From Alicante: Roundtrip to Tabarca Island
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Tired of lying on the beach doing nothing? No problem: the calendar of events in and around Alicante is so full that it will keep you busy all holiday long!
Music, dancing, sports and gastronomy are the main ingredients of the region’s best events, capable of intriguing and entertaining the most diverse audiences.
The purely touristic vocation of many Costa Blanca resorts means that most events are concentrated in the summer months.
July is the triumph of music, with an incredible variety of events and festivals of very different musical genres, from electronic to popular songs. From teenagers to mature people, everyone can enjoy a night of music in Alicante!
The events that will remain in your heart, however, are certainly the traditional fiestas, proudly celebrated for many centuries, in some cases even since the Middle Ages. Beloved by the locals, these fiestas are a triumph of gaiety, music and colour and represent the best opportunity to understand the vital and passionate soul of the Alicante people. Don’t miss them!
6 January, día de los Reyes Magos, is a very popular festivity in Spain. In the days leading up to it, the municipality of Alicante organises a series of events related to the arrival of the Three Wise Men, including a parade, the arrival of the Magi and the delivery of gifts to the children.
The most eagerly awaited event is the traditional Cabalgata de Sus Majestades los Reyes Magos, which ends in the town hall square.
Less famous than other Spanish carnivals, the carnival in Alicante is nevertheless a joyous celebration of parades, masks, floats and pranks.
At the end of February, the International Creative Cooking Competition of the Red Shrimp, one of the most prestigious culinary events in Spain, is held in the town of Dénia.
Founded to celebrate and promote a local delicacy, the festival sees the participation of renowned chefs competing for victory with the preparation of a typical and a creative recipe. A true festival of taste, not to be missed by any food and wine tourism enthusiast.
A mix of religious tradition and Mediterranean folklore awaits visitors who decide to immerse themselves in the enthralling events organised every year in March or April to celebrate Holy Week.
Centuries-old traditions are kept alive with passion and energy throughout Spain, and Alicante is no exception. The sea is the defining element of Alicante’s Holy Week festivities.
Moors’ and Christians‘ festivals are a deeply rooted tradition in Spanish culture, originating in the Middle Ages and still celebrated in many towns today. The most important ones are held in the provinces of Alicante and Valencia, where the popular participation is truly spectacular.
These festivities are usually dedicated to the patron saint of the city and for this reason the dates vary from city to city.
The Moors and Christians’ festival in the city of Alcoy, one of the most important in the Alicante province, is held in April. Dedicated to Saint George, the festival commemorates a memorable battle fought in 1276, during which, thanks to an intervention by the saint, the Christians prevailed over the Muslims who were trying to storm the city.
During the three days of the festival, Alcoy is transformed into a medieval village, with a spectacular costume parade, festivities in honour of the saint and the historical re-enactment of the battle of the castle, the town’s symbolic monument. Absolutely unmissable!
Another exciting Moors’ and Christians’ festival in the Alicante province is that of Villayojosa, held in July.
For those who love Latin rhythms, the appointment is in May in Alicante for the annual Salsa Festival, during which some of the most famous international dancers perform.
Be enraptured by the enthralling rhythms of Latin music and take part in one of the numerous workshops on the programme.
There is no better way to celebrate the beginning of summer than to participate in the city of Alicante’s great festival, the Hogueras de San Juan.
The bonfires that are held on the night of 24 June are the highlight of a festival that actually lasts several days, or one could say the whole year, given the commitment and passion that the people of Alicante devote to the preparation of the ninots, the gigantic papier-mâché figures of satirical character that are then burnt.
Fire, therefore, but also music, parades, lights, colours, joy and fun are the ingredients of this traditional festival that sums up Alicante’s vitality.
Founded in 2004 with the aim of promoting film culture in the Alicante region, the Alicante film festival has become a reference point for professionals and enthusiasts in just a few years.
The festival’s week-long programme includes a short film competition, a selection of feature films, master classes and the very popular ‘Cine en la calle‘ section, a series of open-air screenings with free admission.
An original competition dedicated to the best film-themed shop windows completes the programme.
The enchanting natural scenery of the Costa Blanca is the setting for Spain’s largest yoga festival. City2sand is a celebration of well-being with a packed programme of classes and workshops for all levels, from the absolute beginner to the most experienced practitioner, including an incredible variety of yoga styles, from the most traditional to the most innovative.
Come and relax, try different styles, sample culinary delights, drink a glass of Spanish wine and listen to an eclectic mix of live music.
Every year, the city of Torrevieja celebrates the tradition of habaneras, popular songs of Caribbean origin that originated during the return voyages of local sailors carrying salt to Cuba, with a festival that lasts about a week.
The prestigious events of the Certamen Internacional de Habaneras y Polifonía are held in the old enclosure from which the ‘salineros’ from Torrevientinos used to leave for the Caribbean. A much more informal atmosphere prevails during the Noche de Habaneras en la Playa, during which one can listen to these exciting songs while lying on the beach and admiring the moonlight.
The musical highlight for the young at heart is at the end of July, when Benidorm hosts Low Festival, a sort of Spanish Glastonbury with a line-up of international artists to suit all tastes: indie rock, blues, soul, electronic, punk, funk, hip-hop and garage.
The formula is similar to that of other music festivals, especially northern European ones, with camping and days of music and fun. The plus is the sun and the warm temperatures of the Benidorm summer. No rain or mud!
Now in its 20th year, the international jazz festival in the city of Alicante is recognised by fans of the genre as an unmissable event, attracting artists who play in the best festivals around the world.
Special attention is paid to new musical promises and each year a concert is organised by an artist from the Valencian community in order to support and promote the local jazz scene.
The festival concerts are held in the Auditorium de la Diputación.
Prestigious international musicians and emerging young artists showcase their musical talents during the City of Elche Guitar Festival. The programme includes concerts of different styles, in which, however, the guitar is the absolute star.
Most of the concerts on the programme are held outdoors, in various locations around the city.
Founded in 2007 in Murcia, the Electromar Dance Festival moved to Torrevieja in its second year and since then its image has been inextricably linked to the Costa Blanca.
The festival is a celebration of four fundamental genres of electronic music: EDM, techno, revival and remember. For hard core party animals!
Music also takes centre stage at Orgullo Gay, the series of events dedicated to the LGBT community in Alicante.
As in other European cities, the Orgullo Gay parades and parties start out as a celebration of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights, but become a joyous celebration with music and dancing that everyone wants to participate in.
A cultural treasure of the people of Elche and one of the treasures of the Alicante heritage, the Mystery of Elche is a sacred performance that takes place between 14 and 15 August in the Basílica de Santa María de Elche to celebrate the feast of the Virgen de la Asunción.
It is a medieval musical performance that re-enacts the events of the Dormition, Assumption into Heaven and Coronation of the Virgin Mary.
In the small town of Campoamor, near Torrevieja, is The Vocal Booth Weekender, a very special music festival: big enough to be considered an event with a capital E, but small enough to experience the intimate atmosphere of a party among friends. Perfect for those who want to have fun and go wild, but don’t like oceanic crowds.
The festival’s passionate DJs play all-round house beats, with influences from funk, soul, boogie, disco and a touch of jazz, reggae and drum’n’bass.
The biggest trade fair in the province of Alicante is held in October: it is Firahogar, the international fair of furniture, accessories and home decoration.
Forbidden to minors is the Alicante Erotic Festival, a spicy event dedicated to those who live eroticism in a joyful and uninhibited way with two days of erotic and fetish shows, meet-ups and photo booths.
Christmas and New Year’s Eve conjure up images of northern cities, romantically covered in snow and adorned with lights and decorations, but if the cold is not your thing, you can always come and spend the festive season in the south of Spain.
In order to boost tourism during the low season, many Spanish cities, with Alicante leading the way, have for the past few years been offering an increasingly rich programme of events to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Imagine a fireworks display at midnight with mild, almost spring-like temperatures: isn’t this a nice way to say goodbye to the old year and start the new one?
In Spain, each autonomous community has its own calendar of public holidays, in addition to the national holidays and the purely local ones.
Here is the complete calendar of public holidays in the city of Alicante:
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