"Going to cut down the pine tree is not just about cutting it down, it's a ritual for the people of Pollencio."

PollençaWednesday marked another symbolic moment in Pollença's festive calendar: the felling of the pine tree. This act, beyond the simple act of cutting down a tree, is experienced by the people of Pollença as a ritual that heralds the start of the Sant Antoni festivities, which will culminate on the 17th with the pine tree being carried up to Plaça Vella. From early morning, a small group traveled to the Ternelles estate, where this meaningful ceremony has taken place for many decades. They departed from Can Escarrintxo at eight o'clock, and by ten o'clock the pine tree had been felled, after a process that included stripping it, measuring it, and preparing it for placement on the cart.

The Councilor for Festivals, Mateu Tugores, emphasizes that the felling of the pine tree "is not just about cutting down the tree," but rather a whole ritual carried out with great care, signaling the start of the Sant Antoni festivities. One of the aspects that impresses him most is how firmly the pine tree remains attached to the cart, despite the force exerted by the people pulling on it the day it is brought down from Ternelles. This year, the selected tree is twenty-one meters tall and was located in an area somewhat further away than usual, reflecting the increasing difficulty of finding pines that meet the necessary characteristics: long, straight, and with the appropriate thickness for the festival. Before Christmas, three potential pine trees had already been selected.

In recent years, the event has gained prominence and participation. A few decades ago, practically no one climbed Ternelles, and the pine tree was transported by a town hall truck. Now, however, Pine Tree Day has become a massive gathering, attracting many people from outside the municipality and drawing crowds of around four thousand, which the Town Council considers a testament to the tradition. However, the felling of the tree is now carried out with limited attendance, after the Ternelles landowners expressed concern three years ago that the event had become a massive party. Currently, around fifty people participate, including members of the Festival Committee, municipal representatives, guests of the landowners, and people connected to the tradition. Looking ahead to the coming days, Tugores is appealing for more people to participate, especially on the seventeenth, when the pine tree will be carried up the hill through the town. He asks that acts of vandalism, such as graffiti on the pine tree, be avoided on the day of the Ternelles descent, and reminds everyone that the route is dangerous, so it is essential to follow the instructions of the volunteers at all times, especially for those who have never experienced the festival.

This Wednesday, with the felling of the pine tree, Pollença symbolically relit the Sant Antoni festival.