Festivities and Traditions
- DURING SAN JUAN, THE "FALLAS"
In the summer, near San Juan, the tradition of the Fallas fills the shortest night of the year with light and colour. It is a festivity related to the antique custom of worshiping the sun to show gratitude for the success of the harvests. It consists on placing, as torches, trunks of trees on top of the hills and mountains that surround the towns.
- RIVER KNIGHTS: THE RAIERS
Also during the summer, the tradition of the Raiers makes the region be famous. The raiers, also known as "noble river knights", follow the stream of a brave tradition: go down the river course, representing the antique systems of transportation of the wood. Thus, every year, on the first Sunday of July, the antique occupation of the raiers comes again to life. The raiers sail again on the Noguera Pallares River, remembering and paying homage to this antique extinguished occupation.
- THE DESCENT OF THE HERDS
Between fall and winter the so called "descent of the herds" takes place. During the whole month of October, the herds of cows and horses, and flocks that are not corralled, come down from the mountains where they have been pasturing during the summer. The winter is very hard in the zone, and the plain has a better weather. During this time it is customary to see on the "cabaneres" (traditional paths for herds), numerous herds moving, slowly but without stopping, towards lower lands.
The towns of the Pyrenees, and with them Guārdia de Noguera, keep proudly a great variety of traditions that come from old times, and contribute to maintain the history of these lands.
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