Alicante Popular Fiestas Calendar
- January the 1st - New Year's Day (national holiday)
- January the 6th - Epiphany
Carnival
On Saturday (called Sábado Ramblero) there are parades down Rambla Avenue where people show carnival costumes, ending with a festivity called the “Funeral Wake and Burial of the Sardine”. Held on the weekend and days leading up to Ash Wednesday.
- March the 19th - Father's Day
Moors and Christians
A very old festivity, remembering the Christian battles for the reconquest of the main land from the Moors, is shown in various quarters of Alicante and all include entry processions, called entradas, with groups of people from each side parading into the town in rows, all arrayed in splendid costumes. They take place in Villafranqueza (March), San Blas (June) and in the quarters of Altozano and José Antonio (August).
- March the 24th - 27th - Easter
Semana Santa (Holy Week)
27 brotherhoods take part in processions from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday, carrying floats or effigies called ”pasos”, some of which are great masterworks by famous artists such as Salzillo, Bussi, Avalos or Castillo Lastrucci. Some of the best processions are ”the Holy Cross” because it goes up the streets in the old quarter, ”the Procession of Silence”, and the “Two Encounters” between Jesus and the Virgin Mary. ”The Santa Cena” (Holy Supper) float is the largest in Spain , 208 porters . This is a movable feast falling in among March or April.
- May the 1st - Labour Day (national)
Cruces de Mayo (May Crosses)
Beautiful crosses made of flowers in all the main squares. The most popular win awards, and dances and children’s games are staged. Held from the 1st to the 3rd May.
- June the 20th - 24th - San Juan
Hogueras de San Juan (St John’s Bonfires)
This is the most famous and outstanding festivity held in Alicante , declared to be of International Tourist Interest. People burn some useless objects (all night long) to celebrate the summer solstice, connecting with the feast day of St John the Baptist. It was first held in 1928, with lots of colour, gunpowder and bonfires. Also important are the Flower Offerings to Our Lady of Remedy (22nd of June), the International Folklore Parade (23rd of June) and the mascletás or fireworks challenge (20th-24th of June). There are also processions with marching music bands, sports competitions and outdoor dances, the celebration coincides with a bullfighting festival .At midnight on St John’s Night (from 24th to 25th of June) a big fireworks show is set off from the top of Mount Benacantil, and all the bonfires and figures (made in papier-mâché and wood) are burnt. The holidays continue until 29th of June (St Peter’s Day). During the second part, a Medieval market takes place in the old quarter, and from 25th to 29th of June there is a fireworks challenge, with shows being set off from Postiguet Beach.
- July the 16th - Virgen del Carmen , the Sailor Virgin
Virgen del Carmen
All the city sailors decorates their fishing boats to venerate their patroness. The biggest celebration, however, is in the Tabarca island, where an image of the Virgin is held on a boat in a sailor’s procession.
- August the 15th - Feast of the Assumption (national -Virgen de la Paloma)
- September the 15th
Virgen del Socorro (Our Lady of Succour)
The Raval quarter (populated with fishermen too) celebrates a feast in honour of its patron saint, the virgin after whom the chapel and the main street, overlooking Postiguet Beach, were named. The festivity includes cooking contests, a procession, dances, games, etc. >From the 5th - 8th of September.
October the 12th - Spain's National Day (national - called Día de la Hispanidad)
November the 1st - All Saints Day (national)
November the 9th - Almudena (Madrid capital only)
December the 6th - Día de la Constitución(National Law Day) (national)
December the 8th - Celebration of the Immaculate Conception Virgin (national)
December 25th - Christmas Day (national)
