Alicante Fiestas
San Miguel – Various locations towards the end of the month
Many towns and villages around the Alicante province put on big celebrations at Michaelmas, which is the feast of the Archangel Michael on the 29th September. In Christian tradition he was one of the main angelic warriors and was credited with the victory over Lucifer in the War in Heaven.
So, over the last weekend of the month there will be parades and more in Daya Nueva, Benifallim, Benifato, Vall de Ebo, Villajoyosa and Agres to name just a few. At many of these locations, such as Daya Nueva, San Miguel is celebrated for as much as three weeks.
Organisers make sure that people of all ages are entertained and that barely an hour will pass without something going on. A typical programme will include a sequence of lively parades, the most important of which will include a depiction of the Archangel Michael, dressed in armour and wielding a sword. This takes place on the 29th, and tends to follow a mass at the church.
Fringe events include anything from culinary appreciation at local restaurants, to children´s entertainment, dog shows, firework displays, music concerts, flamenco performances and congenial get-togethers at Plazas in the evenings.
You can enjoy any of these Alicante fiestas in less than 45 minutes from the Drivalia car rental depot at Alicante Airport.
Mallorca
Diada de Mallorca – 12th September – Various locations
The 12th is the “Day of Mallorca“, and commemorates an oath made on this date in 1276 by Spanish King Jaume II in the Charter of Mallorca. The 12th September isn´t a bank holiday, but around the towns you´ll see balconies adorned with the island´s flag, and there´s a parade in Palma, accompanied by traditional musicians.
Image credit: Fabián Montojo
Here historic papier mache puppets dating back to the 17th century are also part of the procession. These tall figures are referred to as “giants” and two of them – Tòfol and Francinaina – symbolise the people of Mallorca and stand guard at the town hall on Plaça Cort in the Old Town.
Festa des Vermar – 27th-28th September – Binissalem
Binissalem, 20 minutes from Palma, is the centre of Mallorca´s historic wine region. To mark the grape harvest there´s a fun-packed schedule of events. One of the most colourful of these takes place at midday on the Saturday when a vast grape fight ensues. The informal rules dictate that participants must wear white clothing – which doesn´t stay white for long.
Also on the bill are grape-crushing competitions, wine-tasting contests and the correfoc, which is a Catalan and Balearic tradition. This entails a raucous parade with people dressed as devils and a lot of pyrotechnics.
Binissalem is around 30 minutes from the Drivalia car rental depot at Palma de Mallorca Airport.
Murcia
Feria de Murcia – First fortnight of September – Murcia
This celebration was granted to the city of Murcia by King Alonso X, back in the 1200s. It takes place in honour of the Virgin of Fuensanta, the patron saint of the city. Given the historic origins of the Feria de Murcia, it´s no surprise that a great deal of the programme during the celebration is rooted in medieval tradition. In the middle ages the Feria offered a chance for a rural population to trade, and this aspect is still maintained today in the form of a cattle fair, which runs for the first four days of the fortnight.
Running throughout the two weeks is one of Spain´s largest funfairs, and there are also bullfights, market stalls and traditional dance recitals. Among the quirkier events is the tuna competition, and there´s also Lemon Pop, an indie music festival, which has been running for almost 20 years now.
Image credit: Capture The Uncapturable
Another part of the Feria de Murcia are the Moors and Christians Parades. Here they commemorate the foundation of the city by Moorish ruler Rahman II and the subsequent re-conquest by Alonso X.
Murcia City is around 45 minutes from the Drivalia car rental depot at Alicante Airport.
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