Guardamar InformationGiving information for Guardamar since 1998 |
Holidays and Fiestas in Guardamar - 2009 and 2010 |
|
Fiestas are official holidays in Spain, which often coincide with religious festivals. There are also many fiestas all over Spain for local patron saints or the Virgin Mary, and they can last for several days.
Although not all fiestas are celebrated with parades, most of them include, for example, religious processions, bullfights, street carnivals, and dancing etc. Spain is very well known for these fiestas and colourful street parades, and most of them are well worth seeing. Local Fiestas in Guardamar
National Fiestas
|
|
Holidays and Fiestas in GuardamarJanuary 1st 2009 (January 1st 2010) January 5th 2009 (January 5th 2010)
In the story of the birth of Christ, three wise men bought gifts for baby Jesus, and this is why the Spanish use this time to exchange gifts in celebration of this event. There is a '3 Kings parade' on the evening of the 5th of January starting at 19:00, including the three wise men, normally on camels or horses, and they throw sweets out to the children that line the streets. The parade normally ends at the church opposite the town hall where the three wise men hand out gifts to all of the children. Traditionally Spanish children polish their shoes and leave them outside the door to show the three wise men that they have been good, and then the three wise men will leave them presents (in a similar way to Santa leaving gifts under the Christmas tree). In the morning, the presents are waiting for all of the good boys and girls, and their polished shoes are full of sweets..
January 6th 2009 (6th of January 2010) February 21st to 24th 2009 (date to be advised for 2010) On Saturday the 21st of February the main carnival parade begins at 20:00 from Plaza Jaume II. The vibrant carnival procession then makes its way down Avanida País Valenciano (the main high street), Calle Mayor and terminates at Plaza Labradores. On Monday the 23rd of February at 16:30 it’s the children turn to get in the carnival mood as they being their fancy dress carnival parade. March 19th 2009 (March 19th 2010) April 9th to 13th 2009 (April 1st to 5th 2010) Easter sees a selection of processions including Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, which depict the stories of the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus, and subsequent resurrection. The Easter parades are an important tradition in Spanish life and the majority of the local people are involved in one way or another. Band music plays a significant part of the parades and sets the mood of the story that is being told. Children and adults take great pride in representing their band by playing in the street carnivals, and the music is of a high standard. Holy week 2009 in Guardamar follows the following itinerary. The 2010 schedule will be similar but exact details will be updated near to the time. April 6th 2009 (March 29th 2010) April 7th 2009 (March 30th 2010) |
|
April 8th 2009 (March 31st 2010)
April 9th 2009 (April 1st 2010)
April 10th 2009 (April 2nd 2010) April 11th 2009 (April 3rd 2010) April
12th 2009 (April 4th 2010)
May 1st 2009 (May 1st 2010) May 3rd 2009 (May 2nd 2010)
July 17th to 26th 2009 (July dates to be confirmed for 2010)
Some The Moors and Christians fiesta usually follows the following itinerary, however, exact details will be available nearer to the time: |
|
July 17th 2009 July 18th 2009 July 19th 2009
July 20th 2009 July 21st 2009 July 22nd 2009
July 23rd 2009
|
|
August
August 15th 2009 (August 15th 2010)
1st to 7th of October 2009 (1st to 7th of October 2010)
October 5th 2009
October 6th 2009 October 7th 2009 October 12th 2009 (October 12th 2010) November 1st 2009 (November 1st 2010) December 6th 2009 (December 6th 2010) December 8th 2009 (December 8th 2010) December 24th 2009 (December 24th 2010)
Traditionally, the Spanish celebrate Christmas with a big family meal on the
night of Christmas Eve (Nochebuena). The meal consists of many courses,
including cured ham and cheese, a variety of seafood, meat (normally lamb) etc.
and it ends with sweet cakes (postres), coffee, chocolates, liqueurs, champagne
(cava) and cider (sidra) etc. and, as they don't start eating till about 10.30
pm, the food and drink flows till the early hours. In modern times people
exchange gifts for Christmas at this time, obviously after midnight. The Spanish translation for Father Christmas or Santa Claus is Papa Noel.
December 25th 2009 (December 25th 2010)
December 26th 2009 (December 26th 2010) December 31st 2009 (December 31st 2010)
|
|
All contents of this website are copyright © 1998 - 2009 GuardamarInformation.com Website Design and Hosting by Forward Websites Site Map for Guardamar Information |