For the third consecutive year, the Calpe Fishing Guild, through the Comissió Festes Mare de Deu del Carme and in collaboration with the City Council, is seeking to give new impetus to the traditional festivals of the Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of the sea, and has prepared a wide-ranging programme of events to be held between today and Tuesday 16 July.
The Festival Commission has planned such traditional events as the "Aquajocs" (water games) and the popular "Cucañas" (wooden poles rubbed with fat), which will take place tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. in the fishing port or at the " pelota valenciana a llargues i raspall " match, which will take place tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. on García Ortiz Street.
In addition to the more traditional aspect of the festival, the best alternative pop-rock will return to Calpe tomorrow at 10 p.m. on Saturday at the port facility as part of the Virgen del Carmen festivities, with the Creampop mini-festival as part of the program. This year, Creampop has big stars to offer: Neuman, The Levitans and Q-71, and Queen Tribute. Juan de Pablos DJ will also be DJing from 17:00.
On Sunday at 12:00 the traditional cooking competition takes place in the harbour, in which only "Peix de Calp" (fish from Calpe) can be processed. The competition will be musically underlined by the "El Carellot" Xirimers group and a total of 500 Euros in prize money will be offered. On Monday 15 July, the "Night of Music" will take place On the Plaza Mayor with the participation of Diamond Show.
On Tuesday, the day of the patron saint, the events in the old town are concentrated with the Pasacalles Parade and the Holy Mass at 12:00 in the Virgen de las Nieves. Finally, in the Plaza Mayor, a "Mascletà" (big gunfire) is fired.
In the evening, from 20:30, the festivities will be concentrated again in the fishing port, with the traditional handing over of flowers in honour of the Virgen del Carmen, followed by the seamen's procession and the honouring of fishermen lost in the sea. The "El Carellot" Xirimers group and the music group Unión Musical Calpe-Ifach take part in the procession. The festival ends with a big fireworks display.