Fiestas in Alicante, Alicante
- Travel tip: If you plan on celebrating a fiesta in Alicante, come well rested... most people revel until sunrise.
Holidays are not just honoured in Alicante, they are CELEBRATED!
The commemoration of the mighty Christian battles to capture Alicante from the Moors is celebrated several times throughout the year. Although different, each celebration includes entradas (entry processions) and participants garbed in colourful costumes. The Villafranqueza quarter celebrates in March, with San Blas following suit in June. The quarters of Altozano and José Antonio wrap up the yearly festivals in August.
January
On January 17th, Alicante celebrates St Anthony's Feast. The surrounding period sees a traditional fair, with street stalls proffering local foods - look out for turrón de novia (bride's nougat). If you slip into Plaza de Toros, you'll see the animal show.
February
As tourist literature likes to say, even the street benches are specially decorated for the Carnival. During Sábado Ramblero (Saturday before Ash Wednesday), Rambla de Méndez Núñez comes alive with costume filled parades.
March/April
Palm Sunday marks the start of spectacular Semana Santa, a week which witnesses 27 different brotherhoods' processions through the city's streets. The processions carry pasos (floats or effigies), some of which are masterpieces by renowned artists such as Avalos, Bussi Lastrucci and Salzillo. One procession not to miss is that of the Holy Cross, which makes its way through the difficult and steep lanes/steps of El Barrio. The Procession of Silence and the Two Encounters are also incredibly memorable. You'll have trouble believing the Santa Cena (Holy Supper) float... it's the largest in Spain and requires the sturdy shoulders of 208 porters. Semana Santa (Holy Week), ends on Resurrection Sunday.
On the Thursday following Semana Santa, the massive Pilgrimage of the Holy Visage commences. Some 200,000 pilgrims participate, making it the second most important pilgrimage in Spain after Andalucía's Rocío. It all starts around 8am at Alicante's Ayuntamiento (City Hall). From there it slowly winds its way 8km to the Monasterio de Santa Faz (Santa Faz Monastery). Along the way pilgrims stop to dine of paraeta, a traditional breakfast of anise rolls and mistela wine.
May
During the first three days of May Alicante's Santa Cruz quarter celebrates the Cruces de Mayo (Crosses of May). The entire quarter is laden with vibrant crosses made from local flowers. Besides rewarding the finest crosses, great dances and children's games take place.
June
The modern Hogueras de San Juan festival is an amalgamation of the ancient pagan celebration of the summer solstice, and the Christian feast of San Juan. The lead up to Día de San Juan (June 24th) is marked by colourful parades, the Flower Offerings to Our Lady of Remedy, a bull fighting festival, endless musical concerts, all night street partying and daily choruses of deafening mascletás (firecrackers). In the midst of the event, artisans representing each of Alicante’s 86 barrios (neighbourhoods) manage to raise their hogueras in the streets. Some of these giant satirical effigies are as much a testament to cardboard and papier-mâché as they are to art. When the clock strikes twelve on the night of San Juan, a grandiose firework display from the Castillo de Santa Bárbara lights the city and signals the lighting of las hogueras. Soon the streets are aglow from the rising flames, and the celebrations truly begin. As the intensity of the fires and partying grows to a feverish pitch, so does the temperature. At this point, the strange ritual of hurling insults at the bomberos (firemen) begins. Once their egos and mothers have been sufficiently dishonoured, water is unleashed over the crowds.
July
On the 16th of July Alicantinos worship the Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of the fishermen. Part of the festivities includes fishing boats donning delightful decorations. The most colourful celebrations take place on Tabarca, where an image of the virgin is raised on a boat for a grand sailor's procession.
August
Between the 3rd and 5th of August, the Port Summer Festival takes place. This festival is time to coincided with the feast to honour the Virgen de Remedio, the patron saint and perpetual mayor of Alicante.
September
Alicante's Raval quarter feasts in honour of its patron saint, Virgen del Socorro between the 5th and 8th of September. Expect parades, dances, games and even a cooking contest!
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