Benidorm begins its traditional festivities in honor of the Virgin of Carmen this Wednesday

The Church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna and Plaza de la Senyoria in Benidorm will be the setting for the start of the festivities in honour of Virgen del Carmen tomorrow, Wednesday, one of the most deeply rooted celebrations in Benidorm due to the strong connection between the city and the sea. The program, organised by the Fiestas del Carmen Committee, chaired by Ginés Alvarado, will begin with a mass dedicated to the Star of the Seas and the official proclamation of the 2025 festivities, delivered by Vicenta Asensio. The festivities will also include the exchange of scapulars between the 2024 honorary sailor, Daniela Blanco, and her successor in 2025, Ariadna Orgilés.

The festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m., with the gathering of officials at Casa del Fester, before moving to the Church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna for the religious ceremony, which will begin at 8:00 p.m. After the Eucharist, the scapular will be blessed and exchanged, symbolising the embrace of the Virgin of Carmen with its wearer, between the 2024 and 2025 honorary marineras.

Then, festival-goers, officials, and the public will proceed to Plaza de la Senyoria for the opening ceremony of the festivities, during which Vicenta Asensio will deliver the official opening speech.

Program of events

The festivities in honour of the Virgin of Carmen will continue until next Sunday, with numerous events taking place throughout the week.

On Thursday, July 17, at 8:00 p.m., the reception for the city's festive organisations will take place at the booth of the Fiestas del Carmen Committee. In the evening, the "Estrella de los Mares" playback competition will take place.

On Friday, July 18, starting at 4:00 p.m., a street party with live music will be held next to the entrance to Elche Park.

Following this, on Saturday, July 19, there will also be a bar in Elche Park starting at 10:00 a.m. At 8:00 p.m., the Flower Offering will take place, with the procession departing from Paseo de Colón to Plaza de la Señoría. There, the flower offering will be made to the Virgin of Carmen and to those who have fallen at sea, and laurel wreaths will be laid in their honour. Starting at 9:00 p.m., a street party with live music will be held at the entrance to Elche Park.

Finally, on Sunday, July 20th, at 2:00 p.m., an aerial mascleta will be launched on Avenida Jaime I by Turís fireworks. In the afternoon, at 7:00 p.m., festival-goers and officials will gather on Paseo de Colón to head to the Church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna to collect the Virgin of Carmen.

Then, together with our sailors, the procession will travel to the port to embark the Virgin of Carmen and carry her in procession through Benidorm Bay. An offering will be made to those who fell at sea, where laurel wreaths will be laid in their honour, and an image of the Virgin of Carmen will be lowered to the bottom of the sea by the diving group. At the end of the procession, twenty-one salutes will be fired in her honour, and on the balcony of the Fishermen's Guild, the honorary sailor will recite the traditional verse to the Virgin of Carmen.

At the end of this ceremony, the image will be carried back to the church by the sailors.

The Councillor for Fiestas, Mariló Cebreros, publicly congratulated the Carmen Festival Committee, its president, and its 2025 honorary sailor, and invited citizens and visitors to "participate in these traditional festivals, which generations and generations of Benidorm residents have celebrated with such affection."