Every February, the filas of the MOROS I CRISTIANS DE XÀBIA reunite for the first time since the heat and spectacle of the previous summer, gathering for MIG ANY, the moment that marks the true turning of the fiesta year. Falling neatly at the halfway point between fiestas, the “half year” is far more than a date on the calendar. It is the ceremonial starting gun for the season ahead, when one captain fila formally hands the baton to the next and the long road towards July begins.
First celebrated in 1996, MIG ANY was conceived as a way to recognise those who best embody the spirit of the fiesta. From the very beginning it became the stage on which captaincies were awarded, and from 1997 onwards, the standard bearers too stepped into the spotlight.
In 2026, MIG ANY reaches a landmark, its 30th anniversary, and the celebrations are set to evolve. A new format will reshape the weekend, opening it up to the wider public and helping to support a fiesta that grows more ambitious, and more costly, with every passing year.
The weekend still begins on Friday evening with the familiar informality of an entraeta through the port, music echoing through the streets as the filas parade together. Yet this is a defining moment for the fila preparing to assume the captaincy. As the parade ends, the filas normally part, creating a corridor of applause, and the filà capitania steps forward to receive the adulation that signals its moment has arrived.
What happens next is going to be new in 2026. Instead of dispersing after a few drinks, the filas gather for a formal gala dinner on Friday night. A large marquee will rise on Avenida de Lepanto, a stretch that has quickly become the port’s newest gathering place since its recent transformation, and it is here that the evening’s most emotional moments unfold.
The outgoing captain and standard bearers take the floor to deliver their farewell speeches, reflecting on a year that has demanded time, energy and no small amount of dedication. Their role extends far beyond the main summer celebrations, representing the fiesta at events such as Fogueres de Sant Joan, Jesús Nazareno and Mare de Déu de Loreto, at flower offerings and formal presentations throughout the year. Their efforts are honoured with mementoes, tokens of gratitude for a responsibility not everyone can, or would wish to, shoulder.
Then comes the handover. To the cheers of their parent fila, the new captain and standard bearers step forward. In 2026, history will be made as the first male standard bearer is appointed. Sashes are placed, dignitaries offer their welcomes, and the new leadership takes its place at the heart of the fiesta. As the formalities conclude, the marquee opens its doors to the public, the music turns up, and the night carries on with dancing and celebration well past midnight.
Saturday begins in a very different key, with the shared pleasure of an almuerzo. The filas gather for this quintessential Spanish morning feast, seafood on the table, local wine flowing freely and perhaps something stronger making an appearance. Refuelled and relaxed, they take to the streets once more for a short, informal parade. There are no elaborate costumes or make-up, just casual attire chosen by each fila as its unofficial uniform.
Once again, attention focuses on the fila about to assume the captaincy. At the end of the parade, a guard of honour normally forms and emotions run high. Captaincy rotates among the filas, and with a dozen groups involved, this honour comes around only once every 10/12 years. Memberships change, faces come and go, but whether it is a first-time experience or a return for seasoned veterans, the moment never loses its power.
Traditionally, Saturday would then have moved to Salones Carrasco for the gala lunch and formal appointments. In 2026, those rituals already complete, the filas will return instead to the Avenida de Lepanto marquee for a communal lunch. Each group will brings its own contribution, perhaps a paella, a fideuà, a hearty stew or an array of tapas, turning the meal into a shared feast in every sense.
As the afternoon unfolds, the public will once again be invited to join the filas. With food shared, glasses raised and music in the air, MIG ANY closes as it always has, with the unmistakable feeling that the wheels are now turning and the countdown to July has truly begun.
Moros i Cristians de Xàbia – The Format
- Moros i Cristians – HOME
- The Presentation
- The Music and the Arenal
- The Flower Offerings
- The Invasion
- The Reconquest
- The Parades
- Becoming a Moor