FIESTAS IN JÁVEA

It goes without saying that the fiesta is the quintessential element of Spanish culture and the Spanish people simply wouldn’t be who they are without it. The concept may seem quite alien to the British, whose experiences may well have been limited to a rain-soaked summer carnival and a travelling fairground in a muddy local park every summer. However there are over 15,000 fiestas every year throughout Spain and it is said that even if you attempted to attend more than one a day, you wouldn’t be able to see them all in a single lifetime. And Jávea is no exception when it comes to the enthusiasm to party and there are celebrations of all shapes and sizes throughout the year.

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Fiesta Programme 2021

This programme is subject to change and will be continuously updated throughout the year

JANUARY

• Tu 05 | Los Reyes Magos – The Three Kings
• We 06 | Epifanía del Señor – National Holiday
• Su 17 | San Antonio Abad – The Animal Blessing
• We 20 | San Sebastian – Patron of Xàbia

FEBRUARY

• Sa 13 | Carnaval (Fancy Dress Parades)

MARCH

• Sa 07 | La Baixada – The descent of the image
• Fr 19 | San José – El Día del Padre (Father’s Day) – Regional Holiday

APRIL

• Fr 02 | Viernes Santo (Good Friday) – Regional Holiday
• Su 04 | Domingo de Resurreción (Easter Sunday)
• Lu 05 | Lunes de Pascua (Easter Monday) – Regional Holiday
• Mo 12| Día de San Vicente Ferrer
• Easter in Xàbia
• Festes en honor a Jesús Nazareno

MAY

• Sa 01 | XÀBIA FOLK 2021 | La Romàntica del Saladar
• Su 02 | XÀBIA FOLK 2021 | Vi Blau
• Su 02 | Día del Madre (Mother’s Day)
• Sa 08 | XÀBIA FOLK 2021 | Eliseo Parra
• Su 09 | XÀBIA FOLK 2021 | La Banda Morisca
• First Communion
• San Francisco de Paula – the oldest fiesta in Xàbia

JUNE

• Th 24 | Día de Sant Joan – Local Holiday
• Fogueres de Sant Joan de Xàbia
• Festival Internacional de Xàbia

JULY

• Fr 16 | Virgén del Carmén – the seafarer’s fiesta
• Moros i Cristians de Xàbia

AUGUST

• Su 15 | La Asunción – National Holiday
• Festividad de la Virgen de los Ángeles (La Plana)
• Xàbia Folk Festival
• Festes del Portitxol
• Festes en honor a la Virgen del Loreto (The Port Fiesta)

SEPTEMBER

• Su 12 | Virgen del Popúl – pilgrimage and mass

OCTOBER

• Sa 09 | Día de la Comunitat Valenciana – Regional Holiday
• Tu 12 | Fiesta Nacional de España – National Holiday
• Su 31 | Halloween in Xàbia

NOVEMBER

• Mo 01 | Todos Los Santos (All Saint’s Day) – National Holiday

DECEMBER

• Mo 06 | Día de la Constitución – National Holiday
• We 08 | Inmaculada Concepción – National Holiday
• Mo 13 | Santa Llúcia – The Bringer of Light
• Sa 25 | Día de Navidad – National Holiday
• Christmas in Xàbia

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BECOMING A MOOR

Since 2016 I have been involved with the Moors and Christians fiesta each summer in Xàbia and these are my experiences of becoming a Moor …

• Becoming a Moor

BECOMING A PRAWN

In 2016 we were asked by the Fogueres Commission to write an article based on our experiences and it appeared – in Castellano – in the official booklet for the 2016 edition of the fiesta. It proved to be a popular read with many people finding out how outsiders saw their grand fiesta. So we’ve decided to re-produce it – with a few edits and additions – to bring it up to date.

• Becoming a Prawn

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“And it is significant that a country as sorrowful as ours should have so many and such joyous fiestas. Their frequency, their brilliance and excitement, the enthusiasm with which we take part, all suggest that without them we would explode.”

OCTAVIO PAZ (1914-1998)
Author

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