While Halloween decorations are being taken down across much of Spain, Soportújar is keeping its spooky atmosphere for another week. The small village in the northwestern Alpujarra Granadina, with just over 200 residents, will hold the ninth edition of its Noche de Brujas on November 7.
The event will include a costume contest, local food and craft markets, street performances and theatrical activities. The programme will begin with the opening of the artisan and gastronomy market, followed by the arrival of a witches’ procession and performances throughout the village’s streets.
One of the central activities will be a dramatization of the witches’ story before the Inquisition. The evening will conclude with music and the selection of the best costume, which will receive a prize. Organizers describe the celebration as the most magical and bewitched night of the year and invite visitors of all ages to attend in costume.
Soportújar’s connection with witchcraft is rooted in local history and legend. The settlement dates back to the 13th century, when it was an alquería belonging to the Taha of Órgiva. After the expulsion of the Moriscos, families from other parts of the territory settled there and brought pagan traditions with them. Local stories associate the new inhabitants with witches, sorcerers and necromancers, as well as with the practice of covens.
The village’s supernatural identity can be seen throughout the year. Among its attractions are a large-scale recreation of Baba Yaga’s house, depicted with giant chicken legs, and the Dragon Fountain, whose water is traditionally said to have aphrodisiac and fertility-related properties. These stories have helped turn Soportújar into a destination associated with witchcraft and mystery beyond the Halloween season.
Sources: elDiario.es.