Falcap

FALCAP Federation of Local Associations of the Pacense Carnival

Once the modern carnival in Badajoz was established after its irruption in our city at the beginning of the 80s, one of the keys to the success of this popular festival lies in the massive participation of numerous groups of citizens. Groups that, whether organized or informal, make up part of our rich urban social fabric.

In the ten years that have passed, there have been countless carnival groups, especially comparsas, formed from clubs of friends, gangs of young students, family groups, neighbors, professional groups and associations of all kinds.

With the resurgence of the modern carnival among the ranks of the town, the Badajoz City Council subsequently takes over the tasks of organization, management and financing.

Over the years and in the face of the problems that the massive participation of citizens causes in parades, contests, order, traffic, etc. There are numerous groups that advocate associating themselves to, among all, give ideas and solutions that correct them, as well as suggestions for alternative activities.

CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERATION

The Badajoz carnival groups begin their first work after the 1988 carnival. The first constituent meetings take place in March of that year in a restaurant “La Casa Portuguesa” on Muñoz torrero street in the historic center of the city. at the initiative of the group “Eighteen less one”.

At these first meetings around twenty comparsas, murgas and choirs were present.

Given the importance that the carnival was having for the city, all the groups agreed to create the Federation that, apart from the town hall, would collaborate in the organizational activities with ideas, projects and suggestions.

After various meetings, in view of the discrepancies arising from the diversity of “models” that were proposed, some associations fell off the hook.

However, another small group continues the work to make the Federation a reality. And so on April 7, 1988, they draft the statutes of the Federation of Local Associations of the Pacense Carnival. Being its promoters Julián Barneto from “La Conga”, Ramón Martínez from “Los Caretos Salvavidas”, Juan José Monroy from “La Chicharrón”, Luis Poblador from “Los Dieciocho minus Uno”, and Pascual González from “Los Infectos Acelerados”. The founding act dated October 27, 1988 empowered Juan José Monroy, director of “La Chicharrón”, as the first president of the Federation.

During the candidatures, the following were achieved:

Juan José Monroy First President of Falcap.

Survey all groups to see what were the deficiencies they observed and transfer them to the organizing committee of the City Council.
Carnival exhibition, where costumes from other years of the groups were put on, musical instruments and personal belongings of each group, banners, took place in the Grecia room.
Photographic contest that was organized through the Asociación Fotográfica Pacense.
There was an initiative by one of the groups to go to promote the carnival in the city of Granada.

Pascual González Muñoz Second President of Falcap.

President who together with his board of directors achieved the following during the years 91-92.

We now have 15 federated groups.
We were part of the City Council committee together with murgas and choirs where ideas were given to improve the carnival.
The City Council was able to put chairs during the parade
If the prizes of comparsas were increased in 7 second prizes apart from the first 3 prizes, the prize for best banner was created.
Informal parades of the groups from San Juan to Sta. María de la Cabeza on Carnival Saturday.
Collaboration with the Santa Marina Neighborhood Association with the tamborada and its parade at the candlelight festivities.

Antonio Corrales Third President of Falcap.

He was president with his board of directors in the carnivals of 92 and 93.

The Children’s parade was achieved in the street and not in the theater so that the children could learn to parade.
The representatives on the City Council commission were increased to 3.
The second prize was increased to 15 for comparsas and also for the rest of the groups.
The creation of the children’s costume contest was proposed.
First contact to find a place to create the carnival museum.
The number of federated groups was increased to 24.
First exhibition of hats in the AAVV of San Fernando and Valdepasillas.
The prize for the Mas Marcha de at night troupe was created.
More chairs and spotlights were put up to illuminate the parade path.
The groups were taken to parade to Palmela (Portugal) for a weekend.
Creation of the Falcap sports groups in Indoor Soccer and Basketball in Women and Men.
First Feast of the Hangover of the Falcap.

José Manuel García Pérez Sixth President of Falcap.

And its Board of Directors during the 6 years of its mandate between the end of 1997 and the beginning of 2004 was achieved:

The need to make a carnival museum was devised and fought for, so that the costumes and headdresses of the carnival were not lost, the project designed by the architect Teresa de Paco was carried out, the financing of the Junta de Extremadura was obtained thanks to an interview with President Juan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra, on the condition that the City Council put the land in, but instead they offer us the postern that does not meet the requirements for its purpose.
The Badajoz carnival and the Falcap were opened to the participation of the peoples, their Board of Directors visiting the many villages of the province of Badajoz.
It is proposed and carried out by the City Council traveling costume exhibitions that we take to the villages through what was known as Carnabús.
Collective trips were made to different places in Spain such as Madrid, Lisbon, Palmela and Elvas.
A proposal is made and the presence of the Badajoz Carnival begins at FITUR in Madrid with the collaboration of the Badajoz City Council as an advertising showcase with members of all the troupes attending.
Participation in Iberocio also begins during the month of December in Ifeba.
With the original idea of Amigos de Badajoz, the Almosassa festival was held for the first time together with the Falcap, where all the troupes divided into 2 fronts participate: Omeyas and Marwan. Performing a theater through the streets of Badajoz and ending in the Alcazaba with a great Arab performance and dance commemorating the founding of Badajoz.
Costume exhibitions are held in various establishments in Badajoz.
A multiplex was made with the information of the groups that participated in the parade to distribute it among the attending public.
The Mask Gala was promoted, regulated and enhanced to the format in which we know it today, giving it a more democratic sense as the groups were the ones who voted, since the first 3 editions were decided by the president or the Board of Directors.
They collaborate with the different Neighborhood Associations in the realization of their party.
The recording of 3 CDs was made for later sale with the music invented by the troupes in different years through Promúsica.
The Cajas Rumberas contest was also created and valued on the occasion of the San Juan Fair, first on the stage of the Real de la Feria and then later in Lusiberia.
The tamboradas of Santa Marina are continued together with Falcap, giving as a prize a ceramic plate that was made in Barcarrota.
A Falcap magazine is made where photographs and history of the troupes are collected.
A census of Falcap carnivals was carried out with a photo and the group to which they belonged.
An agreement was signed with the bullfighting company of the Badajoz bullring so that Falcap associates could see all the bullfighting festivals at a low price.
The hangover party that was held in the princess complex and once in the bullring was promoted and enhanced.
With the collaboration of the English Court, an award with original sculpture was instituted that was delivered at the Plant Mask Gala.
Sports competitions between the troupes continue
Commemorative plaques are given to the groups that have been celebrating years since their foundation.

Antonio García Seventh president of Falcap

During 5 years from 2004 to 2009 on those dates there were several relevant events among them:

The Badajoz Carnival Museum that was inaugurated on February 14, 2007. Falcap with federated and non-federated groups had to do a very important job of collecting material, photographs, videos, magazines, costumes, hats, banners, etc.
The Falcap also had to travel to Madrid with some carnival groups to record part of the content that we have in the museum today.
The Falcap managed the museum for several months until the Extremadura Board and the Badajoz City Council agreed, a management that was good for us because we were able to hire several people, all of them belonging to carnival groups. According to the director of the Network of Museums, Doña Pilar Caldera de Castro, on that date the Badajoz Carnival Museum was the most visited in the region.
Thanks to the Junta de Extremadura, the XIII Gala Antifaz de Plata de Falcap could be held free of charge at the Manuel Rojas Congress Palace. That Gala was special because it could be held in summer on June 9, it was held in two phases. The first delivery of Masks to the winners. The second a Gala Dinner at the Zurbarán Hotel.
In this Gala the Honorary Silver Mask was given to Don José Luis Fernández Pírfano Councilor for Fairs and Festivities not only for the good relationship he had with Falcap but also for the humane treatment he had with the carnival men.
The Silver Fan Award, Sponsored by Palicrisa, dedicated to the work that women do in carnivals was also instituted. An agreement was reached with Palicrisa to subsidize the Silver Mask Gala for 5 years.
Falcap participated in the XXVII Carnival Convection organized by the FECC in Tunis where 87 countries from all over the world participated.
The trip to the Barnacle Fair in Córme Galicia was organized for several years.
As there was no agreement between Falcap and the AA.VV. from Santa Marina la Tamborada he moved to the Neighborhood Collective of the Right Bank of the Guadiana.
The first aid of € 1000 received by the groups participating in the Tamborada, was donated to the soup kitchen on Martín Cansado street.
Falcap participated as speakers in the first City of Malaga Carnival Congress.
Important increase in groups from the villages in Falcap.
Agreements were reached with Lusiberia, so that federated and family groups had a 30% discount on summer dates, as well as using Falcap and some groups their facilities for activities such as Gimkana or the Rumberas Box contest.
An agreement was reached with the Menacho Street Merchants Association for discounts to Falcap groups and their families.
Participation of Falcap in a program of. television of Portugal dedicated to the carnival of Elvas and Badajoz.
We register as an active member in the FECC (European Federation of Carnival Cities).
Falcap’s organization of a trip to Seville to see the Carlihño Braun concert, where more than 1100 companions and relatives participated.
Falcap agreement with Maxxiun Spain for significant discounts on the products they represented.
Organization of a trip with Falcap groups to visit the facilities of the Maxxiun España distilleries in Segovia.
Several gatherings and parades were organized in Almendralejo.
Participation in the carnival commission at the Ateneo de Badajoz.
Collaboration agreements with companies such as Corte Inglés, Julio Corrales, Casa Ángel or Cruzcampo.
Falcap visited Cartagena (Murcia) in the presentation of its carnival.
Visit to Badajoz by the 1st vice president of the FECC, Doctor David Brandao from Ovar Portugal.
Visit to Badajoz of the Cartagena Carnival Federation.
Collaboration agreement with Mr. Francés Fabragas Director of Celebrations and Citizen Participation of the Barcelona City Council.
Negotiation with the municipalities of Elvas and Campomayor to organize carnivals in both cities.
Collaboration with different towns that organized carnivals.
Exhibitions of photographs, costumes and hats.

Abdón Guisado Macías Eighth President of Falcap.

The Management team with which he had the luck to work during the 4 years of presidency from 2009 to 2013 in which he achieved:

The declaration of a National Tourist Interest Festival was the last impulse to the procedures carried out previously.
It was possible to limit the time regarding the parade, making it more dynamic.
The parade was moved to the morning thus gaining more natural light.
The statutes of the Federation were adapted to the current framework, since they were the same as the internal regulations since the year of the Foundation.
As for the Silver Mask Gala, when we entered at the same time that the economic crisis of 2008 also entered because the subsidies were shortened or stopped receiving, then we had to look for the financing to make a Gala that had the same characteristics and the same splendor that it had but with much less money, and to give this Gala more clarity by delivering every year the scores that the groups had voted so that you could see with total clarity.
Collaboration with the Santa Marina Neighborhood Association is resumed after spending several years without participating in the party after having moved the Tamborada to the San Fernando neighborhood.

Luis Pajares Ninth president of Falcap.

During the 4 years of this candidacy together with its Board of Directors in the years 2013 to 2017 it was achieved:

In this time we have basically managed to get close enough to all the institutions and build bridges to try to involve them in the festivities. It is a very slow process and that ‘things in the palace go slowly’. Thanks to this, the Carnival is getting more and more boom, relevance and showiness.
The first stones have also been laid so that the festival can reach the rank of Festival of International Tourist Interest. Traveling and promoting carnival in other countries.
The troupes are made to return to Fitur after not attending for several years.
The rules are modified by setting time for the parade in which every group must make its journey in 1 hour of time divided into two sections of 30 minutes each.
Through a meeting with the President of the Junta de Extremadura, a subsidy of 12.000 euros is obtained to cover projects and expenses of the Federation.
The Cajas Rumberas contest is moved to the center, taking place in the memory of Menacho.
The Silver Mask Gala is held for the first time at the Ifeba facilities, due to the large number of attendees and the number of Federated Members being increased every year.
Companies are interested in sponsoring the various awards.
Through Cruzcampo, the Cruzcampo Templete award was created, which was given at the Gala to people who had stood out for their dedication and trajectory in the carnival.

Alexia Sánchez Roldán Tenth President of Falcap.

Very important change in the time in which we are living for the federation, being the 1st President and at the same time the youngest in the history of the more than 30 years of FALCAP.

This Board of Directors began in June 2017 until today it is still in force.

They have been a few years of many changes necessary for the evolution of Carnival, being decisions that implied altering traditions of the history of our City.

After many years with problems and controversies with the San Roque Neighborhood Association because we do not feel well treated and respected; We wanted to disassociate ourselves from everything they organized since we deserve to put the finishing touch to Carnival with a Parade of the Burial of the Sardine at the level that we deserve. It was achieved that the organization passed to the City Council of Badajoz and not the Neighborhood Association.
On the other hand, after many years in which the Tamborada has stumbled through several neighborhoods of our City, it was time to give it the importance, the level, and of course and most important the security it deserved, and it was consolidated as an organized activity by FALCAP, and it becomes an activity of the Badajoz City Council Program and not of a neighborhood; moving it to the location that covers all our needs, bearing in mind that the biggest problem we encountered was the weather. IFEBA is the place chosen to host thousands of people who crowd with great expectation to see this contest, which is already a show with music, dance, staging, lighting and sound, already being the reference as the prelude to Carnival.
We have been the FALCAP Silver Mask Gala for 25 years, being an already consolidated act that rewards the great work of all the groups, institutions and businessmen who work for and for the Carnival. We believed that the Gala needed changes in the structure and we gave it a spin and it has been so positive that we have already exceeded the whopping of more than 1000 people at the most massive event in Badajoz.
THE DON CARNAL CATWALK; We implement a new activity that each year will be more spectacular, with the objective of not leaving Saturday without filling in. Being Carnival Saturday, it was a shame not to have any activity for the groups and we decided to make a Catwalk where the work could be represented while standing so that everyone could see it. In this case, it is held in Puerta Palmas throughout the day, with stands, background music between group and group and some food and drink bars. The activity still lacks many things to improve, especially if we think about the initial project; But it is already channeled, which was what worried us the most.
A new activity is carried out with El Corte Inglés for Carnival Monday where we are HUMAN CARNIVAL MANNEQUINS. The Ground Floor of the English Court becomes a human museum, where a member of each troupe with a suit, hat, makeup, dance accessory, name of the group and theme, stands on each pedestal, posing so that everyone can see what The most characteristic of our Carnival are the costumes and you can take a photo with them. The objective of the activity is a photo session of each troupe, and then the “Impossible Photo”, which refers to a group photo of all the costumes, which under normal conditions without this activity, has been unfeasible in history. of the Carnivals.
For the first time they counted on us for the WELCOME DAY in Madrid. It is about the national welcome to all students who come to Spain for Erasmus, being a massive event within the Madrid City Council.
Photography Exhibition in the Sala de Scope Cultural del Corte Inglés in the summer months where all the photographs exhibited compete for the Silver Mask for Best Photography.
For many years the FALCAP together with the Comparsa La Bullanguera carry out the Annual Gymkhana of Comparsas; but it had to undergo changes since it was very obsolete compared to all the activities that FALCAP carries out annually, which are many. In this case we have the collaboration to carry out this new way of doing Gymkhana for the El Búho Association, and it was a success; It is based on the “Cluedo Game” which is a role-playing game with a conducting story in which you have to solve a mystery that takes you from one place to another; and to get to that final moment, some clues are given in each of the tests that must be passed; Evidence in each Escape Room type post, puzzle solving, visual games, traditional games …

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