San Juan Festival: Alicante's bonfire bonanza

Alicante comes alive in late June thanks to the San Juan Festival, or Hogueras de San Juan. The event is as much a local rite of passage as it is a visitor spectacle. The city’s palm-dotted streets and seaside promenades buzz with fireworks, effigies and late-night processions.

Locals and in-the-know expats gather by Playa del Postiguet and dot the city to celebrate the arrival of summer. This festival sums up the city’s fiery spirit, blending centuries-old traditions with a good dose of Mediterranean revelry.

What is the San Juan Festival in Alicante?

cesar.ruiz, CC BY-SA 3.0 Creative commons

Locally known as the Fogueres de Sant Joan in Valencian, the festival is one of the city’s most anticipated annual traditions. Like all the San Juan festivals across Spain, it’s about saying farewell to the old and welcoming in the summer with a fresh start, something locals take seriously with eye-catching artistic bonfires (hogueras) that dot the city.

More than just bonfires, though, the festivities spread across town in a whirl of parades, flower offerings, live music, and communal feasting. Closely tied to the summer solstice, the festival’s roots stretch back to ancient rituals celebrating the arrival of the longest days of the year. The official recognition as a Fiesta of International Tourist Interest hints at the scale and the unique local pride behind every event and parade, whether you join in at a busy square or a tucked-away barrio.

When and where the San Juan Festival Alicante 2025

Alicante’s San Juan Festival will be in full swing from 20th to 24th June, reaching its dramatic peak on Tuesday 24th June, with the famous “la cremà”.

The main festivities unfold across the city centre, especially around Plaza de los Luceros, the historic quarter, and stretching down to Playa del Postiguet. You’ll also find plenty of lively celebrations in local neighbourhoods and along Playa de San Juan, where residents and visitors gather to mark the arrival of summer.

Main events at Alicante's San Juan Festival

Fernando Pastor, CC BY 2.0 Creative commons

The main celebrations kick off on the evening of Friday 20th June, when the city begins a packed programme of street parades, creative bonfire displays, and the unmistakable “mascletàs” (fierce daytime firework shows).

The famous “la cremà” on the 24th comprises a citywide blaze as more than 200 artistic hogueras are set alight across Alicante’s streets and squares. Afterwards, the action moves to Playa del Postiguet, where nightly fireworks competitions light up the Mediterranean coast. 

• Each day at 2 pm, crowds gather at Plaza de los Luceros for the mascletà, a thunderous fireworks and gunpowder display known more for earth-shaking noise and rhythm than for visuals.
• Temporary party tents (barracas) open every evening in most districts, serving food and drink with live music, dancing, and partying well into the night.
• The climax arrives when all the monuments are set alight from midnight for La Cremà. Firefighters stand by to douse the intense flames and cool down the roaring crowd.

Programme of the Hogueras de San Juan

Pexels

Friday, 20th June

• 2pm – Mascletà at Plaza Luceros
• 8.30pm – Barracas and Racós open
• Midnight – Official set-up of the bonfires

Saturday, 21st June

• 2pm – Mascletà at Plaza Luceros
• 5pm – Awards for bonfires, barracas & decorated streets
• 6pm – Flower offering (first part)
• 10pm – Street festivals (Verbenas)

Sunday, 22nd June

• 11am – Awards Parade
• 1pm – Colla de Nanos i Gegants (giant puppets & performers) parade
• 2pm – Mascletà at Plaza Luceros
• 6pm – Flower offering (second part)
• 10pm – Street festivals

Monday, 23rd June

• Midday – Flower offering Awards (Mercadito)
• 2pm – Mascletà at Plaza Luceros
• 7pm – Dansà d’Alacant (folk dance) at Plaza del Ayuntamiento
• 8pm – International Folklore Parade
  Route: Plaza Luceros, Alfonso El Sabio, Rambla Méndez Núñez
• 10pm – Street festivals

Tuesday, 24th June

• 2pm – Mascletà at Plaza Luceros
• 8pm – Official Mass at Concatedral de San Nicolás
• 10pm – Street festivals
• Midnight – La Palmera firework from Benacantil plus Nit de la Cremà (the burning of the bonfires, starting with the main one at Plaza del Ayuntamiento)

If you’re looking for the liveliest atmosphere, most events take place in Alicante’s city centre, but you’ll also find beach parties along Playa de San Juan and in surrounding neighbourhoods.

Things to do in Alicante

Fernando Pastor, CC BY 2.0 Creative commons

Beyond the bonfires, you’ve got Alicante’s usual draws within easy reach. Make the most of your time in the city and explore everyday life in Alicante. The iconic Santa Bárbara Castle offers panoramic views. Plus, during festival week, it sometimes puts on special exhibitions and guided night tours. 

Isla de Tabarca’s boat trips provide a peaceful breather if you want to escape the hubbub.

Museums and galleries tend to extend their opening hours during the San Juan period, and the Mercadito de Fogueres market on Paseo Federico Soto is perfect for soaking up the local artisan scene while sampling regional snacks.

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