The Artichoke Festivity unites tradition and devotion in the old town of Benidorm

Yesterday Benidorm celebrated one of its most traditional festivals, Festa de la Carxofa (Artichoke Festivity), which takes place every third Saturday of November, just after Festes Majors Patronals. This festival, chaired this year by Lázaro Antón, takes place almost entirely at Plaza de la Constitución.

Early in the morning, the artichokes were hung, and then at 9.45 a parade to the church of Sant Jaume where an offering was made to the patron saint of the city. The event was attended by Mayor Toni Pérez, the Councilor for Fiestas, Mariló Cebreros, members of the corporation, the queens of the Festes Majors Patronals, Daniela Talavera and Angélica Morenilla, the president of the Commission, Vicente Solaz, and the president of the Penyes Association. , Ramón Cano, and the Festa La Carxofa Commission.

After the offering, a mass was celebrated and at the end, a parade went down to Plaza de la Constitución where an aperitive of sardines was offered at 12:30 p.m. for all attendees. In the afternoon, a game of pilota 'a raspall' was played at 5:00 p.m. on Santísima Trinidad Street. From 6:00 p.m. a DJ provided music throughout the afternoon until the beer-drinking contest began at 9:00 p.m.

The climax came at 11:30 p.m. when the traditional 'cremà' (burning) of the artichoke began, which ended the party at Plaza de la Constitución crowded with residents and visitors who did not want to miss the moment. The entertainment and music continued until dawn.