12/11/2017
As posted in Benidorm seriously !
BENIDORM FIESTA 2018 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
BENIDORM FIESTA DATES FOR 2018 (All dates are approximate, please double check with your travel agent before booking your holiday).
Benidorm has about 55 Fiestas every year so far too many to list, here are the main ones.
January 6th – 3 Kings Day. Totally unmissable is the grand procession of The Three Kings which is held every year in the Old Town on the eve of January 5th,starting generally at around 18.00 from the Parque de Elche (Dove Park) in the Old Town, the parade will go up the Avd de los Almendros and back down the Avd Ruzafa before finishing up at the Town Hall square and finishing off the evening with a fantastic firework display.
Three Kings day itself is a public holiday and very much a family day.
FEBRUARY
The Carnival is an annual celebration, the date is dictated by when Easter falls, the Parades always take place on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday, this year the parade will be Saturday 10th February, there are 2, a children’s one in the morning and a main adult one in the evening about 9.30. The procession starts at the top end of Calle Ruzafa (nr Crystal Park Hotel) and ends up at the main Town Hall Square. There will be plenty of elaborate costumes.
The Carnival finishes on Shrove Tuesday February 13th with the ritual Burial of the Sardine. This signifies the beginning of Lent. This is a solemn procession which again begins around 9.30 starting at Plaza Mayor, goes through the Old Town and ends up at Poniente Beach where the sardine is buried. (Times are subject to change), don’t forget to take your camera along…you’ll see some fantastic sights!
MARCH 5th – Commemoration of the finding of the Virgen del Sufragio. A statue of the Virgin is taken on a route through the streets of Benidorm’s old town.
MARCH 15th – 19th – FALLAS – The traditional Valencian festival of Saint Joseph the carpenter. Originally a contest amongst carpenters to create an effigy of the Saint, it has escalated to become one of the most spectacular fiestas of the calendar year. Festivities include, processions with participants wearing elaborate traditional costumes, street entertainment, fireworks and live music. For more details on this fiesta click HERE
MARCH 17th – St Patrick’s Day when Benidorm turns GREEN
EASTER – SEMANA SANTA – One of the most important weeks in the Spanish Calendar, with lots of processions to be found in the old town area.
March 25th Easter & Palm Sunday
March 26th Holy Monday
March 27th Holy Tuesday
March 28th Holy Wednesday
March 29th Holy Thursday
March 30th Holy Friday
March 31st Holy Saturday (Holy Saturday)
April 1st Easter Sunday (Easter Sunday) & Easter
April 2nd Easter Monday
For more details about Easter in Benidorm click HERE
APRIL – The Elvis Festival 20th to 22nd April 2018
Get ready to swing that pelvis, Elvis is back in town. For three days, Benidorm pays tribute to the one and only King of Rock n Roll, Mr Elvis Presley.
This is a great chance to join thousands of Elvis fans for three days in the Hotel Melia.
Now in it’s 7th year, this is the largest themed Elvis party held in the Mediterranean. Join countless 1000´s of like minded Elvis fans in this Three day spectacular in the Hotel Melia and other venues nearby venues with top Elvis acts providing the entertainment.
The fun starts with a welcome party by the pool at the Hotel Melia.
There are also prizes and competitions with a grand finale at the spectacular Benidorm Palace.
May 3rd – Day of the Holy Cross, many districts in Benidorm will decorate holy crosses with flowers and organise holy processions through the streets.
JUNE 22nd – 24th – Hogueras de San Juan – Bonfires of Saint John. – Bonfires in three districts of Benidorm; La Cala, El Campo and el Mercado (market) set the night on fire.
JUNE – Benidorm Song Festival date varies – usually the last weekend
JULY
6th & 7th – San Fermin Fiesta
16th – Fiestas of the Virgen Carmen. Head down to one of the Port areas in Benidorm, Altea or Villajoyosa where you will see beautiful floral processions through the town streets, ending at the Port when the local fishermen will go out to sea on a number of small fishing boats. From there the flowers are thrown in to the water in remembrance of all who have lost their lives in the past and the present day to the Sea.
July 25th – St Jaime Fiesta (St James Day) – St James is the town´s patron saint, and all the usual religious parades can be seen in the old town. It is also the national day of recognition for the Spanish Military and if there are any navel frigates in the area many of the marines will come ashore to celebrate. Expect quite a lot of cannon fire today.
AUGUST –There are NO fiestas in August, but an incredible amount of cultural and artistic events. There are live concerts most nights in the Aiguera Park auditoriums, including ballet, opera, theater and performances by leading popular international and Spanish groups and singers.
SEPTEMBER – 3rd to 9th September 2018.
This will be Benidorm´s 8th Pride event with a week-long series of flamboyant events leading up to the Playa Levante big parade and main stage open air party, visitors can expect an exciting week in the resort that truly never sleeps. The main attraction for visitors is the old town which is where you will find the pumping heart of the gay village still very much local and Spanish where we visitors can blend in and mix with our lovely hosts.
Photos from the 2017 Parade can be seen HERE to give you an idea of what to expect.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER Moors and Christians Fiesta
Start date: 27/09/2018
End date: 01/10/2018
This festival is celebrated all over Spain as their history is deeply rooted in the battles which took place over control of Spain in the 13th to 15th century. Each fiesta is a theatrical performance with participants dressed in elaborate and expensive costumes depicting both sides of the battle. The music played by the live orchestras is especially composed for the fiesta and is very dramatic. Battles are re-enacted using replicas of the weapons used so it can become a little noisy. For full details click HERE
OCTOBER 9th – Regional fiesta celebrating the day of the constitution.
12th October is the Fiesta Nacional de Espana… (so a bank holiday)..
NOVEMBER dates vary – They always begin on the Friday of the second weekend of November and officially end the following Wednesday, so 9th November – 14th November 2018.
Each town has its Patron Saint and a fiesta is held in their honour which usually last one week. During this time the towns commercial activity virtually shuts down as celebrations go on practically 24 hours a day. Festivities include processions, dancing in the streets, live music, sporting events and firework displays. In Benidorm the Patron Saints are the Virgin of the Suffrage and Saint James the Apostle. The most outstanding acts during the week are the staging of the finding of the Virgin, the flower offering, the comic parade, the parade of floats and the great firework display which takes place on the last day of the festivities.
November Thursday 15th – Europe’s largest fancy dress party.
Benidorm Fancy Dress Party, the biggest in Europe! Once the Benidorm fiestas finish in November, the unofficial British fancy dress party starts on the day after. One of the greatest highlights of the year, and a must for all to take part and dress up. Visitors have to do great efforts to showcase a spectacular day of fun, colour and a amazing atmosphere.
This tradition started over 20 years ago when Manolo from Sinatras used to offer a free drink to anyone who dressed up, of course now numbers have grown so much this is not possible. Last year it is estimated that around 30,000 people attended this celebration! Each year the party just gets bigger and better most of the action is around the bars in the Calle Gerona & British square area of Benidorm.
Benidorm Fiestas 2019 starts on Friday November 8th 2019.
Fiesta of the Carxofa (Benidorm) The Artichoke Fiesta – From Friday 16th November
Takes place during the third weekend of November in the old town. This Fiesta is similar to a thanksgiving or harvest festival. The burning of the artichoke takes place in the Square in front of The Royal Queens Hotel.
As it has become a tradition, after the Patron Saint’s Day in honor of the Virgin of Suffrage and St. James the Apostle, the Festa de la Carxofa, a great popular attraction.
On Saturday at 10.00 the festival committee of ‘The Carxofa’ will be responsible for that, to the Plaza del Calpi, the ‘PENJA of carxofa’. At 13.00 hours a popular sardinada be offered.The day will end with a parade at 18:00 for the center of town and a popular festival with orchestra from 22.00.
The events will continue during the Sunday with the offering of flowers to the Mare Déu of the Sofratge that will begin in the place of the Constitution at 12:45 in the morning. At the end of the tour, a Mass will be celebrated in the parish of San Jaime and Santa Ana.
The finishing touch of these traditional festivities will be the crema of the carxofa that will take place in the Plaza de la Constitución.
DECEMBER 20th – 31st Christmas Festivities programme offers several acts between 20th and 31st of the month.
DECEMBER 31st How better to end the year than at a traditional Spanish New Years Eve party (Fiesta Cotillon) in front of the clock in the square. Free champagne and live music provide the entertainment. Don’t forget your 12 grapes which are eaten one by one on the strokes of midnight giving you luck in the year to come.
For full details about Christmas in Benidorm click here
During EVERY fiesta you will see Mascletas listed on the schedules, these are the loud, thunderous fire crackers. They are fired randomly, particularly during the day. They are not for the faint hearted, they are really loud. The fire works provide a spectacular view but the Mascletas are meant to stimulate your body through rhythmic sounds and vibrations.
