A very special week for the Benidorm locals is approaching. Days full of lights, colour, gunpowder, music, flowers and fireworks. Days in which Benidorm does not rest because its inhabitants take to the streets to celebrate their ‘Fiestas Mayores Patronales’, the Benidorm fiestas. The second week of November the town transforms and shows its most festive and traditional side. Would you like to join the celebrations? We’ll give you all the details that you need to know so that you don’t miss anything.
‘Fiestas Mayores Patronales’, Benidorm Fiestas
The bells ring out and the sound of firecrackers fill the air on the second Saturday of November, marking the begining of the ‘Benidorm fiestas’ .Even though the celebrations began the night before, from this moment the festive program starts. A program full of events and activities of all kinds: some more traditional, others of a religious character, those that fire and gunpowder take a lead role, musical ones…
Perhaps it’s due to the fact that Benidorm is nourished by tourism and that it lives throughout the year with thousands of visitors from different parts of the world, the Benidorm people have a very special feeling towards their own customs and traditions that make them feel part of the place of where they were born. So the ‘Mayores Patronales’ are cherished by all. If you want to get to know a lively Benidorm in full celebration, this is the best time of the year.
During the ‘fiestas’ the Benidorm locals organize themselves in what they call ‘Peñas’. Groups of friends that come together under the same club name, they all wear the same t shirt with a personalized logo and colour, they spend the days and nights together in rented units in the centre of town. This is why when you walk through the streets of the old town, you can see lots of shops transformed into small pubs with food and drink all day and parties at night.
Early in the morning, firecrackers rumble throughout the town. It’s the traditional “despertá” the wake up call: that it is time to get up and get out on to the streets. In the mornings it’s mainly religious acts that take place. At noon, at exactly 2 pm, the whole of Benidorm concentrates in the Plaza Triangular, or Plaza de la Hispanidad, to attend the daily mascletá. The rhythms of the firecrackers, the smell of gunpowder and the excitement spreads throughout the town. After lunch, the activities continue. And when the early morning arrives, the band, the ‘batucadas’, drums and the concerts take to the streets until the party goers can hold up.
Key activities of the Benidorm Fiestas
There are activities and events at all times of the day. However we would like to summarize some of the main ones that are part of the celebrations year after year.
Although the official start of the ‘fiestas’ is Saturday, on Friday the Benidorm locals begin to warm up. In the evening the illuminations are turned on and the fair is opened and at night the ‘peñas’ celebrate with a great parade throughout the streets of the centre of the town playing music.
On Saturday morning there is so much excitement when the bells start ringing and the firecrackers echo through the air. ‘We are in fiestas’ the Benidorm locals scream. In the afternoon, the most representative event takes place: the recreation of the Virgin of Sufragio, patron saint of Benidorm, on Poniente Beach. A curious and very beautiful show to watch. Afterwards, there is a pilgrimage in honor of the Saint and the Church of St James ends up covered by a blanket of flowers.
On Sunday afternoon the first of the processions takes place, also in honour of the ‘Virgen of Sufragio’. That night one of the most magical and special acts takes place in the church square, people sing accompanied only by the ‘tabalet’ and the ‘xirimita’ (traditional instruments). In the early hours, for those that enjoy fireworks there is the traditional ‘correfuegos’ where people light large sparkler type fireworks in the streets. The Sunday night through to Sunday morning there is also the fancy dress parade.
On Monday afternoon the procession is in honour of the other patron saint of Benidorm:St James Apostol. Tuesday afternoon there is a comedy parade, where many of the ‘peñas’ compete in a contest to see who makes the best and funniest act, show or sketch. At dawn another exciting ‘mascleta’ of firecrackers and on Wednesday the festivities come to an end with a parade where the ‘peñas’ get dressed up and throw sweets from their floats or whilst they dance along the streets. The final touch of the night is a spectacular fireworks display from Poniente Beach.