Spain’s Costa Blanca is renowned not only for its pristine beaches but also for its vibrant cultural heritage. This region comes alive with a myriad of festivals throughout the year, particularly during the summer months. These festivals on the Costa Blanca offer a captivating window into the area’s rich traditions and communal spirit.
Among the most prestigious of these celebrations is the Mystery Play of Elche, a medieval liturgical drama that has earned recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. This accolade underscores the cultural significance of the region’s festive calendar. Equally noteworthy are the Moors and Christians festivals in Villajoyosa and Vergel, with Villajoyosa’s unique rendition featuring a maritime arrival of the ‘Moorish’ participants, who swim ashore from boats in a spectacular display of historical reenactment.
The cultural tapestry of the Costa Blanca is further enriched by celebrations such as the Bonfires of Alicante, the ‘Bulls in the Street’ events in La Marina and the ‘Bulls to the Sea’ spectacle in Denia. The exuberant Fallas festival also finds expression in the coastal towns of Benidorm and Denia.
Perhaps one of the most visually striking events occurs on June 23rd, the Night of San Juan. As twilight descends, the Costa Blanca joins the broader Mediterranean tradition of illuminating the shoreline with bonfires. This creates a mesmerizing spectacle of light stretching over 200 kilometres, symbolizing the unity of coastal communities and their connection to age-old customs.
Festivals on the Costa Blanca: January to March
Three Kings Parade (Cabalgata de Reyes)
The festive season in Spain extends beyond Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. On the evening of January 5th, towns and cities across the Costa Blanca erupt in joyous celebration with the Three Kings Parade, known locally as ‘Cabalgata de Reyes.’ This event marks the arrival of the Three Wise Men who, according to Christian tradition, brought gifts to the baby Jesus.
In spectacular processions, elaborately decorated floats carry the three kings – Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar – through the streets. Accompanied by music, dancers and performers in colourful costumes, the kings throw sweets to the excited crowds of children and adults lining the routes. The largest and most elaborate parades can be found in major cities like Alicante and Benidorm, but even smaller towns host their own charming versions of this beloved tradition.
The following day, January 6th, is a public holiday in Spain, allowing families to gather and exchange gifts, marking the official end of the Christmas season.
Carnival (Carnaval)
As winter begins to wane, the Costa Blanca bursts into life with the vibrant celebrations of Carnival. This festival, held in the days leading up to Lent, is a time of exuberant merrymaking before the more somber period of religious observance begins.
The exact dates of Carnival vary each year, typically falling in February or early March. Cities and towns across the Costa Blanca host parades, concerts and street parties during this time. Participants don elaborate costumes and masks, filling the streets with a riot of colour and creativity.
In Alicante, the highlight is the Saturday night parade, where costumed groups compete for prizes. The city’s Plaza del Ayuntamiento becomes a hub of activity, hosting concerts and dance performances. Meanwhile, in Torrevieja, the Carnival celebrations extend over two weekends, featuring parades, costume contests and the quirky ‘burial of the sardine’ ceremony that marks the end of the festivities.
Las Fallas
While the epicentre of Las Fallas is in Valencia, just north of the Costa Blanca, many towns in the region have adopted this spectacular festival. The most notable celebrations on the Costa Blanca take place in Denia, where the festivities run from March 15th to 19th.
Las Fallas revolves around the creation and eventual burning of huge satirical sculptures known as ‘ninots.’ These intricate and often massive structures, made of wood, cardboard and papier-mâché, depict current events, popular culture, or local traditions with a humorous twist.
Throughout the festival, the streets come alive with parades, fireworks and the traditional ‘mascletà’ – rhythmic firecracker displays that fill the air with smoke and the ground with vibrations. The celebration reaches its climax on the night of March 19th, known as ‘La Cremà,’ when all the fallas are set ablaze in a breathtaking display of fire and festivity.
In Denia, visitors can enjoy not only the spectacle of the burning ninots but also flower offerings to the Virgin Mary, street parties and traditional costume parades. The festival provides a unique insight into Valencian culture and artistry, making it a must-see for anyone visiting the Costa Blanca in March.
Semana Santa (Holy Week)
Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is one of the most significant religious observances in Spain and the Costa Blanca region celebrates it with great reverence and spectacle. This week-long event, which occurs in the week leading up to Easter Sunday, sees towns and cities across the region transformed by solemn processions and religious festivities.
The exact dates vary each year, typically falling in late March or early April. During this time, elaborate processions featuring hooded penitents, ornate religious floats (pasos) and marching bands wind through the streets. These processions reenact scenes from the Passion of Christ and honour various saints and religious figures.
In Orihuela, often considered the epicentre of Semana Santa celebrations on the Costa Blanca, the processions are particularly renowned. The city’s narrow medieval streets provide a dramatic backdrop for the pasos, some of which date back to the 17th century. The processions here are known for their artistic value and historical significance, attracting visitors from all over Spain and beyond.
Alicante also hosts impressive Semana Santa events, with processions organized by various brotherhoods throughout the week. The Good Friday procession, known as the Procession of Silence, is particularly moving, with participants marching in complete silence through the darkened streets of the old town.
Festivals on the Costa Blanca: April to June
Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians)
Moors and Christians festivals are celebrated in various towns across the Costa Blanca between April and October. They commemorate the medieval reconquest of Spain from Moorish rule. These vibrant events combine historical reenactments, elaborate costumes, music and pyrotechnics to create a spectacular display of local culture and history.
While the basic structure of the festival remains the same, each town celebrates on different dates and with unique local traditions. Some of the most notable celebrations include:
Alcoy: Held in April, this is one of the oldest and most famous Moors and Christians festivals in Spain.
Villajoyosa: Celebrated in July, this festival features a mock sea battle and the landing of Moorish forces on the beach.
Calpe: The town’s festival takes place in October and is known for its impressive costumes and parades.
The festivals typically last several days and include parades, mock battles and the dramatic ‘taking of the castle’ by Christian forces. Participants, divided into Moorish and Christian camps, don ornate costumes inspired by medieval dress. The streets come alive with the sound of gunpowder, music and cheering crowds.
These festivals offer a unique blend of historical commemoration and joyous celebration, providing visitors with a glimpse into the region’s complex cultural heritage and an opportunity to witness some of the most spectacular pageantry in Spain.
Moraira’s Fiesta of Moors and Christians
While we’ve mentioned Moors and Christians festivals earlier, Moraira’s version, usually held in the first half of June, deserves special mention. This small coastal town puts on an impressive display with colourful parades, mock battles and fireworks. The festival culminates in a reenactment of the battle between Moors and Christians on Moraira’s main beach, providing a unique backdrop for this historical pageantry.
Hogueras de San Juan (Bonfires of Saint John)
As summer solstice approaches, the Costa Blanca, particularly the city of Alicante, erupts in a blaze of fire and festivity with the Hogueras de San Juan. This ancient festival, celebrating the longest day of the year, has evolved into one of the region’s most spectacular events.
The festivities begin on June 20th with the ‘plantà,’ where huge satirical monuments made of wood and papier-mâché, similar to those seen in Las Fallas, are erected throughout the city. These intricate sculptures, often standing several stories tall, depict current events, popular culture, or local traditions with a humorous or critical edge.
Throughout the festival, the city pulsates with life. Daily ‘mascletàs’ (dramatic firecracker displays) shake the ground at 2 pm in the Plaza de Los Luceros. Parades featuring people in traditional costumes, flower offerings to the patron saint and open-air concerts fill the streets with colour and music.
The climax of the festival comes on the night of June 24th, known as La Cremà. At midnight, all the monumental bonfires are set ablaze simultaneously, creating a city-wide inferno. As the sculptures burn, firefighters spray water on the crowds, adding to the chaotic joy of the moment.
The festival concludes with spectacular fireworks displays over the beach, marking the official start of summer. The Hogueras de San Juan offer visitors a chance to experience one of Spain’s most unique and exhilarating festivals, combining art, satire, pyrotechnics and ancient tradition in a truly unforgettable spectacle.
Festivals on the Costa Blanca: July to September
Virgen del Carmen
The festival of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of fishermen and sailors, is celebrated in coastal towns throughout the Costa Blanca on July 16th. This traditional maritime festival combines religious devotion with colourful seaside festivities.
The most spectacular celebrations can be found in towns with strong fishing traditions, such as Torrevieja, Calpe and Santa Pola. The highlight of the festival is the maritime procession, where a statue of the Virgin is carried on a beautifully decorated boat, accompanied by a flotilla of fishing vessels and pleasure craft adorned with flags and flowers.
As the procession makes its way along the coast, onlookers gather on the beaches and promenades to watch. In many towns, the statue is brought ashore and paraded through the streets, accompanied by music and traditional dancers. The event often concludes with fireworks displays over the sea.
Festa Major d’Estiu (Summer Festival)
Throughout August, many towns and villages across the Costa Blanca hold their annual summer festivals, known locally as Festa Major d’Estiu. While the exact dates and traditions vary from place to place, these festivals generally share a common spirit of community celebration and summer enjoyment.
In Dénia, for example, the Festa Major takes place in early August and includes traditional events such as bull running, open-air concerts and fireworks displays. The town of Javea celebrates its summer festival in honour of Our Lady of Loreto in the second week of August, featuring religious processions, music performances and sporting events.
These summer festivals often incorporate elements from other traditional celebrations. You might see mock battles reminiscent of Moors and Christians festivals, religious processions honouring local patron saints, or fireworks displays inspired by the Hogueras de San Juan.
One common feature of many summer festivals is the ‘verbena’ – open-air parties held in town squares or on beaches, where people of all ages come together to dance, eat and socialize late into the night. These events offer visitors a chance to mingle with locals and experience the warm, communal spirit of Costa Blanca’s summer nights.
Bous a la Mar (Bulls to the Sea)
Among the most unique and controversial festivals on the Costa Blanca are the Bous a la Mar (Bulls to the Sea) events held in Dénia and Jávea. These festivals, deeply rooted in local tradition, combine elements of bull-running with the coastal setting of these charming Mediterranean towns.
In Denia, the Bous a la Mar festival is part of the larger Festes de Sant Roc, typically held in the second week of July. The main events take place in a specially constructed arena at the edge of the port.
The festival begins each day with a ‘encierro’ (bull run) through the streets, where participants run ahead of the bulls to the arena. Once in the arena, the goal is not to fight the bulls, but to lure the bulls towards the water’s edge of the arena. If a bull enters the water, boats are on standby to guide it back to shore safely. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case as was seen at the 2023 event when a bull drowned in Dénia.
Javea holds its version of Bous a la Mar as part of its ‘Festes Mare de Déu de Loreto’, usually in the second half of August. The format is similar to Denia’s, with bulls to the sea event held in the port area.
Torrevieja’s International Habaneras and Polyphony Contest
Torrevieja hosts this unique musical event annually in the last week of July. The contest celebrates the habanera, a type of musical composition with roots in Cuba that became popular among Torrevieja’s salt workers in the 19th century. Choirs from around the world compete in this week-long festival, which concludes with a grand concert called ‘The Night of the Habaneras’ held on the city’s natural auditorium by the sea.
Elche’s Mystery Play
Although slightly inland from the Costa Blanca, the Mystery Play of Elche is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage event that’s well worth the short trip. This medieval drama, performed annually on August 14th and 15th, depicts the death, assumption and coronation of the Virgin Mary. It’s the only medieval drama still performed in a church (the Basilica of Santa María) and features elaborate staging, including actors descending from the church’s dome.
Altea’s Castell de l’Olla
Held annually on the second Saturday of August, the Castell de l’Olla in Altea is one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in Spain. This unique event takes place over the sea, with fireworks launched from floating platforms, creating the illusion of a castle of fire rising from the water. The display typically lasts about 30 minutes and attracts thousands of spectators who gather along the coastline to watch.
Festivals on the Costa Blanca: October to December
Calpe’s Oktoberfest
While not traditionally Spanish, Calpe’s Oktoberfest has become a significant event on the Costa Blanca due to the town’s large German expatriate community. Held in early October, it’s one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations outside Germany, featuring traditional Bavarian music, food and, of course, beer. It’s a unique fusion of German tradition and Spanish hospitality.
Feria de Todos los Santos (All Saints Fair)
As autumn arrives, the inland village of Cocentaina, located in the northern part of Alicante province, hosts the Feria de Todos los Santos, one of the oldest and largest trade fairs in Spain. This fair, which has been held annually since 1346, offers a fascinating glimpse into the region’s cultural and commercial heritage.
The fair begins on October 29th and runs through November 1st (All Saints’ Day). During this time, the streets of Cocentaina are transformed into a vast open-air market, with hundreds of stalls selling everything from traditional crafts and local produce to modern consumer goods.
One of the highlights of the fair is the agricultural machinery exhibition, which draws farmers and enthusiasts from across the region. There are also areas dedicated to livestock, automobiles and artisanal products. Food plays a central role in the fair, with numerous stalls offering local delicacies and regional specialties. It also features cultural events such as concerts, theatre performances and art exhibitions.
Fiestas Mayores Patronales de Benidorm
Benidorm’s Fiestas Mayores Patronales is an annual cultural celebration held in the second week of November, honouring the city’s patron saints, the Virgin of the Suffrage and Saint James the Apostle. This multi-day event transforms Benidorm’s old town into a hub of traditional and contemporary festivities, offering a stark contrast to the city’s well-known beach and nightlife scene.
The festival begins with an official opening ceremony featuring a traditional ‘pregón’ speech. Key highlights include a colourful flower offering parade to the Virgin of the Suffrage, a mini Moors and Christians festival with mock battles, and spectacular fireworks displays. Music is central to the celebration, with performances ranging from folk to contemporary pop, and brass bands filling the streets with festive sounds.
Visitors can immerse themselves in local culture through traditional costumes, regional cuisine served at ‘barracas’ (open-air bars), and various cultural performances. The event culminates on Benidorm Day with a solemn maritime procession honoring the discovery of the Virgin of the Suffrage statue in 1740, followed by the emotional singing of the Salve Marinera.
These fiestas showcase Benidorm’s rich cultural heritage, blending historical traditions with modern celebrations. Despite taking place in the off-season, the event ensures Benidorm remains a vibrant destination year-round, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience the city’s traditional side and deep-rooted customs.
Christmas and New Year Celebrations
As the year draws to a close, the Costa Blanca embraces the festive spirit with a series of celebrations that blend Spanish traditions with international holiday customs.
The Christmas season officially begins on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. From this date, towns and cities across the region are adorned with lights and decorations. Many places set up elaborate nativity scenes, known as ‘belénes,’ which are often works of art in their own right.
Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) is traditionally a time for family gatherings and festive meals. While Christmas Day is relatively quiet, the holiday season continues in full swing. December 28th marks the Day of the Holy Innocents, Spain’s equivalent of April Fools’ Day, when practical jokes and silly news stories are the order of the day.
New Year’s Eve (Nochevieja) is celebrated with gusto across the Costa Blanca. Many towns and cities host public celebrations in their main squares, where people gather to eat the traditional twelve grapes at midnight – one with each chime of the clock for good luck in the coming year. Fireworks displays and parties continue well into the early hours.
The holiday season concludes with the Three Kings celebration on January 5th and 6th, bringing us full circle in our tour of the annual festivals of the Costa Blanca.
