Benidorm Fiesta Dates 2024 - *NOTE: These dates are for guidance as events can be changed or cancelled without prior notice.
Benidorm has about 55 Fiestas every year so far too many to list, many of the smaller local fiestas will not be publicised until after the event but here are the main fiestas to look out for. Some dates are the same every year and others vary, such as the carnival and the November Fiestas.
During EVERY fiesta you will see Mascletas listed on the schedules, these are the loud, thunderous firecrackers. They are fired randomly, particularly during the day. They are not for the faint hearted, they are really loud. The fireworks provide a spectacular view, but the Mascletas are meant to stimulate your body through rhythmic sounds and vibrations
JANUARY
January 5th - The 3 Kings Parade, Grand Procession, unmissable if you are in town - The parade generally starts at around 18.00 from the Parque de Elche (Dove Park) in the Old Town, the parade will go up the Avd de los Almendros and back down the Avd Ruzafa before finishing up at the Town Hall square and finishing off the evening with a fantastic firework display.
January 6th – 3 Kings Day itself and a National Holiday (red day/Bank Holiday). This is a family day.
FEBRUARY
The Carnival is an annual celebration, the date is dictated by when Easter falls, the Parades always take place on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday (14th Feb 2024), this year the parade will be Saturday 10th February, there are 2, a children’s one in the morning around 11.00am and a main adult one in the evening about 9.30. The procession starts at the top end of Calle Ruzafa (nr Crystal Park Hotel) and ends up at the main Town Hall Square. There will be plenty of elaborate costumes.
The Carnival finishes on Shrove Tuesday 13th February 2024 with the ritual Burial of the Sardine. This signifies the beginning of Lent. This is a solemn procession which again begins around 9.30 starting at Plaza Mayor, goes through the Old Town and ends up at Poniente Beach where the sardine is buried. (Times are subject to change), don’t forget to take your camera along…you’ll see some fantastic sights!
MARCH
March 7th - 20th Benidorm celebrates the 284th Anniversary of Mare de Déu del Sofratge (Our Lady of Suffering)
One of the main events is on 16th March, when the carving of the patron saint goes to the doors of the church.
15th - 19th - The Fallas Fiesta
The traditional Valencian festival of Saint Joseph the carpenter. Originally a contest amongst carpenters to create an effigy of the Saint, it has escalated to become one of the most spectacular fiestas of the calendar year. Festivities include processions with participants wearing elaborate traditional costumes, street entertainment, fireworks and live music. For more details on this fiesta click HERE
Benidorm Fiesta Dates 2024
March 17th - St Partick´s Day - When Benidorm turns GREEN
Not a Spanish Fiesta but a popular event for many tourists.
Many people dress up for the day so bring something GREEN with you. There is NO parade as such, just people enjoying the atmosphere around town. More information HERE
MARCH/APRIL
EASTER - SEMANA SANTA from 24th Palm Sunday
One of the most important weeks in the Spanish Calendar, with lots of processions to be found in the old town area.
For more details about Easter in Benidorm click HERE
APRIL
The Benidorm Elvis Festival - Running from 19th to 21st April this year. For tickets contact Round Town Travel
Get ready to swing that pelvis, Elvis is back in town. For three days, Benidorm pays tribute to the one and only King of Rock n Roll, Mr Elvis Presley.
This is the largest themed Elvis party held in the Mediterranean. Join countless 1000´s of likeminded Elvis fans in this Three-day spectacular in the Hotel Melia and other venues nearby venues with top Elvis acts providing the entertainment.
The fun starts with a welcome party by the pool at the Hotel Melia.
There are also prizes and competitions with a grand finale at the spectacular Benidorm Palace.
Benidorm Fiesta Dates 2024
MAY
1st to 3rd - Fiesta of the Holy Cross, many districts in Benidorm will decorate holy crosses with flowers and organise holy processions through the streets.
The main event is 1st May and begins at 08.00 with the ringing of bells in the churches of San Jaime and Santa Ana, followed by a parade. At 11.00 festival entities and authorities will travel in pilgrimage from the church to the foot of the Creu (the cross), where the blessing of the municipality will take place. After the offering of flowers, mass will be celebrated.
The program of the Festa de la Creu ends on Tuesday, May 3rd with a mass of the deceased in San Jaime at 19.00.
JUNE
22nd – 24th Hogueras de San Juan – Bonfires of Saint John – Bonfires generally in three districts of Benidorm; La Cala, El Campo and el Mercado (market). These fires signify the official beginning of summer.
As in March, monuments are built and exhibited in the days leading up to the night of 24th these will then be destroyed by fire which symbolises the end of old feelings and experiences and the arrival of new hopes and desires.
For some years some spontaneous parties have been held, the official bonfires are burned on the night of the 24th, but on the night of the 23rd, thousands of Benidorm people gather on the beaches of Levante and Poniente to celebrate the Noche de San Juan with amulets and symbols of the fiesta that is combined with the traditional jumping into the sea water to receive the promising summer.
*Please note, only official fires are permitted on most local beaches*
JULY
6th & 7th – San Fermin Fiesta, you may see men in the traditional white and red dress celebrating with local delicacies and drinks on Levante Beach.
13th - 16th – Fiestas of the Virgen Carmen. Head down to one of the Port areas in Benidorm, Altea or Villajoyosa where you will see beautiful floral processions through the town streets, ending at the Port when the local fishermen will go out to sea on a number of small fishing boats. From there the flowers are thrown into the water in remembrance of all who have lost their lives in the past and the present day to the Sea.
Among the main events, on Saturday, at 20:00 will take place the offering, in the Paseo de Colón.
On Sunday morning, at 10:00 mass will be celebrated in San Jaime and in the afternoon, from 19:00, the traditional marine procession will take place, which will depart from the port and tour the bay of Benidorm.
July 25th – St Jaime Fiesta (St James Day) – St James is the town´s patron saint, and all the usual religious parades can be seen in the old town. It is also the National Day of Recognition for the Spanish Military and if there are any navel frigates in the area many of the marines will come ashore to celebrate. Expect quite a lot of cannon fire.
July 26th - Feast of Santa Anna. This is considered in some countries of Christian tradition as Grandparents' Day.
A mass in the parish church of Sant Jaume y Santa Anna will be held at 20.00, afterwards there will be tasting of soft drinks, horchata and slushies.
Late July/early August - Low Festival - A 3 day event when Benidorm becomes a rock and indie hotspot.
Benidorm Fiesta Dates 2024
AUGUST
There are NO fiestas in August, but an incredible amount of cultural and artistic events. There are live concerts most nights in the Aiguera Park auditoriums, including ballet, opera, theatre and performances by leading popular international and Spanish groups and singers
SEPTEMBER
Benidorm Pride - Dates for 2024 2nd to 8th September
A series of flamboyant events leading up to the Playa Levante big parade on the Saturday.
Visitors can expect an exciting week in the resort that truly never sleeps. The main attraction for visitors is the old town which is where you will find the pumping heart of the gay village still very much local and Spanish where we visitors can blend in and mix with our lovely hosts. Enjoy up to 30 hugely friendly but small and intimate gay bars and eateries all nice and each other. Find more information HERE
Moors and Christians - Dates vary from year to year normally the end of September early October - Dates for 2024 will not be confirmed until late September.
This festival is celebrated all over Spain as their history is deeply rooted in the battles which took place over control of Spain in the 13th to 15th century. Each fiesta is a theatrical performance with participants dressed in elaborate and expensive costumes depicting both sides of the battle. The music played by the live orchestras is especially composed for the fiesta and is very dramatic. Battles are re-enacted using replicas of the weapons used so it can become a little noisy. For full details click HERE
OCTOBER
9th – Regional fiesta celebrating the day of the constitution.
12th - Fiesta Nacional de Espana… (so a bank holiday).
NOVEMBER
The famous November Fiesta - Dates vary – The November Fiesta always begins on the Friday of the second weekend of November and officially end the following Wednesday.
Making the date for 2024 8th to 13th November. Fancy Dress Day Thursday 14th.
Each town has its Patron Saint, and a fiesta is held in their honour which usually last one week. During this time the towns commercial activity virtually shuts down as celebrations go on practically 24 hours a day. Festivities include processions, dancing in the streets, live music, sporting events and firework displays. In Benidorm the Patron Saints are the Virgin of the Suffrage and Saint James the Apostle. The most outstanding acts during the week are the staging of the finding of the Virgin, the flower offering, the comic parade, the parade of floats and the great firework display which takes place on the last day of the festivities.
This webpage will be updated with a full schedule of events, just a few weeks before.
Europe’s largest fancy dress party Thursday 14th
Benidorm Fancy Dress Party, the biggest in Europe! Once the Benidorm fiestas finish in November, the unofficial British fancy dress party starts on the day after. One of the greatest highlights of the year, and a must for all to take part and dress up. Visitors have to do great efforts to showcase a spectacular day of fun, colour and an amazing atmosphere.
Saturday 16th November – Fiesta of the Carxofa (Benidorm) The Artichoke Fiesta
Takes place during the third weekend of November and is one of the most endearing and oldest in Benidorm This Fiesta is similar to a thanksgiving or harvest festival. The burning of the artichoke takes place in the Square in front of The Royal Queens Hotel.
The day generally begins with the 'penjà de la Carxofa', followed by a parade from the Plaza de la Constitución to the church of Sant Jaume, where an offering is made to the Mare de Dèu shortly before a mass, once the religious ceremony is over the parade moves to the Plaza de la Constitución where typical garden produce is tasted.
Later in the evening generally around 23.00 the Crema (burning) of the artichoke takes place, music and partying continues until the early hours.
DECEMBER
Christmas in Benidorm - For full details about Christmas in Benidorm click here
New Year's Eve December 31st How better to end the year than at a traditional Spanish New Year's Eve party (Fiesta Cotillon) in front of the clock in the square. Free champagne and live music provide the entertainment. Don’t forget your 12 grapes which are eaten one by one on the strokes of midnight giving you luck in the year to come.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS FOR THE VALENCIA REGION 2024
Public Holidays are a national treasure as there are so many of them each year!! They include a mix of religious Roman Catholic, national and regional ones and are taken on the exact day they fall whether that be midweek or weekend. The holiday is not moved to the Monday or Friday to create three-day weekends as is often done in other countries. This means that a large percentage of people take days off, a ‘puente’ which means bridge, to create long weekends which last for four or five days! Known as ‘red days’, each municipality is allowed to have a maximum of 14 public holidays per year; a maximum of 9 of these are chosen by the national government and at least 2 are chosen locally.
During a public holiday in Spain everything except the bars, cafes, restaurants, emergency services and a handful of shops like petrol stations close down. Nothing is open, so make sure you have planned for the national and regional Public Holidays!
There are many local Public Holidays plus the ‘Dia de Valencia ’ which is observed in the province of Valencia only and is on the 9th October. The Public Holidays which are observed in all regions of Spain are: -
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Mon | New Year's Day |
| 6 Jan | Sat | Epiphany |
| 19 Mar | Tue | St Joseph's Day |
| 29 Mar | Fri | Good Friday |
| 1 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday |
| 1 May | Wed | Labour Day |
| 24 Jun | Mon | St John's Day |
| 15 Aug | Thu | Assumption of Mary |
| 9 Oct | Wed | Valencian Regional Holiday |
| 12 Oct | Sat | Fiesta Nacional de España |
| 1 Nov | Fri | All Saints' Day |
| 6 Dec | Fri | Constitution Day |
| 25 Dec | Wed | Christmas Day |
| 2 additional local fiesta dates will occur during Benidorm November Fiestas TBC but are normally the Monday and Tuesday | ||
BENIDORM FIESTA DATES FOR 2024 NOTE: These dates are for guidance as events can be changed or cancelled without prior notice.