TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS in BENALMADENA
Benalmadena is known for its full calendar of all-year-round festivities and cultural celebrations, from organized art and sporting events to traditional and religious processions - all of which give life and vitality to this cosmopolitan town.
April (Easter Week) - Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is a special time in Benalmadena. Apart from the usual religious processions through the streets Benalmadena Pueblo and Arroyo de la Miel, there is also a live presentation of the Passion of Christ in the old village - Benalmadena Pueblo. Known as 'El Paso' the procession, made up of locals, starts at sunrise on Friday of the 'Virgen de la Soledad'. This is one of the most traditional celebrations to take place in Benalmadena.
June - Corpus Christi is another celebration, which stirs up the people of Benalmadena Pueblo. One of the attractions of this event is the spreading of flower petals and herbs spread on the streets by the people of village on the eve of the procession. This is a series of flower carpets through the streets of the historic center in which they use more than 70,000 flower stems. it is one of our most photographed traditions and attracts visitors from all over the world.
June 24th is the day of San Juan. Arroyo de la Miel celebrates from 24th to 29th June with its annual local fair. As many as 16,000 people attended the last night of the celebrations. This is also a favourite time because it is the start of the warmer nights on the coast. It is a popular fiesta all over Spain with bonfires and fireworks usually starting from midnight on the 23rd.
July 15th - 29th Benalmadena Summer Festival of Music, Theatre & Dance is held in the Auditorium of the Parque de La Paloma in Arroyo de la Miel. M
July 16th sees the evening procession of the Virgin Carmen down to the sea. This celebration is known as the 'Veladilla del Carmen' and has become more than simply the procession of the sailor and is now something of a favourite local tradition, with a special mass and then the carrying of the virgin to the sea, where the procession continues by boat. It leaves from Church Square, Avenida Bonanza after a mass at 19:30 and then continues at 20:30 down to Benalmadena Port, where it proceeds by boat. Many people jump in the sea and at 21:30 there is music and dancing till dawn. When the virgin reaches the sea, there is a big fireworks display from the Malapesquera Beach.
Mid-August sees festival of the 'Virgen de la Cruz' (The Virgin of the Cross). This annual festival of great traditional and cultural importance, is celebrated with a procession is through the streets of the Pueblo.
