The August fiestas

August, as well as being the month for holidays, is the month of the patron saint festivities par excellence. Week after week, the summer celebration take place all over the island. They start with Sant Feliu, patron of Llubí, and with the Mare de Déu dels Àngels, patron of Pollença and Cala Millor, fiestas that have already been celebrated last week end.

On the 5th, the Mare de Déu de les Neus in Bunyola and in Santa Eugènia, and on the 6th Sant Salvador in Artà. These three municipalities are already in fiestas these days.

Continuing with the calendar, we reach Sant Domènec, on the 8th, patron of Lloret de Vistalegre. At the same time the fiestas for Santa Càndida in Llucmajor (link to PDF) are held. And on the 10th, it is Sant Llorenç, patron of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar and Selva.

In the middle of the month, the Mare de Déu d'Agost is held in Biniaraix, Caimari, Campos, Can Picafort, Esporles, Puigpunyent (link to PDF), Sencelles, Sineu... And for Sant Roc on August 16 there are fiestas in Alaró (link to PDF), Cala Rajada (link to PDF), Porreres and s'Alqueria Blanca.

Afterwards comes Sant Bartomeu, on the 24th, with fiestas in Alcúdia, Capdepera (link to PDF), Consell, Montuïri, Ses Salines, Sóller... and Sant Agustí, on 28th, patron of S'Arracó and Felanitx.

Sant Joan Baptista, on 29th, closes the circle of patron saint festivities in August and is celebrated in Estellencs and Sant Joan. But you must not miss two more festivities to be held at the end of the month, connecting with September: The fiesta of King Jaume in Santa Ponça and the fiestas of the Beata in Santa Margalida.

All these are only some of the festivities held in August, since in different districts of Palma and other parts of the island, many more can be found.

In all the fiestas, that usually last a few days around the date of the patron saint's day, sports and cultural events, plus those for children and the elderly are held. In the evening there are many shows, particularly concerts and the programme usually ends with a grand firework display.

As for traditional events, the main day it is the custom to celebrate a mass and a street parade, procession or popular dance. There are the special dances by the "cossiers" in Montuïri on Agust 15, 23 and 24 and the "cavallets" in Felantix on 27 and 28. Also important because of the popular participation and their colourful representation, are the fiestas for King Jaume in Santa Ponsa, that relive the landing of King Jaume I in the bay of Santa Ponsa in 1229, and also the procession for the Beata, that takes place in Santa Margalida at the beginning of September.

Photo © BalearWeb

Date of publication: 04/08/2003

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