The Costa Blanca doesn’t just do sunshine and sangria, it also does festivals that range from charmingly bonkers to utterly baffling.
Pretty much every month, some town or village decides it’s time for costumes and chaos. Here is a whistle-stop tour of the region’s most gloriously odd celebrations.
February – Boats made of rubbish (Pego)
Forget fancy yachts, in Pego’s Baixada del riu Bullent, the vessels are built from whatever scraps people can find. The locals climb aboard, dress up in costumes, and float down the river.
There are prizes for the best boat, the best outfit, and even for whoever picks up the most rubbish.
Rafting down the Bullent River is a fun activity in Pego that serves as a prelude to Carnival. Image: Comunitat Valenciana Turisme.
March – Lettuce lobbing (Villena)
Villena’s Medieval Festival comes with a food fight. But not tomatoes like La Tomatina, in Villena it is lettuces that get thrown! The “Battle of the Lettuces” has been going strong since 1488, when a tax row turned into a veggie riot.
Locals dress up in medieval gear and pelt each other with salad. Over 2,000 people take part every year.
The Battle of Lettuces happens during the Medieval Festival in Villena. Image: Comunitat Turisme.
May – Crosses in bloom (Alicante)
In Alicante’s Santa Cruz neighbourhood, the Cruces de Mayo sees the streets covered in flower-decorated crosses. Daytime is all about kids’ games, family fun, and shows. Once night falls, the neighbourhood turns into one giant open-air disco. The event is still as popular as it was when it began in 1837.
Visit the flowery Santa Cruz neighborhood in Alicante and celebrate the Cruz de Mayo. Image Comunitat Valenciana Turisme.
May – Bread balancing (Torre de les Maçanes)
On 9 May, the village of Torre de les Maçanes honours Saint Gregory with the Pa Beneït festival. Women in traditional dress parade through the streets with massive decorated loaves of bread balanced on their heads, some weighing up to 8 kilos. The bread gets blessed in church, the saint gets thanked, and everyone goes home well fed.
The event is so important, it was officially given cultural status in 2014.
Fiestas de San Gregorio. Image: Ayuntamiento de Torre de les Maçanes.
June – Tree carrying and wine splashing (Altea)
As summer kicks off, Altea’s Arbret Festival gets underway. The lads chop down a big poplar tree, carry it through the old town, and plant it in the square. Meanwhile, the crowd soaks them with water and pass around the wine. With traditional music and dancing, it has been going strong for over 300 years.
Symbolically, the tree means new life. Practically, it means a great party.
Altea’s Arbret Festival. Image: Altea Turismo.
July – Human chess (Jávea/Xàbia)
On the last Saturday of July, Jávea swaps pawns for people. Kids and teenagers act out a giant chess match in full costume, with lights, music, and a storyline thrown in. Since 1996, the Living Chess Game has mixed history, legends, and theatre.
Jávea: Where the pieces of the chessboard come to life. Image: Comunitat Valenciana Turisme.
December – Flour wars (Ibi)
If you think Christmas winds down quietly, think again. On 28 December, Ibi explodes into Els Enfarinats. This means a full-blown street battle using eggs, flour, and fireworks. A group of locals dressed as pretend rulers seize the town, and the chaos begins. It’s loud, messy, and a lot of fun.
Els Enfarinats has been going for 200 years.
Els Enfarinats Fiesta in Ibi. Image: Comunitat Valenciana Turisme.
The beauty of these traditions is that they are kept alive not for tourists, but for the people who live here on the Costa Blanca. If you want to join the fun, the locals are always ready to hand you a glass of wine, a flower, or, on certain days, a lettuce.
