Benidorm gets ready for its festes Majors Patronals with Penyes Day, featuring a mascletà, fireworks display this year
Highlights of the programme include the Playback Competition, featuring seven performances in the children’s category and 12 in the adults’ category
Benidorm is gearing up for its Festes Majors Patronals with the traditional ‘Dia de les Penyes’, organised each year by l’Associació de Penyes Verge del Sofratge in collaboration with the Department of Festivities. This year’s event will take place on Saturday 24 October and will feature a mascletà fireworks display near Plaza SSMM Reyes de España.
The full programme was announced today by Councillor for Fiestas Mariló Cebreros and association president Diego Carrasco. The day will begin at 8:30 am with the traditional breakfast for members of the local festive groups at Casa del Fester. Afterwards, participants will join a parade to Sant Jaume and Santa Anna Church, where a mass dedicated to the town’s patron saint, the Mare de Déu del Sofratge, will be held at 10 am.
Meanwhile, registration for the Gymkana will be open at Julio Iglesias Auditorium from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. The activity will begin at 11 am from the same venue and will be organised this year by Penya 24 i Jo.
Also at 11 am, entertainment and inflatable castles for younger children will begin at Julio Iglesias Auditorium, followed by a gathering with food and refreshments for members of the festive groups and participating organisations at 1 pm. The mascletà fireworks display will then take place at 2 pm, in the lane connecting Avenida Primavera with Plaza SSMM Reyes de España.
In the afternoon, activities at Julio Iglesias Auditorium in l’Aigüera Park will resume at 6 pm. The Children’s Playback Competition will begin at 7:30 pm, featuring seven festive groups. The adult Playback Competition is scheduled to start at 9:30 pm, with 12 groups entered this year.
In addition to the competition, attendees will be able to enjoy special playback performances by the adult and children’s queens of the 2026 Festes Majors Patronals, Laura Ivars and Carmen Guillem, together with their respective courts of honour.
Once all the performances have concluded, the judges will deliberate and the prizes will be presented. The celebrations will then continue into the early hours at Julio Iglesias Auditorium, with music provided by a DJ.
According to l’Associació de Penyes, from 9 pm onwards, entry to the venue will be restricted to members of the festive groups wearing an identification wristband, subject to capacity limits. Wristbands will be distributed to members on the day itself at Julio Iglesias Auditorium, from 11 am to 1:45 pm and again from 6 pm to 9 pm.