Fiestas and public holidays in Mallorca

‘Some of these events last for several days and may be held on different days from one town to another. Use this as a general guide and refer to the “What’s On” in the Mallorca Daily Bulletin newspaper or website for further details. Also look out for posters in the towns and villages and many of the local Town Hall websites also have details of upcoming events

Fiestas and fieras in January

The Three Kings (Reyes Magos)

5th January – across all of Spain, Three Kings is one of the main Christmas events and is when Christmas gifts are exchanged. The arrival of the Three Kings is celebrated with elaborate parades throughout the island with sweets being thrown to children in the crowds. Everyone gathers in the town square where gifts are given to the town’s children.

Three Kings mass and celebrations

6th January – more a family day with mass, family lunches and further celebrations.

The fiestas of ‘San Antonio Abad’

Mid January – the start of several days of some of the most engaging and entertaining festivals across the Island, focused on old towns such as Pollensa, Arta, Sa Pobla, Alaro and Binissalem. The event is slightly different in each but invariably involve bonfires and BBQs around the town, fireworks and the traditional dance of the “demonis” – local troops of mischievous devils.

Sant Antoni

Mid January – the “blessing of the animals” in the morning. Local town pets and livestock are taken to church to be blessed. Some towns have additional events relating to the festival.

Sant Sebastia

3rd or 4th week of January – San Sebastian is the Patron Sant of Palma and the day’s celebrations include the Correfoc where devils and dragons dance through the street of Palma and Palma Old Town carrying fireworks and firestaffs. There are usually many other events in Palma running over several days. Stages are set up throughout the city for bands and musicians from all parts of Spain and sometimes further afield.

FEBRUARY

Sant Blai, Sant Joan

On or around 3rd February – a village celebration in Sant Joan village whereby the locals are anointed with the holy oil of Sant Blai in order to ward off sore throats. As with many such festivals, the theme might sound rather quaint and obtuse but they are invariably accompanied by dancing, drinking, local foods and generally good times.

Santa Eulalia

2nd week February – local fiestas celebrated throughout Mallorca.

Shrove Tuesday

Late February / early March – Shrove Tuesday falls on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday which is the first day of Lent in the Christian faith. Dates vary from year to year, but it usually falls in late February, sometimes early March. In Mallorca there is a ceremony, the burial of the sardine, accompanied by a mock funeral culminating in the sardine being thrown onto a large funeral pyre. This ceremony is the center point of a night of celebrating including BBQ’d sardines along with drinking and dancing.

Sa Rua

Final weekend before Lent – this is primarily a Palma event marked by bonfires, fancy dress and processions. The end of the carnival is marked by fancy dress balls just prior to Lent. The most spectacular is the Cavalcade Sa Rua in Palma.

MARCH

Balearic Islands Day

1st March – focused on Palma but celebrated throughout Mallorca.

Saint Joseph S’Alqueria Blanca

On or around 19th March – local fiesta in the pretty village of S’Alqueria Blanca in the southeast of Mallorca.

APRIL

Easter Week

Date varies, usually in April but can be late March (see list of Public holidays for 2020). Comprises of “Saints Week” or “Semana Santa”, Saint Thursday, Saint Friday and Easter Monday. Easter is an important religious festival in Mallorca and falls on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or following the spring equinox (late March). There are fiestas and events throughout the island. Processions and celebrations have different names such as Davallament in Pollensa, and Pancaritat and Fiesta of the Angel in Palma.

Sant Francesc fiestas

1st week April – fiestas celebrated locally in different parts of Mallorca.

Sant Vicenc de sa Cala fiestas

1st week April – local fiestas celebrated throughout Mallorca.

Palm Sunday

2nd week April – local fiestas celebrated throughout Mallorca.

Sant Jordi fiestas.

On or around 23rd April – local fiestas celebrated throughout Mallorca.

MAY

Firo de Soller

2nd Sunday of May – local to Soller and Deia, the centerpiece of this fiesta is re-enactments of the battle between the Christians and the Moors but there are many other events and activities too.

JUNE

Corpus Christi, Ball de les Aguiles, Pollensa

2nd week June – this popular festival includes the ‘Dance of the Eagles’, performed in the main town square of Pollensa.

Sant Antoni de Juny, Arta

2nd week June – celebration in Arta includes parades of locals dressed up as horses.

Fiesta of Sant Joan, Muro

On or around 24th June – local festival in Muro.

Festa del Sol que Bailla, Sant Joan

On or around 24th June – local festival in Sant Joan.

Festival of Sant Pere, Palma and Puerto Alcudia

Last week in June – local celebrations and festivals held in Palma and Puerto Alcudia.

Romeria de Sant Marcal, Marratxi

Last week in June – market and exhibition of traditional ornaments and “siurell” (traditional clay figures).

JULY

Romeria a la Virgen de la Victoria, Alcudia

1st / 2nd July – fiesta in Alcudia in the north of Mallorca. Religious ceremonies are complimented by dancing, a parade, fireworks, bands and more dancing!

Verge del Carme

On or around 15th/16th July – the men of the sea celebrate their patron saint’s festivity, the Verge del Carme (Our Lady of Mount Carmel), and organise maritime processions and other festive and religious ceremonies in the main ports of the Island. A very colourful and enjoyable occasion.

Sant Jaume

Last week in July – local fiestas celebrated throughout Mallorca.

Procesión Del Sant Crist, Alcudia

Last week in July – local celebration held every three years when it is said that in 1507 the figure of Christ in the parish church sweated blood and water and ended a long, harsh drought. Another good reason for a fiesta!

Santa Catalina Thomas fiestas, Valldemossa

Late July – local celebration in Valldemossa

Sant Abdó I Sant Senén, Inca

Last week in July – local festival in Inca with parades, local folk dancing and many other events and activities.

Fornells

Last Sunday of July – local fiestas celebrated throughout Mallorca.

AUGUST

Patrona de Pollensa

First week in August – re-enactment of the battle of the Moors and the Christians. This festival goes on for days – weeks in fact if you include the choosing of sides and various other preparations! This is one of the most colourful and exciting fiestas in the Mallorcan calendar, with many a grudge taken out during the mock battles.

Sant Salvador, Arta

On or around 6th August – local festivities in Arta.

Sant Llorenc, Selva

On or around 10th August – local festival in Selva

Mare De Déu D’Agost O Mare De Déu Morta

Mid August – local festivities in Caimari, Campos, Esporles, Es Molinar (Palma) and Sineu.

Sant Roc

On or around 16th August – local festivities in Alaro, Porreres and other inland towns and villages – can last for several days.

Festes de Sant Bartomeu

Last week in August – celebration of Saint Bartomeu held throughout Mallorca and celebrated most actively in the old towns such as Soller, Pollensa and Santanyi.

Sant Agusti, Felanitx

Late August – local festival in Felanitx.

Sant Joan

Late August – local fiestas celebrated throughout Mallorca.

SEPTEMBER

The fiesta of ‘Procession of the Beata’, Santa Margalida

1st Sunday of September – celebration in Santa Margalida to celebrate the day that a nun, Catalina Tomas, was blessed in heaven by the Pope.

Sant Mateu fiestas

On or around 21st September – local festival in Bunyola.

‘Festa des Vermada’, Binissalem

Last Sunday of September – a very colourful and fun festival in celebration of the grape harvest in Binissalem, the center of the wine industry in Mallorca. After the harvesting of the grapes a rocket is fired and the young villagers follow a drummer and piper to a field where there is an enormous grape fight!

OCTOBER

Torrada d’es Botifarro

First Sunday of the month – the Fiesta of the traditional Mallorcan black pudding. Butifarrones, slices of pork and sobrassada are roasted on BBQs and eaten with wine or beer.

Feria de Otoño y del Vino, Concell

Usually around the third weekend of the month. One of the main events of the year in Concell. A fun and activity packed fiera with plenty of celebrating going on. Feria de Otoño y del Vino, Concell

Feria del Pimentón, Felanitx

Sunday after the Fiesta of San Lucas – usually the third Sunday of the month. Outstanding fiera celebrating the red peppers from which paprika is made – the essential spcie in sobrasada. Feria del Pimentón, Felanitx

Feria de octubre de Campos

Last weekend in October. Born out of a celebration of the wondrous thing that is spicy sobrasada sausage. A three day and broad-ranging celebration born out of the towns agricultural heritage. Feria de octubre de Campos

Santa Catalina Tomas ‘La Beateta’, Palma

3rd Saturday of the month – local fiestas in Palma de Mallorca.

NOVEMBER

Sant Andreu fiestas, Santanyi

End of the month – local fiestas in Santanyi.

Dijos Bo En Inca

3rd Thursday of the month – local fiesta in Inca. Includes livestock competitions, musical and sports events.

DECEMBER

Christmas

24th December onwards – On Christmas Eve there is also the traditional Misa del Gallo, the Midnight Mass with recitals of local religious music dating back to the Middle Ages. Christmas Day itself is very much a traditional, family occasion. The Mallorcan Christmas continues with further celebrations including present-giving during Three Kings, which follows early in January.

New Year’s Eve celebrations

31st December – parties and fireworks throughout the island plus, in Palma, ‘l’Estandard’, to honour the Christian conquest of Palma in 1229.

New Year’s Day

1st January – mostly a much quieter, restful family day!  

CLICK BELOW FOR A LIST OF PUBLIC / BANK HOLIDAYS IN MALLORCA IN 2019 AND 2020