New shooters train for Mutxamel arcabucería

Arcabucería is the gunpowder part of Spain’s Moros y Cristianos festivals — the loud, smoky ritual where participants fire historic-style guns in choreographed acts. In Mutxamel, near Alicante, that tradition only works if enough licensed shooters know how to do it safely. That is the real story here. On Saturday, May 9, Mutxamel ran its annual training course for new tiradores, or shooters, so they can join the town’s festival firing events later in the year. ### What happened in Mutxamel? The course took place at the Casal de la Tercera Edad, a municipal venue in town. Local coverage says more than 35 people attended and spent five hours with instructors — the length required by law for this kind of preparation. That makes the turnout notably higher than the “more than 20” figure in the early framing of the story. (elperiodic.com) ### What do they actually learn? Basically, not marksmanship in the sporting sense. The course covers the parts used in arcabucería acts, the safety rules for handling the weapons and powder, and the sanctions regime if someone breaks those rules. That tells you what the town is worried about — not pageantry first, but control. These are festive acts, but they involve black powder, crowds, noise, and strict procedures. (elperiodic.com) ### What is arcabucería, exactly? It is the ceremonial firing of arquebus-style guns during Moros y Cristianos celebrations. The shots are usually blanks, not projectiles, but the effect is still intense — smoke, blast, timing, formation, and a lot of powder. In Mutxamel, these firing acts sit inside a much bigger local festival tradition that the town promotes as one of its signature cultural events. ### Why does a five-hour course matter? (elperiodic.com) Because this is one of those traditions that survives only if it stays organized enough to be allowed. The catch is simple — if safety slips, the ritual becomes harder to defend. A mandatory course creates a gate before people enter the firing line. It is a bit like a certification class for a very old custom: the point is continuity, but continuity depends on discipline. (ayto.mutxamel.org) ### Is this a one-off or a recurring thing? Turns out it is annual, and turnout has been strong for several years. Local reports from 2023, 2024, and 2025 describe the same kind of course in Mutxamel, with attendance above 30 in some years and above 40 in others. So this is not a sudden campaign. It is part of the town’s regular pre-fiesta machinery. (elperiodic.com) ### How big is the shooter community there? Big enough that training new people matters. During the 2024 fiestas, Mutxamel’s organizers requested nearly 300 kilograms of gunpowder and local coverage said there were around 130 shooters involved. That gives the weekend course more weight — it is feeding a real operating base, not staging a symbolic workshop for a handful of hobbyists. (elperiodic.com) ### Why should anyone outside Mutxamel care? Because this is how traditional festivals stay alive in modern Europe — not by freezing them in amber, but by wrapping them in rules, logistics, and training. The romantic version is drums, uniforms, and smoke. The practical version is forms, safety briefings, and people giving up a Saturday for a five-hour class. Both versions are true. (todoalicante.es) ### Bottom line? Mutxamel did not just host a class. It renewed the pipeline that lets its arcabucería acts keep happening at all. The spectacle comes later. First comes the paperwork, the safety talk, and 35-plus people learning how not to turn tradition into a problem. (elperiodic.com)