The Guardamar del Segura Moors and Christians celebrations in honour of the town’s patron San Jaime take place from July 18-28.
The town is renowned for its Moors and Christians parades and people come from far and wide to experience them.
Here is the programme of events:
Daily, with the exception of July 25, at 13.00: Bell ringing and rocket launches
Thursday, July 18
20.00: Street Food Market at Parque Reina Sofía, featuring gastronomy from all corners of the world
00.00: Live music with Circo, Ceres, and Dr B López at Parque Reina Sofía
Friday, July 19
20.00: Street Food Market at Parque Reina Sofía, featuring gastronomy from all corners of the world
21.00: Parade with the ‘ladies of the fiesta’ starting from Plaza del Rosario and finishing at Calle San Jaime
22.00: Fiesta opening ceremony
22.30 Presentation of the Moors and Christian associations’ standard bearers
23.00: Fiesta proclamation and coronation of the Dama de Guardamar. The coronation takes place during a dramatisation of the legend of L’Encantà which recounts the story of the Dama de Guardamar
00.00: Live music with the Mecano tribute group Siglo XXI and Street Food Market at Parque Reina Sofía
Saturday, July 20
20.00: Street Food Market at Parque Reina Sofía, featuring gastronomy from all corners of the world
22.00: Multi-coloured parade: fancy dress and music procession with prizes for the best dressed people. Leaving from Plaza San Jaime and finishing at the junction of Calle Mayor and Calle Norte
00.00: Live music with the Rolling Stones tribute group Control Stone and Street Food Market at Parque Reina Sofía
Sunday, July 21
20.00: Street Food Market at Parque Reina Sofía, featuring gastronomy from all corners of the world
20.00: Parade with the Guardamar del Segura musical group accompanied by the Dama de Guardamar, her accompanying ladies, standard bearers and representatives of the Moors and Christians associations. Leaving from the town hall and finishing at Plaza de la Agrupación Musical de Guardamar del Segura
20.30: 13th fiesta music concert by Guardamar del Segura musical group at Plaza de la Agrupación Musical de Guardamar del Segura
20.30: Children’s entertainment, comedy, DJ and Street Food Market at Parque Reina Sofía
Monday, July 22
19.00: Mariners market inauguration in Avenida Cervantes
21.00: Choral concert at the Parque Reina Sofía auditorium, featuring the Aromas de Guardamar choir
22.30: Correfocs (fire run), leaving from the town hall and passing through the streets, before ending up at Plaza de la Constitución
Tuesday, July 23
18.00: Mariners market in Avenida Cervantes
20.30: Moors and Christians associations parade through separate streets of the town until they converge on Plaza de la Constitución
21.30: Re-enactment of the signing of the Tudmir agreement at the Plaza de la Constitución. The pact was agreed on April 5, 713, whereby the Visigoth noble Teodomiro handed over the territory now known as Guardamar to the Moorish leader Abd-al-Aziz ibn Muzá
Wednesday, July 24
18.00: Mariners market in Avenida Cervantes
20.00: First Moors and Christians battle parade from the junction of Avenida País Valenciano and Calle Lepanto to Plaza de la Constitución
21.00: The spectacular battle for the castle and control of the town. The Moors and Christians will battle and the victorious Moors will take control of the castle
At the end of the battle the Mosquetera and La Pluma associations will parade from Calle Mayor to Plaza Labradores
Thursday, July 25 – San Jaime feast day
13.00: Mascleta (an explosive barrage of coordinated firecrackers and fireworks) at the Plaza de la Constitución
19.30: Offering to San Jaime passing along Plaza Labradores, Calle Mayor to the entrance to the church
20.00: Solemn Mass in honour of San Jaime
21.00: Procession with statue of San Jaime, accompanied by the Dama de Guardamar, and military and civilian dignitaries, leaving from Calle Ingeniero Mira and passing through various streets and plazas before arriving at the church
Friday, July 26
20.00: Second Moors and Christians battle parade, with the Christians becoming increasingly frustrated about the Moorish presence in the castle. Leaving from Plaza de Baluarte and finishing at Plaza de la Constitución
21.00: The Christians start their assault on the castle and regain control of the town
After the castle is returned to its rightful owners there will be a parade by La Pluma and Mosquetera associations along Avenida País Valenciano to Plaza Pescadores
Saturday, July 27
20.30: Moorish entry parade, leaving from Avenida País Valenciano and finishing at the junction of Calle Mayor and Calle Norte
Sunday, July 28
19.00: Music band parade, from the junction of Calle Mayor and Calle Norte
20.30: Christian entry parade, leaving from Avenida País Valenciano and finishing at the junction of Calle Mayor and Calle Norte
01.00: Aquatic firework display on La Roqueta beach at the end of the Paseo Marítimo
