From Thursday 9th June until Saturday 11th June, we can enjoy one of the few authentic fairs left in the Balearic Islands. It is known as the most magical and mysterious fair on the island. The Serra de Tramuntana mountain range helps to maintain this mystery, which revolves around the products made in Selva with six plants, in the traditional way since the 16th century.
The promontory of the church of Sant Llorenç de Selva will be a faithful spectator of the distillation of the murta water that will take place in the middle of the square in a centenary still together with the dances of the caparrots, s’Estol de ses Herbes. Each caparrot is the character of a rondalla in which one of the six plants that are the protagonists of La Fira appears.
Our meeting with Joan Rotger, Mayor of Selva, reminds us of the importance of returning to the traditions that form our cultural identity. The protagonists of this Fira are herbs, gardens and mountain plants, which have long been used in Selva for different purposes: medicinal, cosmetic, cooking or simply to decorate the house.
Joan Rotger’s first-hand impressions of the municipality of Selva and its five population centres: Selva, Caimari, Moscari, Biniamar, and Binibona, invite us to immerse ourselves in this tradition.
Why is the Fira de ses Herbes held in June?
There is no specific date, as it is held on the second weekend in June.
This year 2022 it will be held on Thursday 9th June, Friday 10th June and Saturday 11th June.
Remember that the last year in which it was held in person was 2019.
The Fira began 22 years ago as a popular initiative promoted by the homoeopathic doctor Carles Amengual. Today it has become a cultural and economic reference for the society of the Balearic Islands.
The Fira reflects the enthusiasm and involvement of the municipality of Selva. The public and private sectors are the great architects of this 22nd Fira and I will never tire of thanking them for their hard work. Without them, it would not be possible.
What’s new at this XXII Fira de ses Herbes 2022?
The great novelty this year is that the Fira will be held at night. Activities will be concentrated between 6 pm and midnight.
We would like to highlight that on Saturday 11th June the Alborada will be held at 7.30 am and there will be no Fira on Sunday.
All this is in response to the demands of the residents who prefer this time when it is cooler.
From Thursday 9 June until Saturday 11 June, Selva will be hosting the Fira de Ses Herbes, what events do you recommend for this Fira?
The Fira begins on Thursday, with a façade decoration workshop.
Friday 10th June concentrates the activities of this Fira from 19:00 to 21:30h. Highlights :
Accompaniment by Xeremiers de Selva.
Inauguration of the exhibition “El Mar de la Serra de Tramuntana, Paisatge Cultural Patrimoni de la Humanitat. Unesco, Oscar Pipkin
Performance by the Agrupació Aires de Muntanya de Selva (Selva Mountain Airs Group)
Presentation of the Book of the Medicinal Flora of the Balearic Islands.
We highlight the participation of our bars, restaurants and cafes that will delight us with a great demonstration of mountain cuisine in which herbs will be the protagonists. On Friday at 9.30 p.m. there will be a “Nit de Tapes” (Tapas Night) in which the following will take part
Can Pereó
Can Rasta
Es Forn Cafè
Forn Can Felip
Sa Duana
Saturday the 11th is the day with the most activity.
Why is Saturday the 11th of June the day on which the greatest number of activities of the XXII Fira de ses Herbes are concentrated?
Saturday morning will begin at 7.30 am with the traditional Alborada, the traditional gathering of the murta harvesters. The morning activities will end at 11.00 am with the decoration of the stairs of the church.
At 6 p.m. the carriages with the murta, the gatherers, together with the dimonis boiets, the Batucada Gorimba Junior and the Xaramiers de Selva will enter.
There will also be the opening of the Fira market where we can find: aromatic and medicinal plants, cosmetics, liqueurs, perfumes, Sant Joan cakes, books, organic products and products made from plants and essential oils.
At 18.30h in the Plaza Mayor we will attend the unique event in the Balearic Islands. The murta distillation process will be one of the main attractions of the fair, ending at 9 pm. The performance of the Selva Music Band will accompany these three hours during which the traditional murta water will be collected.
At 21.00h the families of the village will taste the vegetable and sweet cakes.
The end of the festival will be at 24.00h with the Foc de l’Estol de ses Herbes and the giants of Selva, Rosa and Pau.
Tradition and modernity come together in this XXII Fira de ses Herbes 2022 in Selva. Which characters and plants will be the protagonists?
The six special plants are (l’olivera, la murta, el romaní, la flor de taronger, l’estepa joana i la falguera). Each plant is linked to a character of the rondalla de Mallorca and form Estol de les Herbes. Thus we can see:
-Prince Bernadet, Romani (La Flor Romanial)
-Princess Aineta, taronger (L’Amor de les Tres Taronges)
-Joanet, steppe joana (En Joanet i es cavallet conseller)
-Fairy Morgana, olive tree (Sa Fada Morgana)
-Drac, murta (Es murterar del rei de França)
-Dimoni Gros, falguera (Sa flor de falguera i es dimonis boiets)
Selva awaits us from Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 June showing its best clothes and its great mountain gastronomy. As a curiosity, we would like to highlight the properties of the murta. Its essential oil has medicinal properties (astringent, antiseptic, deodorant and anti-catarrhal). In ancient times it was used to make crowns that honoured heroes in combat and to decorate first husbands, as it was a symbol of virginity.
