Alicante’s Market’s Bonfire in 2012

The Saint John’s Bonfires are cheerfully celebrated in various points of Spain. It was born last century, when residents took old junk to the street to burn it and welcome the summer season. For many, it marks the true beginning of the summer.

Dali on a Bonfire of 2012

The fiesta has its epicentre in the city of Alicante, to where thousands of tourists travel to presence the celebration that is officially considered to be of International Tourist Interest.

Parades, fireworks, streets decorated with coloured-lights, the beach, ice creams, the sun, bands playing traditional music on the streets, the bonfires, the different barracks with dance music by night, art, musical concerts…It is understandable the fact that this is the favorite feast of most of the natives of Alicante.

On Thursday 20^th, we will have the ‘Plantà’, the installation of the Bonfires that will be in exhibition for only 5 days, and that can be visited with the special and free bus service that every year is facilitated by the local company, and which normally departs from Plaza del Mar (in front of the beginning of the Postiguet Beach), at the beginning of the promenade. Here you may check the list of Adult Bonfires and a map with the location of the main bonfires. 

Crowd awaiting for the first Mascletà of 2012 to start

From June 19^th to 24^th takes place in Alicante the Mascletà contest, a sound-show with firecrackers at the Plaza de los Luceros.

The night of the 23^rd, the Spanish Levante coast is flooded with people who prepare their own bonfires and, at midnight, make a wish, jump over the small bonfire and paddle on the sea.

There are thousands of people who get together that night in the light of their fireplace and the stars, sometimes with chairs and tables to even prepare a barbecue or similar. Municipalities of the coast of Malaga, such as Torremolinos and Benalmadena, in Benidorm, or in a few villages in the north, as Salou or Calella, the influx of people is such that night that the beaches are truly crowded. In Malaga, the Parque del Oeste gathers musical performances and fireworks.

Calvo Sotelo Square’s Bonfire in 2012

It is in the midnight of the 24th to 25^th June when in Alicante is celebrated the ‘Cremà’, which consists of the launching of a great firework display that determines the beginning of the cremation of the more than 90 Styrofoam-monuments of satirical themes. Firemen come then into action and, to the sound of the canticle of the multitude that provokes them with playful mockery, they wet them with the hose. This is an innocent popular game agreed in advance, in which the most daring ones run from one bonfire to the other, trying to get as wet as possible.

A great fireworks competition is held between the 25^th and 29^th June, which can be watched from the Postiguet Beach.

Do not miss the opportunity to live this exciting party full of magic and fun, and stay at one of the 13 hotels of Medplaya along the Spanish coast. We look forward to your visit!