Abanilla Festivals, Fiesta / Fiestas

Since 1983 Abanilla in collaboration with the Group of Choirs and Dances "Holy Cross" In August Abanilla organizes "International Festival of Folk Village of Abanilla." The Abanilla festivals / Fiesta involves many different groups of people, Spaniards and foreigners alike,  people form Italy, Greece, Portugal, France, Slovakia, Argentina, Poland, Belarus, Benin, Serbia, Bulgaria all joint in the fiesta.

The patron festivals are held in honour of the Holy Cross, patron of Abanilla, are also important parades of Moors and Christians. These festivities take place between the last week of April and first week of May. By Far the most prominent festival is the parade of Moors and Christians which is held on the May 1 and May 3.

Two associations are responsible for organizing the festivities: The federation of Festival of Moors and Christians "Santa Cruz" Abanilla which deals with everything related to the parade of Moors and Christians and the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross organized religious acts: the festival of May 3, the procession of the Eighth and Pilgrimage September.

The Abanilla festival opens with a dinner Kabila and Mesna in its various Headquarters. The next day takes place The Coronation of Queen and Christian Mora. In the event of the festivities Pregonero read the traditional Pregón. It was also distributed prizes for the parade last year and honours (festive of the Year, Badges, etc.).. It has recently been incorporated into a dinner party and Medieval Market the weekend before the Coronation as well as other events.

Abanilla's most important fiestas are the celebrations in honour of the Most Holy and True Cross, the town's patron, and the Moors and Christians parades. These fiestas take place betwwen the last week in April and the first week in May. The main events are the Moors and Christians parade on May 1st & May 3rd when the town's patron is taken in pilgrimage to the Mahoya chapel. The "Town of Abanilla International Folklore Festival" takes place over the first weekend in August and attrects a number of internationl groups.

The event recoups Abanilla town's traditional folklore and helps keep it alive. During the summer months Abanilla's various boroughs of the town celebrate their own saint's days with fairs, concerts and local fiestas.

Did you know?

Abanilla's principal crafts are esparto-work anf bobbin lace. The foemer, known locally as "cofin" used to be of great economic importance in Abanilla until the 1960s, when ot practically disappeared. Products included presses for olive mills, baskets, mats, sieves, ropes to name but a few.