Patron Saint Festivals of Alcossebre and Alcalà de Xivert 2026

The patron saint festivals of Alcalà de Xivert-Alcossebre run in two blocks, in the two different centres of the same municipality:

• Alcalà de Xivert: Friday 21 to Monday 31 August 2026. The official start is Saturday 22 at 13:00, with the bell peal and rockets. The finale is Sunday 30 at midnight, with the firework castle.
• Alcossebre: Wednesday 2 to Sunday 6 September 2026. It opens with the parade of local associations on the 2nd at 20:00 and closes on Sunday the 6th at 23:00 with the grand fireworks.

There are no events on 1 September: it is the changeover day between the two programmes. On Monday 31 August the only event is the memorial mass at 19:00 in the parish church.

The patrons are Sant Joan Baptista (main day: Saturday 29 August) and the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sunday 30 August). The festival is represented by the 15 festeras of 2026, 11 young women and 4 children, proclaimed on Saturday 22 August at 23:00.

Friday 21 August — 10:00 yoga morning at the CESAL. 11:00 children’s games. 16:00 IX FITCROSS ALCALÀ at l’Espai d’Oci. 21:00 Nit de la Xulla in plaza Justo Zaragozà: a communal barbecue where the council provides firewood, grills, wine, water and fruit, and each family brings its own meat. Live music from the trio Pentagrama.

Saturday 22 August — the festival officially begins — 7:00 gathering for the XXI Marxa a Peu Irta walk (8:00 start). 8:00 the traditional Plantà de Cadafals, followed by tomato coca and beer for everyone. 12:00 foam party in calle Dr. Seguer and opening of the Ruta de la Tapa 2026. 13:00 bell peal and rockets: the fiestas are open. 18:30 football, C.F. Alcalà v C.F. Nou Jove. 23:00 proclamation of the 2026 festeras, followed by the Gala Ball with the Saturno orchestra and the X-Sound mobile disco.

Sunday 23 August — 11:30 dinghy sailing regatta off Playa del Cargador in Alcossebre. 13:00 general bell peal. 19:00 Pregó de Festes, the opening proclamation parade from paseo Héroes de Marruecos. 22:00 theatre night with the local company Lo Teatro. 00:00 Prime Fest from the stage on the town hall façade: DJ, light show, pyrotechnics and gifts thrown from the balcony.

Monday 24 August — 11:00 children’s San Fermín in calle Doctor Seguer. 12:00 bulls through the village (Javier Tárrega “El Gallo”). 16:00 guiñote card championship. 16:30 the festeras are collected by horse-drawn carriage and taken to the bullring. 18:00 first afternoon of the VII Setmana Taurina Gaspatxera (El Salero), with children’s mock bulls during the break. 21:15 herd release. 22:00 bou embolat (flaming-horn bull). 23:00 Nit de Danses, traditional dance in plaza Ricardo Cardona. 00:15 Nino Bravo tribute, then mobile disco and a late-night foam party.

Tuesday 25 August — 10:00 climb the bell tower. 11:00 urban transhumance: seven animals walked through the streets. 12:00 bulls through the village (Perera García). 17:00 under-11 football tournament. 18:00 second bullfighting afternoon (Fernando Machancoses). 21:15 herd release. 21:30 Tombet de Bou in the school courtyard with the Welcome Band orchestra; tickets 3 € from the town hall. 22:00 flaming-horn bull.

Wednesday 26 August — 11:00-14:00 hunting and nature school for children: archery, crafts and face painting. 12:00 bulls through the village (Bous la Ribera). 17:30 street handball at the CESAL. 18:00 third bullfighting afternoon (Dani Machancoses). 21:15 herd release. 22:00 flaming-horn bull. 23:30 LA MISIÓN orchestra, “Stranger Tour 2026”, at the Espai d’Oci car park. Doors 22:30. Tickets 10 € at codetickets.com or on the door.

Thursday 27 August — La Vuelta and the emboladors contest — 11:45 the Vuelta publicity caravan through Alcalà, handing out merchandise. 13:00 neutralised start of La Vuelta from Alcossebre. 13:20 the peloton passes through Alcalà. 16:00 open chess tournament. 18:00 fourth bullfighting afternoon (La Paloma). 21:15 herd release. 23:00 VII National Emboladors Contest: six of Spain’s best teams competing in the bullring. 01:30 mobile disco with DJ Bacardit.

Friday 28 August — 8:00 running of 6 bulls through calle San Nicolás, Santa Lucía, paseo Héroes de Marruecos and Veracruz. 12:00 VIII Encierro Campero, the mounted country bull-run. 13:00 bell peal for Sant Joan Baptista. 17:15 and 17:30 craft exhibitions open. 18:00 fifth bullfighting afternoon (Germán Vidal). 21:15 herd release. 22:00 flaming-horn bull. 23:00 serenade to Sant Joan Baptista in the church square. 00:30 Gala Ball with the EVASIÓN orchestra.

Saturday 29 August — Sant Joan Baptista, the main day — 07:30 Despertà, the dawn wake-up parade with a brass band. 12:00 Alcalà de XiBEERt opens: VII Craft Beer Fair in plaza Sant Joan. 13:00 bell peal. 16:00 Bike Day, a ride around the municipality with a best costume prize. 18:00-20:00 craft exhibitions. 19:00 concelebrated mass and procession. 19:30 beer tasting in calles del Pes, Sant Joan and Molinet: limited to 450 people, ticket 10 €. 21:30 Nit de Colles, the great supper of the peñas, with a T-shirt contest and a desserts contest, followed by La Otra Oreja (La Oreja de Van Gogh tribute) and DJs. 23:00 Nit de la Revista in plaza del CESAL with the show Sarao.

Sunday 30 August — the finale in Alcalà — 13:00 bell peal for the Sacred Heart. 13:00 La Vermutà, the street vermouth party in calle de la Puríssima with Alejandro Díaz y Su Banda. 16:00 water park and horchata at the municipal pool. 19:00 mass. 23:15 correfocs, the fire run from paseo Héroes de Marruecos to plaza del CESAL. 00:00 firework castle: Alcalà hands over to Alcossebre.

Monday 31 August — 19:00 solemn memorial mass in the parish church.

In Alcossebre everything happens around the Paseo Marítimo Tomás Vallés and the marquee ground. It is the beach version of the festival: afternoon heifer sessions, children’s workshops, water parties and dancing until dawn.

Wednesday 2 September — 12:00-14:00 tapas trail. 20:00 parade of local associations with the 2026 festeras, opening the festival. 20:30 opening of the festival ground on the seafront promenade. 23:00 Gen-Z live, then the X-Sound mobile disco.

Thursday 3 September — 17:00 children’s workshop: make your own fiesta badge. 18:00-20:30 heifer afternoon (Laura Parejo), with the Santa Cecília music association. 20:45 children’s mock bulls. 22:30 flaming-horn bull. 23:00 pasodoble concert, then the RMS mobile disco.

Friday 4 September — 10:00 yoga morning on the Las Fuentes seafront (north end). 11:00-13:00 open day at the enlarged CEIP La Mola school. 17:00 children’s keyring workshop. 18:00-20:30 heifer afternoon (Ponce Meliá). 20:45 children’s mock bulls. 22:30 flaming-horn bull. 23:00 Nit de Danses in plaza Vistalegre, next to the tourist office. 00:30 dance with the VALHALLA orchestra and a macro mobile disco.

Saturday 5 September — 12:30 community paella day in calle Sabina; sign up at the pensioners’ centre. 16:00 open chess tournament. 17:00 SUPERWATERFEST: inflatable castles with slides and pools, and a foam party. 18:00-20:30 heifer afternoon (Sergio Rua). 20:45 children’s mock bulls. 22:00 theatre night in calle Sant Benet. 22:30 flaming-horn bull. 00:30 dance with the LA FLAMA orchestra and macro mobile disco with Nira DJ.

Sunday 6 September — the grand finale — 12:30/12:45 coaches to the pensioners’ fellowship lunch. 17:00 children’s water games. 18:00-20:30 heifer afternoon (Jaime Tàrrega “Lucas”). 21:30 flaming-horn bull. 22:00 fire show by Alcozancos on the seafront promenade. 23:00 grand firework castle: the 2026 festivals come to an end.

One of the biggest draws of this fiesta week is not a festival event but a sporting one: La Vuelta a España 2026 takes its stage start in Alcossebre on Thursday 27 August and rides through Alcalà de Xivert. If you are here for the fiestas, you get free roadside professional cycling.

• 11:45 — Vuelta publicity caravan in Alcalà de Xivert, from the football ground roundabout along calle General Cucala, paseo Héroes de Marruecos, calle La Foia to plaza Juan Vilanova and plaza Justo Zaragozà. Merchandise is thrown in both squares: the best spot if you have children.
• 13:00 — Neutralised start in Alcossebre, along the seafront promenade, avenida Blasco Ibáñez, avenida València, calle Alcalà, camino l’Atall, calle Colón, CV-142, calle Irta and the Las Fuentes road.
• 13:11 — Flag drop on the CV-142 at the Tossalet roundabout, heading for Alcalà de Xivert.
• 13:20 — The peloton crosses Alcalà de Xivert and leaves on the CV-133 towards Les Coves de Vinromà.

Practical note: the Alcossebre seafront and the streets on the route will be closed for much of the morning. If your car is parked on the route, move it the night before. That same evening Alcalà hosts the National Emboladors Contest, which makes 27 August the busiest day of the whole programme.

Bous al carrer is the backbone of the Alcalà programme. The VII Setmana Taurina Gaspatxera runs for five consecutive afternoons, Monday 24 to Friday 28 August, at the bullring.

A typical bull day in Alcalà: 12:00 bulls led through the village; 18:00-21:00 testing session in the bullring with a brass band and children’s mock bulls during the break; 21:15 herd release; 22:00 bou embolat, the bull with flaming balls fixed to its horns, the most spectacular and most traditional act.

Two highlights: the VII National Emboladors Contest on Thursday 27 at 23:00, with six of the country’s leading teams, and the VIII Encierro Campero on Friday 28 at 12:00, a mounted country bull-run.

In Alcossebre the format is gentler: heifer afternoons from 18:00 to 20:30, Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 September, with children’s mock bulls at 20:45 and a flaming-horn bull at 22:30 (21:30 on Sunday 6).

Full detail — which ranch and which team each day, times and access rules — is in the bulls in the street guide.

Rules you should know: people under 16 and over 65, and anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs, may not remain inside the bullring. Placing any obstacle (fences, bins) at the bull entrances and exits is forbidden, as is selling alcohol to under-18s. The organisers accept no liability for anyone who fails to keep a safe distance from the barriers, the mascletà or the fireworks.

Alcalà de Xivert: Friday 21, the Pentagrama trio. Saturday 22, the Saturno orchestra at the Gala Ball. Sunday 23, Prime Fest with DJ and pyrotechnics. Monday 24, a Nino Bravo tribute. Tuesday 25, the Welcome Band orchestra. Wednesday 26, the La Misión orchestra with its Stranger Tour 2026. Thursday 27, DJ Bacardit. Friday 28, the Evasión orchestra. Saturday 29, La Otra Oreja (La Oreja de Van Gogh tribute) plus the Nit de la Revista variety show. Sunday 30, Alejandro Díaz y Su Banda.

Alcossebre: Wednesday 2, Gen-Z. Thursday 3, a pasodoble concert by the Santa Cecília music association. Friday 4, the Valhalla orchestra. Saturday 5, the La Flama orchestra with Nira DJ.

The only ticketed concert in the whole programme is La Misión (10 €). Everything else is free to attend.

Ruta de la Tapa 2026. The tapas trail opens on Saturday 22 August at 12:00 and then runs every day from 12:00 to 14:00 throughout both programmes. Six venues take part: Olivereta, Aquari, Cantonet, Rosaleda, Ca Luci and Cuadros. It is the cheapest and most local way to eat during the festival.

VII Craft Beer Fair. Saturday 29 August in plaza Sant Joan, from 12:00. The guided beer tasting at 19:30 is limited to 450 people with a 10 € ticket, sold through an online form announced on the council’s social channels or on the day while stocks last.

Communal meals: the Nit de la Xulla barbecue (Friday 21), tomato coca and beer after the Plantà de Cadafals (Saturday 22), the Tombet de Bou dinner with orchestra (Tuesday 25, 3 € ticket), the Nit de Colles peña supper with a dessert contest (Saturday 29), La Vermutà (Sunday 30) and the community paella day in Alcossebre (Saturday 5 September).

For a sit-down meal, see our guide to restaurants in Alcossebre. Book ahead: these are the busiest nights of the year.

Where to stay. The fiesta fortnight overlaps with the end of the high season and is one of the busiest periods of the year, especially the weekends of 29-30 August and 5-6 September. See our accommodation guide and the comparison of areas.

Alcalà or Alcossebre. They are two centres of the same municipality, about 7 km apart. Alcalà de Xivert is the inland town, with the bell tower, the bullring and most of the bull and orchestra programme. Alcossebre is the coast, with the promenade and the beaches. If you are staying at the beach you will need a car for the Alcalà events; see the getting around guide.

Parking. On bull days and on Vuelta day there are road closures and parking in the centre becomes very difficult. Check the free parking areas and allow extra time. 27 August is the worst day.

With children. There is a lot for kids: children’s San Fermín (24 Aug), hunting and nature school (26 Aug), foam parties (22 Aug and the small hours of the 24th), water park (30 Aug), workshops in the marquee ground (3, 4 and 6 Sep) and the SUPERWATERFEST on 5 September. Remember that under-16s are not allowed inside the bullring.

Last-minute changes. The council expressly reserves the right to change, cancel or move events. Confirm at the Alcossebre tourist office before travelling to a specific act. For the rest of the year, see the full Alcossebre 2026 events calendar.