets.These are their experiences, and above all, their expectations.

Those of the ‘blush’ do not want gray

«The fear of pandemic is there, but there are also the spirits and the desire.We have been without social life for two years and it is necessary to enjoy the carnival, taking the necessary protection measures ».Abigail Navarro says it, one of the founders of 'La Banda del Vuncete', a comparsa who joined the Cacereña agenda when the party resurfaced in 2013. «The first year we left three friends disguised as Egyptians and now we are 50 people fromdifferent points of Cáceres.I was born in the year 83 and I still remember that oval tent in the Plaza Mayor with an exaggerated life, all the disguised families.I saw the burial of the sardine from my grandmother's house in El Rodeo.We didn't stop, ”recalls the nostalgic.

Abigail and his group are all creativity.At the beginning of the pandemic they designed eight costumes, made the choice «and yetWe always get rid, ”reveals fun.

"Cáceres neither can nor should tend to a carnival of the type of Badajoz or Navalmoral, we want ours, the one we are able to do, to encourage young people not to leave those days," he reflects.And to achieve this it would be fundamental "that Carnival Tuesday was a festive, because then many people would be worth taking a costume.But we already know that in the case of Cáceres it is difficult, you have to choose between Carnival, San Jorge and the May Fair, ”he says.Be that as it may, ‘The blush band’ will put everything on its part again."Let's see if more people are encouraged ...!"

‘Mansaborá’ gives entry to percussion

The drums mark the beginning of the trial in Vegas del Mocho (photo).The new percussion group has created the rhythms, the dance has designed choreographies, and the costumes ended the tutorials for a long time for those who prefer it, can make them at home.This year 50 will parade, a fairly nourished participation taking into account the fear of infections.‘Mansaborá’ thus finally his fourth departure in the Carnival of Cacereño.«We have been preparing for two years.The costume will give a lot of play and the hat ..., the hat you will see!

Begoña Rivera, representative of ‘Mansaborá’, tells it, a troupe that emerged from a first parade of some twenty -year -old friends who one day got tired of going to look for the party to other places.«Some cacereños are trying to resurface.They have told us about the best years, which also coincided with the move.That went out and you have to turn it on, ”says Begoña.This edition will be special: "We have given us time to prepare it for two years and we will release a carnival rhythm base: boxes, drums ...", she announces.

The delivery of the troupe always receives a prize as a reward.They try to overcome each year, "because we have fun creating."They have get a drag queen float and another six meters full of fantastic gears.

‘Tachycardia’ between seams

In ‘taquicardia’ they are not willing to continue to ruin carnival editions and have decided to adapt to times with a more tight organization.Everything is done in turn."We carry out the sewing workshops on weekends in morning and afternoon sessions (photo) so that so many people are not gathered, we even send tutorials to those who have a lot of contact with the public and are afraid to put others at risk»Patricia Vaca explains, driver of the troupe a decade ago.

And although the fear of infections has reduced participation, who maintain their willingthe percussion and for the rhythms of the DJ Jesus Vaca.They are already looking forward to everything begins.

And this group never gives up.In 2020 he even rented a ship for the rehearsals of his 80 components."In the absence of public premises, we manage as we can, because some we remember the carnival that Cáceres had and we do not want to give it by impossible, no matter how difficult Patricia acknowledges.

Thirty years of ‘Jaleo’ incombustible

This is the dean comparsa of Cáceres, born in 1989, when the weird on duty was the Cacereño who went down the street without costume.'El Jaleo' can be considered the conductive thread of the cacereño carnival, the only link that unites the party with the splendor that he reached in the 80s and 90s. His lyrics were always novel, sly, funny ..., so much that between competitionsof songs and costumes won all possible awards.They came to add 150 components and were after the new call to refloat the lost carnival a decade ago.Nor was the pandemic to stop them.And there they continue to prepare the 2022 parade.

«Since November we are with costumes, we always start in advance to give everything to everything.This year our horns is about, ”says Burlona Marisa Iglesias, representative of the jaleo and president of the Cáceres Carnival association.Will they want to give Covid a cornada?Possibly yes.They will do it with their grace and music.This is the only group that has always had its own percussion: box, drum, hype, repique ... some play and others dance, from 3 to 60 years.For ‘El Jaleo’ there are no ages because they consider that the carnival will always have the young soul.

From their experience, they know that it is a special year, that you cannot ask for people given the circumstances, but they hope that "this uprising party" will begin the comeback again when the Covid allows it.