The tradition of the carretillà in Elche, dating back centuries, continues to thrive despite attempts at prohibition and changes in its celebration. What were once street battles now takes place in a large cage at the Hort del Monjo, an enclosed space that marked a groundbreaking shift a decade ago.
This adaptation has not prevented the tradition from attracting young people, including women, who wish to continue the celebration. The courses held this summer to obtain launching permits have shown the presence of participants around 23 or 24 years old, indicating a renewal of the active participants.
Regulations, safety requirements, permits, and prices have also evolved. Inflation has affected the price of gunpowder, increasing the cost of the firecrackers. Jaime Sánchez, president of the Association of Carretilleros and Traditions of Elche, recommends that associates purchase artifacts through their supplier with a discount and, importantly, choose products with the European Union (CEE) seal. Low-quality firecrackers have been detected, posing a risk, recalling the injuries from previous years during the Nit de l’Albà.
To enhance safety, the collective requests the use of 4-stop firecrackers, avoiding those with 6 or more, and especially those that exploded at the end. It has also been requested to increase the cage height from 6 to 9 meters to prevent artifacts from leaving the designated area, a problem that has occurred in previous years.
The current infrastructure allows for the burning of 150 kilograms of explosive mass, although in practice more is burned due to participant rotation. Last year, a record was set with 167 people participating in one hour. Currently, 400 people have completed the training courses, and the association has 220 members, figures that tend to increase.
For 2026, Juan Carlos Marco, closely linked to Moros y Cristianos, will be the Honorary Carretillero, and the Neighborhood Association of El Raval will receive the honorary member title.
