The Bike Festival celebrates 70 years in El Vendrell

El Vendrell. Costa Dorada. 22nd May 2012. The well-known festival of cycling Vendrell was created in 1942 by vendrellenc Joan Fuste Rius (1920-1990). Everyone knew him for his strong personality and his great love to the world of cycling. Jan Fusté established that the party would be a Sunday in May, then, was the month of flowers, and thus facilitates the trimming of the bike. One of the best moments was the blessing of the bikes that were happening at the parish church of San Salvador. The party had a great reception. It became a mass party. Soon, not only vendrellencs involved, but participants were added to other towns in the county. The year 1946 was the first that instituted the best decorated bike contest. Over the years, the increasing complexity of the party and accompanied by dances, concerts, contests, parades ... The tireless Fusté Jan, with his personal qualities won the cooperation of everyone (businesses, associations, banks) and succeeded in the town of El Vendrell was a day in the spotlight of the media. To that helped the presence of artists such as Marina Rossell, Mari Santpere, Josep Guardiola, Dolly van Doll, Regina Do Santos, Peter Tapies, Amparo Moreno, and his staunch friend Xavier Cugat, and other celebrities as Encarna Sanchez Llongueras Louis, Alfonso Arús, Juanjo Puigcorbé, Marta Ferrussola Salvador Sadurní, George LP, and many politicians. All enjoyed the celebration and gave awards to the winners. In 1986 Jan Fusté had to leave the organization of the party for health reasons. The friendship with George Carbonell and other vendrellencs Marcé as Sisco and John Ferret, led the organization of the party until Jaime Carbonell and his group of friends founded the Association Committee Jan Fusté: the same Jaime Carbonell as president, John Güixens, JJ Valls Rovira, Rovira Xavier, Xavier Guell, Calmet Ramon, Rafael Rafecas, Joseph Rafecas and Angel Diaz. This group, with its ups and downs, the party went on with the same enthusiasm and strength that had reached its founder. Even today, people remember the slogan that became fashionable: "The last Sunday in May, I bike." They took over the organization of the party until 2001, the year he spent in the City of El Vendrell. Jan Fusté Commission wanted to celebrate 70 years of doing this event delivery in the Archives of Baix Penedès two documentary: first, the personal background of Joan Fusté Rius which mainly includes photographs and documentation in the event of the cycling of 1942 until 1990 and on the other hand, the Commission itself Jan Fusté including reports of photographer John Güixens 1990 to 1999. It is therefore the aim of this association donated to the town of El Vendrell this important information as it wanted its founder. The Archive of Baix Penedès will cover the classification and inventory of these documentary that allow detailed vendrellenca this popular festival that came, even in other parts of Catalonia.

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