Fiestas in Majorca

JANUARY

January 5 : The Three Kings gathering, main fiesta in Palma but also in the local towns as this is a great part of the Christmas celebrations.

January 8 / 9 : Fiesta on St Julia's Eve - The dance in honour of St Julia is held and the first bonfire (foguerons) of the winter fiestas are lit in Campos.

January 16 : Fiesta on St Antoni Abàt's Eve - The fiesta of 'San Antonio Abat' : colcades, foguerons, cavallets and traditional dances. Of an evening large bonfires are lit and locals dress up and dance around them. This is celebrated mainly in Sa Pobla, Arta, Costitx, Manacor and Sant Joan. In Sa Pobla the traditional savory cakes are made called 'Espinegades', which are a little like Pizza slices.

January 17 : St Antoni Abat's Day - The fiesta of the traditional blessing of animals isheld in Palma and in practically all the towns and villages of Majorca.

January 19 / 20 : Fiesta on St Sebastia's Eve - Although on the eve of St Sebastià's day dances and fiestas are held in many villages across Majorca, the main fiesta is in Palma. Ever since St Sebastia delivered the city from Plague, he has been its patron saint. The fiesta takes place from early on in the evening, with live music in a number of squares in the city centre.

January 20 : Parade of "Los Cavallets" in Pollensa - The fiestas of 'Sant Sebastia' patron of Palma, are celebrated in Palma. In Pollensa the fiesta of 'Sant Sebastia' is celebrated with a Procession where an image of the Saint is carried around the town.

FEBRUARY

Fiesta of the Siurell - Llubí celebrates the Fiesta if Siurell on the Saturday before the carnival.

February 12 : Popular Fiestas are celebrated in Santa Eularia.

February 27 : Sister Francinaina Cirer's Birthday - A floral offering is made to the figure of the Blessed Sister Francinaina Cirer ub Sencelles

Carnival / Els Darrers Dies - The countdown to carnival starts on Dijous Larder (Lardy Thursday). This period is known in Mallorca as "els darrers dies" (the last days) which refers to the fact that they are the last possible days to have fun before Lent begins. The fiesta starts on Dijous Larder and goes on until Saturday and Sunday when the traditional "rues" takes place (carnival parades of floats and people in costume)

MARCH / APRIL

Holy Week Palm Sunday : The entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem is commemorated throughout Majorca.  The most traditional aspects of the fiesta are the olive and plam branches that are taken to the procession.  It is the custom to keep palm branches at home to ward off teh evil eye over the next twelve months.  In the first few days  of the week there are processions with elaborate floats and figures of the Virgin or Christ (pasos) hauled, or even carried, by penitents (Nazarenos).  Their calendar is very varied.  Perhaps the most visually impressive are those in Palma, especially that on Dijous Sant (Easter Thursday), presided over by the figure of Sant Crist de la Sang which is the object of devotion by many people.

Good Friday : What os known as the "Davallament" is celebrated in many villages as well as in Palma Cathedral, this is a representation of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea taking Jesus' body down from the cross. Two of the towns with the longest tradition is Arta, where th eact takes place on San Salvador, and Pollensa, where it finsihes at the Ortaory del Calvari.  In Palma an epic poem by Llorenç Moya "El Via Crucis" is acted out.

Easter Sunday : Early in the morning of Easter Sunday or the Sunday of Glory the procession of the Eucuentro is held, in which the resurected Jesus and the Virgin Mary.  The Vigin Mary gives three jumps (els tres botets) of happiness as seeing her son resurrected.  Applause breaks out and bells peal.

Los Pancaritats : The Sanctuaries and hermitages of Majorca assume vital importance the week after Easter.  At almost all of them, pancaritats are held; these are mass picnics held outside the villages.  Some towns such as Andratx, Muro, Pollensa, Selva, Sineu and Sant Juan hold them on Easter Monday.  Others do so on the Tuesday, for example Montuiri, Petra, Ariany, Villafranca, Alcudia, Algaida, Campanet, Felantix, Llubi, Manacor and Sa Pobla.  Lloseta prefers the Wednesday.  Finally other municipalities wait for Diumenge de l'Àngel, the last day of the week of pancaritats.  This is the case of Llucmajor, Porreres, Alaro, Inca, Sencelles, Valldemosa and Palma.

April 25 : Fiesta of Sant Marc - St Marc is the Patron Saint of Sineu.  It is the custom to eat snails on his feast day.

MAY

May 11 : Moors and Christians at Soller - On this day Soller relives the battle that took place in 1561 when the troops of Corsair Eukdj Ali attempted to invade the town.  One of the main acts is the proclamation of the 'Valentes Dones' (Valiant Women) in the parish church of St Bartomeu.  Every year Soller honours Francisca and Catalina Casonovas, who played a heroic part in the defence of the town.

JUNE

Corpus Christi : All the towns and villages celebrate the fiesta of the Eucharist.  In Palma, n'Eloi, the largest bell of the Cathedral is rung.  A mass is held and there is a procession in which the host is accommpanied by the lledània, a cross made of wax flowers.  The Aguiles dance in Pollensa and Sant Joan Pelós also come out onto the streets.

June 13 : Sant Antoni De Padua - On the feast day of Sant Antoni de Padua, also known as the fiesta of the Albaricoques (Apricots), the cavallets and the dama dance in Arta.  There are two red cavallets and two black ones, the lady's horse is white.

June 24 : Sant Joan : Fiesta Del "Sol Quan Balla" - The Summer solstace is celebrated and, the night before, it is traditionaal to light bonfires (foguerons) near the sea.  The fiesta should carry on until sunrise: "el sol quan balla". ("when the sun dances"). As well as in Palma, Sant Joan is cause for important fiestas in Calvia, Deia, s'Esglaieta, Muro, Felanitx, Son Servera and Sant Joan. Sant Joan Pelós comes out to dance in Felanitx.

June 29 : Sant Pere -  St Pere (Peter) is the patron saint of fisherman. There are celebrations in Alcudia and Palma.  Seagoing processions are organised in nearly all coastal municipalities that have a Fisherman's Guild.  However the saint's feast day is also celebrated on the interior of the island: in Alaro, Buger and Esporles.

June 30 : Sant Marçal - Marratxi's main fiestas are held on June 30th, the feast day of Sant Marçal.  There is an excellent market of siurells, a craft fair of ceramics and pottery, art exhibitions, dances and fireworks.

JULY

July 1 / 2 : Nuestra Señora De La Victoria - The fiesta takes place in the Hermitage of la Victoria in Alcudia.  On July 2nd, there is a mass where an offering of camomile is made.  Immediately afterwards the traditional "Corregudes de joies" (Races of Joy) are held.

July 16 : La Virgen Del Carmen - This is a day of seagoing processions at which the hymn, Salve Marinera, is sung.  There are fiestas in Palma, in el Coll den Rebassa, Port d'Andratx, Cala Bona, Portocristo, Port de Pollensa, Cala Figuera, Cala Ratjada, Portocolom and ruberts, even though this is an inland village.

July 20 : Santa Margalida - The town of Santa Margalida celebrates their patron saint's feast day with a week of fiestas.  The Cavallets take to the streets to dance in Felantix and concerts and dances are held.  Santa Maria del Camí also celebrates their patron saint's feast day.

July 25 : Sant Jaume - The feast day of Sant Jaume is an important day in the calendar of fiestas in Mallorca.  As well as Alcudia where Sant Jaume is the patron saint, there are fiestas in Llucmajor, Muro, Sa Pobla, Algaida, Santanyi, Calvia, Binassalem and Portocolom.

July 26 : Procesión Del Sant Crist - Evert three years the procession of Sant Cristo is held in Alcudia to commemorate a miracle in 1507, when , it is said, the figure of Christ in the parish church sweated blood and water, thereby putting an end to a period of drought.

July 28 : La Beata - On this day, the Blessed Catalina Thomàs, is honoured in Valldemosa with a great parade which usually starts at 7pm. Vilafranca de Bonany has fiestas the whole of the last week of July.

July 30 : Sant Abdó I Sant Senén - These are the main fiestas in Inca.  Sant Abdó and Sant Senén were two Persian Kings who converted to Christianity and dies as martyrs.  Two giant figures, n'Abdó and na Maria, parade through the streets.  The activities programmed for the fiestas range from ball de bot (folk dancing) to bullfights.

AUGUST

August 2 : La Mare De Déu Dels Àngels / Moors and Christians - Pollensa recalls the battle of townspeople led by Joan Mas against Dragut, the Corsair.  There is no shortage of mesciat, a strong alcoholic drink, during the fiesta.

August 6 : Sant Salvador - The celebrations of Sant Salvador take place in Arta.

August 15 : Mare De Déu D'Agost O Mare De Déu Morta - The feast day of the Mother of God of August or the Dead Mother of God is celebrated in Caimari, Campos, Esporles, Es Molinar (Palma) and Sineu.

August 16 : Sant Roc - The saint is carried in a parade accompanied by the dancing cossiers in Alaro.  In Porreres, the fiestas last eight days.

August 20 : Romería De Sant Bernat -  The procession of the Romería of Sant Bernat from Plaza Cort in Palma to the Monasterio de Sant Bernat in El Secar de La Real is held on this day.

August 24 : Sant Bartomeu - In Soller, the fiestas get off to a start ten days early.  The Vall de Soller Literary prizes are awarded.  There are competitions of skill with the slingshot and races.  In Alcudia the Festa de les Llanterns is held (Fiesta of Lanterns), in which the children of the town parade singing traditional Majorcan songs carrying lanterns made of melons or water melons.  In Capdepera there are concerts, folk dancing and drama in the open-air.  There are also fiestas in Consell, ses Salines and Jornets.  In Montuiri the cossiers dance outside private town houses and bars, in exchange for presents given to them by the towns people.

August 28 : Sant Agustí -  In Felanitx cultural and relgious acts are held in addition to a famous series of concerts.  The "cavallets" of the muncipality come out to dance.

SEPTEMBER

First Sunday / La Beata in Santa Margalida : The main event in the fiestas in Santa Margalida is the parade, in which the young people of the town take along earthenware jugs for the demons to break at the feet of the Blessed One.

September 8 : Birth of the Virgen María - This is the fiesta of the patron saint of Maria de la Salut.  One highlight are the contests of gloses. Costitx also celebrates their main fiestas on this day.

Second Saturday / Fair of the Melon and Festa Des Sequer - The fair of the Melon (Fira des Meló) is held in Vilafranca de Bonany and the Festa des Sequer in Lloret de Vistalegre, with figs and other produce on show from dry (unirrigated) land.

September 12 : Diada De Mallorca - All the towns and villages of Mallorca commemorate the oath made by King Jaume II in 1276 to respect the Carta de Franqueses i Privilegis of the Kingdom of Mallorca, which became the basis for jurisdiction in the country.  On the same date, but in 1229, teh Catalan troops led by King Jaume I disembarked in Santa Ponsa.

La Vermada in Binissalem - The biggest fiesta of the muncipality of Binissalem is la Vermada (grape harvest), in the last week of September.  Along with wine, fideus de vermar (a dish with pasta noodles) are consumed.  Each year an offering is made to Virgin of Robines.

OCTOBER

Fira D'Alcudia and Festa Des Butifarró -  On the first weekend in October, Alcudia holds its Fira: the agricultural, art and craft, and trade fair of the town and the surrounding area.  On the Saturday of the fair, the "Estol del Rei En Jaume" takes to the streets; this is a group of carnival figures representing characters from Majorcan history and tradition.  On the evening there is a concert.  In Sant Joan the fiesta of the Butifarró (the local variety of sausage) is held on the same day.

October 20 : Revetlla De Les Verges (The Virgins) - The feast day of Santa Ursula and the 11,000 virgins.  In every town and village in Majorca, maidens are serenaded.  It is customary to offer the singers buñuelos (the local variety of profiteroles) and muscatel wine.

NOVEMBER 

Third Thursday / Dijos Bo En Inca - On the third Thursday of November, after the fiesta of Santa Maria la Mayor, Inca holds Dijous Bo, one of the fairs in Majorca, with large numbers of people taking part: there are literary and livestock competitions, musical recitals and sporting events.  It is said that on this day Inca is the capital of Majorca.

DECEMBER 

First Sunday / Fira De Sa Perdiu in Montuiri - The fair is very complete and there are always large numbers of visitors: there are products from Montuiri on show, and all types of livestock, as well as the traditional; competition of hunting of partridge with decoys.

December 24 : Maitines (La Misa Del Gallo) - It is traditional in Majorca for the whole family to go to Misa del Gallo (Midnight Mass).  The focal point of the service, and the most cultural, is the singing of the Sibil-la (Sybil), a prophetic song, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages.  When the Holy Office ends, and before the Mass begins, a boy (in recent years girls also sing the SIbil-la) of about twelve years of age, wearing a woman's dress and holding a sword with both hands, goes up to the pulpit. Midnight Mass is held and the SIbil-la is sung in many churches, sanctuaries and hermitages in Majorca.

December 25 : Christmas (Nadal) - It is custom in Majorca for the whole family to have lunch together. The children recite poems.

December 26 : Sant Esteve / Boxing Day (the second day of Christmas) - In Catalonia and Majorca, Boxing Day, the second day of Christmas, St Stephen's (Sant Esteve) say is celebrated.  St. Esteve was the first Christian Martyr.  It is the custom to have lunch with family or friends and to dawdlea round the table eating turron

December 31 : Festa De L'estendard - Palma commemorates the entry of King Jaume I's troops into the city in 1229.  The Mayor and the councillors set the Royal Standard up in Plaza Cort and a Mass is held.  Cavallets and cossiers go in procession with the authorities to the Cathedral.

The information provided within this Fiestas in Majorca Guide is courtesy of Consell de Mallorca.