This weekend, Benidorm will celebrate our pets as the Huerta neighbourhood hosts one of its most traditional and well loved fiestas. Enjoy the Sant Antoni Abat celebrations, honouring the patron saint of animals.
Sharing our lives with animals is a rare kind of luck. Whether they walk on four legs, arrive with feathers, or have claimed the sofa as their own, they deserve to be celebrated. This weekend offers the perfect opportunity to do just that.
The main celebration takes place on Saturday 17 January, with events running through to Sunday. The festivities conclude with the blessing of the animals at the Ermita de Sanç.
Preparations begin on Thursday evening at 20:00. Neighbours and volunteers will come together to decorate the square around the hermitage. As tradition dictates, the evening will end with refreshments.
Friday: Cards, music and celebration
Festivities officially start on Friday afternoon. At 17:30, the final of the Truc card championship will take place in the festival tent at the Ermita.
After the prize-giving ceremony, snacks will be shared. The evening then continues with live music from the local group Efecto Bocachancla.
Saturday: Sant Antoni’s Day
Sant Antoni’s Day begins early. At 08:00, a traditional despertà will wake the neighbourhood with music and firecrackers.
Later in the morning, at 11:00, a mass will be held at the Ermita de Sanç.
At 12:00, the ringing of bells and a fireworks display by Turís Pyrotechnics will officially launch the day’s celebrations. Children’s games and bouncy castles will follow, along with a reception for neighbours and visitors.
In the afternoon, at 17:30, the pilgrimage in honour of Sant Antoni Abat will set off. Upon returning to the hermitage, participants will take part in a floral offering to the saint.
The official opening speech for the 2026 festivities will then be delivered by Vicente Ferrer Monerris. Traditional songs will be sung, refreshments served, and the festive atmosphere maintained.
The evening concludes with a performance by the Titanic Orchestra, followed by a lively street party that will continue late into the night.
Pet fiesta in Benidorm
On Sunday 18 January, the celebrations continue at a more relaxed pace. At 09:00, a parade will make its way through the streets of the Sanç district.
At 10:30, a solemn mass will be held in honour of Sant Antoni Abat. The service will include the blessing of the traditional loaves of bread.
Blessing of the animals
After the mass, the weekend’s highlight takes place in the Ermita square. The traditional blessing of the animals will welcome pets of all shapes and sizes. The blessed loaves will then be distributed to those attending.
The festival comes to a close at 17:30 with a concert by the Societat Musical L’Illa de Benidorm. Hot chocolate will be served to everyone!
