Hogueras: The Festival of Alicante

Hogueras: The Festival of Alicante

The famous Hogueras de San Juan or, simply “Hogueras,” is the most important and beloved traditional festival of Alicante. It’s celebrated in summer, always the week of June 24th, as it’s the day in honor of Saint John the Baptist. Besides being the most anticipated festival by Alicantines, many people from other parts of Spain or the world come to experience it, as it’s an International Tourist Interest Festival. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy the culture, music, gastronomy, and above all the joy of Alicante. Let’s discover it!

1. What does the Hogueras festival consist of?

The most important day of this incredible Alicante festival is June 24th, but it’s really a festival that lasts all week, with lots of music, activities, and parades throughout the city.

The great protagonists of Hogueras are the ninots, enormous sculptures and monuments of striking colors and shapes, built by spectacular local artists. The ninots can represent many different aspects of our life: they can represent nature, society, they can be satire, talk about dreams… They are true works of art that fill the city with color.

These ninots are built throughout the year and are exhibited throughout the city of Alicante in different neighborhoods, where each neighborhood has its own hoguera (bonfire). During the festival week, the city becomes a true open-air museum where you can walk and admire these incredible artistic creations.

2. What activities can you enjoy during Hogueras?

During this week, Alicante becomes the center of attention with a wide variety of activities for all ages:

1. Visit the ninots. Take advantage of the festival to walk around the city and see all the ninots that are exhibited. Each one is unique and tells a different story. It’s a perfect opportunity to practice your Spanish by reading the descriptions and talking to locals about the meaning of each one.

2. Enjoy the parades and music. Throughout the week, there are parades with traditional costumes, music bands, and dance groups that fill the streets with joy and color. The atmosphere is incredible and you’ll feel the true spirit of Alicante.

3. Experience the mascletàs. The mascletàs are spectacular fireworks displays that take place every day at 2:00 PM in Plaza de Luceros. The sound and visual spectacle are impressive and attract many people. The city fills with light every day! Don’t miss the mascletà every day at 2:00 PM in Plaza de Luceros.

4. Go see La Nit de la Cremà. You can’t miss the most special moment of the festival, the night of the bonfire burning. On the night of June 24th, all the bonfires are lit and become incredible flames that illuminate the sky. Without a doubt, an impressive and exciting moment for everyone.

5. Try Alicante gastronomy. What better opportunity to try the typical food of Alicante than this? Paella, Alicante rice, tapas, typical desserts… Everything delicious!

6. Dance in the barracas. The barracas are outdoor points that are temporarily placed in the city streets, where people go to enjoy music, drinks, typical food, and especially company! to enjoy the festival to the maximum with family, neighbors, and friends.

If you want more information about the festival program, you can see the calendar here.

Are you going to miss them? We’re waiting for you at Escuela Elcano to learn more about the culture and, better yet, to experience it! Don’t miss our activity plan so you don’t miss anything.