Calvià Town Hall urges the 'colles' to maintain the date of July 28 for the election of the Kings of the Rei en Jaume festivities, pending a statement from the Ministry of the Sea regarding the use of the pine forest in Santa Ponça as a campsite.
The uncertainty surrounding the future of the Santa Ponça pine forest as a campsite for the 'colles' of Moors and Christians keeps the election of the Kings of the Rei en Jaume festivities in Calvià in suspense. The event, initially scheduled for next Tuesday, July 28, remains on the municipal calendar despite the festive groups conditioning their participation on receiving written guarantees for the use of the pine forest.
The festivities, which will take place from August 28 to September 8 in Santa Ponça, have the election of the Kings as the starting signal for the official events. However, the 'colles' – which comprise around a thousand people – voted this Thursday to maintain their stance: they will only attend the meeting on July 28 if the Balearic Government, through the Ministry of the Sea and the Water Cycle, authorises camping in the pine forest. Otherwise, they threaten to boycott the grand parade on Saturday of the festivities, which runs through the main streets of Santa Ponça as a prelude to the beach battle.
In light of this pressure, Calvià Town Hall has contacted the 'colles' to ask them not to change the initial date. Municipal sources indicate that there is some optimism regarding the Ministry's response to the alternatives presented to reconcile the celebration with the protection of the natural space. Among them, the Environmental technicians of the Town Hall support a proposal that delineates a high-protection perimeter to prevent the crowd from damaging the most sensitive areas of the pine forest.
The municipal proposal, which has already been sent to the Government, includes the prohibition of installing “heavy furniture or structures likely to cause soil compaction” in the pine forest, such as stages, chemical toilets, or inflatables. These elements must be located outside the forest area, on the promenade, the beach, or adjacent public roads. This way, it is intended that the Moors and Christians campsite can continue to develop in its historical location without compromising the ecosystem.
The standoff between the Town Hall and the 'colles' has intensified in recent weeks. Initially, there was talk of postponing the election of the Kings to August 10 to give more leeway to the regional administration. However, the Town Hall believes that the Ministry's statement could be delayed until August and that modifying the calendar of events leading up to the festivities would complicate the organisation. Therefore, it has urged the groups to maintain the date of July 28, hoping that the Government's response arrives in time.
The Santa Ponça pine forest is the traditional setting for the 'colles' campsite during the Rei en Jaume festivities. This year, the Ministry of the Sea and the Water Cycle must decide whether to authorise its use, following concerns raised about the protection of the natural space. Calvià Town Hall has defended the compatibility of the celebration with the conservation of the pine forest, proposing measures such as safeguarding the most sensitive areas and restricting heavy elements.
For the residents of Calvià and, in particular, Santa Ponça, resolving this conflict is key to the development of festivities that are a hallmark of the municipality. The participation of the 'colles' in the Saturday parade and the beach battle depends on guaranteeing the use of the pine forest. If an agreement is not reached, the celebration could be seriously affected.
On July 28, it is expected that the 'colles' will confirm whether they will attend the election of the Kings or, on the contrary, maintain their threat not to participate. Meanwhile, the Town Hall continues to negotiate with the Ministry to obtain an authorisation that clears up the doubts. The final decision, in any case, rests with the Balearic Government.
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