The Festival of Habaneras and Polyphonic singing and other Torrevieja Festivals

The Festival of Habaneras and Polyphonic Singing 

Torrevieja is famous in Spain for it's many festivals - the biggest festival being the Habaneras festival in August. For forty years, every August, Torrevieja has held its traditional Competition of Habaneras and Polyphony, which now has an international character, since it is one of the greatest cultural celebrations in Europe. Voices from all over the world come together in Torrevieja, and the Habanera sings its way out of the competition precincts, and becomes the folklore of the locals. For a whole week, Torrevieja sways to the rhythm of the Habanera, with its tropical flavour from Cuba. The competition awakes the interest of thousands of people throughout Spain, who experience it each year in Torrevieja. The festival attracts a live and television audience of hundreds of thousands of people. 

Fiestas are held here most months of the year when tourists mingle with the locals to party in the streets in true Spanish-style.

Try to plan your visit around one of the many local fiestas which take place throughout the year so you can party Spanish-style. There's the feast of the Three Wise Men on the night of January 5th, it's carnival time in February, the Holy Week processions in April and the May Fair the following month.

But it's in the summer months that the biggest celebrations take place and the town never sleeps. June sees the burning of huge papier mache effigies in the street for the feast of San Juan. In July there's the feast of the Virgen del Carmen and the election of Torrevieja's "Queen of Salt" and then Habaneras.

Other Torrevieja Festivals

There are many festivals in Torrevieja, mostly based around a religious theme. They are colourful and dramatic and they usually bring throngs of locals and tourists onto the strees of Torrevieja.

January 5th/6th - The 3 wise men carnival

February 4th
The streets of Torrevieja are dressed up in the colours and magic of the carnival. This has been a long time awaited event for all people who have spent long hours over the year in making a costume dress to show proudly during these carnival days.
The carnival in Torrevieja starts on the 4th of February with the celebration of the official carnival announcement by Trini Díaz.
The same day, at 18:30p.m., an exhibition of carnival masks are opened. The programme organized by the Cultural Carnival Association of Torrevieja follows on the 5th of February with the "murgas' competition" where five bands of street musicians  take part. On the 7th and 9th of February the traditional fancy-dress ball for children and older people is held. And on the 11th of February the pre-carnival parade is carried out on the streets of the town. The main parade-competition is on the 19th of February and the night-parade on the 25th. Twenty-four different groups participated in the 2006 edition.

May 3rd to the 7th. The May fair in Torrevieja is held in the Port Area.
During the May fair, Torrevieja enjoys a week of festivities in the purest Andalusian style, with "casetas" (booths) set up in the harbour precincts, where a large gatherings of people in traditional Andalusian costume dance the famous "Sevillanas".
The atmosphere is completed by processions on horseback, carriages and the tasting of fine Andalusian wines. In addition, the Association of the Virgen del Rocío organizes a "Romería"  (Pilgrimage) in Honour of the Virgen del Rocío on the last Saturday and Sunday of May, with a pilgrims' mass held in the open air, and the celebrated "race of the ribbons" for horsemen.
During the first fortnight of May, the Queen of the Fire is proclaimed, and in May/June the Coronation of the Queen of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

June - Saint John's Bonfires, the sacred heart festivities

July - Election of the queen of the salt, Habanera songs on the beach.
International Contest of Habanera songs and choirs, continued sometimes into August.  Virgen del Carmen.

August - International Contest of Habanera songs and choirs
Promotional fiesta parades in the region, "Reina de la Sal"

November - Saint Cecily

December - The immaculate conception.