The Spanish are well-known for enjoying a good fiesta or festival and this, of course, applies to Mijas on the Costa del Sol. For an added attraction on your Costa del Sol holiday, try to tie in with any one of the following festival days for added attraction and photographic moments.
Settle yourself and the family into a great holiday rental in Mijas and then head out to join the crowd.
January
January sees the tail end of the Christmas festivities and on January 5, the kids’ absolute favourite parade heads through the Mijas streets.
Known as the Cavalcade of the Three Wise Men and starting at 5 pm, the colourful floats wind their way through the streets of Mijas Pueblo, La Cala de Mijas and Las Lagunas, while the people riding the floats treat the children to a constant flow of sweets. This is also the day when traditionally children receive their Christmas gifts and enjoy the traditional “Roscon de Reyes,” a type of traditional cake or pastry.
February
This year Mijas celebrated Carnival on the 21st and 22nd February, but the dates do vary each year. Carnival sees colourful parades and street musicians, held in Mijas Pueblo, La Cala de Mijas and Las Lagunas, as well as costume contests for both adults and children and lots of fun is to be had.
March and April
Depending when it falls, Easter Week is a special time in Mijas, and in fact in all of Spain. Dubbed “Semana Santa” or Saints Week, there are several events held during this period including processions, musical and social events. In 2015, the Easter Week runs from 29th March to 6th April.
May
May, with its perfect warm sunny weather, sees a variety of traditional events. On the 1st May, head to the beach in La Cala de Mijas to enjoy some free grilled sardines.
Towards the end of May or early June, Mijas Pueblo holds an International Day where stalls are set up by the many nationalities that have transplanted themselves to Spain. A selection of each country’s traditional food and drink is on offer as well as handcrafts for sale.
June
On June 2 a traditional floral offering is made to the patron saint of Mijas, the Virgen de la Peña.
June 4 sees the religious event of Corpus Christi with a traditional and solemn parade through the streets.
June 23 sees the “Fiesta de San Juan” where bonfires are lit on the beach and a general party atmosphere prevails until the early hours of the morning.
July
Las Lagunas holds its annual fair during early July with several colourful and traditional parades, live music, exhibitions and contests over the period of the event.
From 5 to 7 July, Mijas hosts the popular Blues Festival.
16 July features the traditional “Fiesta de la Virgen to Carmen,” where the traditional patron saint of fishermen is first taken out to sea and then paraded through the streets to ask a blessing for the following year’s fishing.
29 July sees a great handicraft market in the Plaza Virgen de la Peña in Mijas Pueblo where everyone can shop till they drop!
August
The month of August sees a variety of different craft markets and musical events spread over the month including the popular Flamenco Festival.
September
The first half of September offers the popular annual fair or “Feria” in Mijas Pueblo with food and drink on offer as well as a wide range of musical and traditional events over the length of the fair. Both the Spanish ladies and gents tend to dress up for the occasion in beautiful dresses and smart “caballero” suits.
October
La Cala de Mijas celebrates their patron saint on October 14, 15 and 16 with the Verbena and the Pilgrimage of Santa Teresa.
December
Shortly before festivities begin, Mijas Pueblo hosts a Christmas Market with many great gifts and handcrafts on offer. Also during the month, a traditional Christmas concert is held in the theatre in Las Lagunas. Christmas itself tends to be a family affair with not much in the way of public celebrations. Naturally, New Year’s Eve is celebrated on 31 December as it is worldwide with parties everywhere.
While these are merely brief introductions to the celebrations, more information is available on the official website for Mijas.
