The spirit of Cervantes filled the streets of Alcázar de San Juan on Sunday, 8 November, with the celebration of the traditional Cervantine Parade, held in honour of Miguel de Cervantes' birth on 9 November, as recorded in his baptismal certificate preserved at the Parish of Santa María in Alcázar de San Juan.
Local councillors Gonzalo Redondo, Ana Isabel Abengózar, Bárbara Sánchez-Mateos, and Francisco García-Navas participated in the event. From the Tourism Department of the City Council, Sánchez-Mateos expressed gratitude for the involvement of numerous local groups that joined in the tribute to Cervantes during this special time. These included the company El mono sin pelo, the Association of Choirs and Dances, the Housewives Association, the Santa Cecilia Musical Association, the Lace Makers Association “El Torreón”, the Polyphonic Choir of Alcázar de San Juan, the Alma M. García Dance School, and the Ateneo of Alcázar, along with a large number of schoolchildren who attended thanks to the Parents' Associations.
The parade traversed some of the city's most emblematic sites linked to the writer, featuring various cultural acts and even a recreation of his baptism. The event culminated in the Plaza de España with one of the most emotional moments of the day, as attendees sang the anthem of Alcázar de San Juan, followed by the traditional distribution of “puñao” by the Association of Tavern Keepers “La Sonrisa del Quijote.”
