The Brotherhood of Our Lady of Mount Carmel organises this festivity on July 16th, in the parish of the Holy Cross in El Carme neighbourhood. A traditional mass takes place at dawn, but the main service is held later, while florists sell daisies and lemon verbenas, the typical flowers given as a present during the holiday. After a procession, the singing of the Carxofa by a choir is one of the highlights that attract a great many people. The Folklore Federation of València also offers a cantà i dansà (singing and dancing) to pay tribute to the Virgin. The clavariesses (female organisers of the festes), numerous fallers from El Carme District, the clavariesses of Saint Vincent, and different personalities are also involved in the flower offering.
Another fraternity that celebrates the Carme Festival is the parish of Santa Maria del Mar which, sponsored by the city council and Navy Authority, organise celebrations in El Grao. There is a mass, a procession around the area, a flower offering to pay homage to sailors and fishermen dead at sea, and the award of scapulars to the new brothers.
Others Valencian associations celebrate the festa of our Lady of Mount Carmel too, such as the Festivity Commission of Perellonet, the Carme Brotherhood of Russafa, Saint John’s and Saint Martin’s Churches, and the monasteries of L’Encarnació and Corpus Christi. The Mare de Déu del Carme was crowned in 2006 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of her fraternity’s foundation.
