Bonfires of Saint John in Alicante 2020 - Hogueras de San Juan

The Bonfires of Saint John are one of the most important celebrations happening in Alicante over the course of several days, followed by an impressive fireworks festival, which takes place on the main town beach.

The Bonfires of Saint John (Les Fogueres de Sant Joan) in Alicante are celebrated each year around Midsummer, which takes place on the date of June 23rd. The bonfires are very popular all over the Valencian Community and many small town and villages will organize their own celebration of this event. 

Bonfires of Saint John (Hogueras de San Juan) in Alicante 2020 - From June 19 to June 24

The Bonfires of Saint John in Alicante (Las Hogueras de Alicante) have been recognized as a Festival of International Tourist Interest, which means that it attracts a lot of attention from international visitors, who come to Alicante to be part of this magical Spanish fiesta. 

The fiesta never stops: Come to the Carnival in Alicante

This event has its roots in the old tradition of burning things which are no longer needed once the summer season comes and so the night of Saint John is now celebrated all over Spain with huge bonfires, but the largest and most important celebrations are the ones held in Catalonia and the Valencian Community.

In Alicante, the bonfires of Saint John are the largest festivities in town and the official fiestas of the town of Alicante, which means that they will last for several days, from the 19th of June until the 24th of June.

What happens during the Hogueras de Alicante

The official start of the fiesta is on June 20th, but the event does not end on the 24th as you may think; instead, it will continue for several days with a large festival of fireworks, which bring to Alicante participants from several countries.

During these fiestas, the town of Alicante will be inundated with around 200 monuments made out of cardboard, which will all be burned on the night of June 24th.

So the date of June 24th is the most important date of Hogueras de Alicante, when all the bonfires take place.

This night is known as the night of the “Cremà”, when all the cardboard monuments are lit on fire, followed by the “Banyà” (bañada), the moment when the firemen come in action to put out the fires.

These fiestas also feature other typical act for this part of Spain like the famous “Mascletàs” and there's even a competition for firecrackers, which takes place in Plaza de Los Luceros at 14:00 h.

Schedule of Bonfires of Saint John in Alicante: 19 - 24 June 2020

Each morning starts at 8:00 with the despertá, when the entire town is woken up with loud noises, announcing the start of the celebrations.

At 14:00 h takes place the mascletá in Plaza de Los Luceros (avoid it if you don't like loud noises made by repeated firecrackers).

Each day ends with large streets parties, which usually last from 23:00 h until 6:00 in the morning. Locals and tourist alike will be singing and dancing on the streets of Alicante and it's a very fun time to visit the city, especially if you are interested in partying and experiencing the local culture of the place.

However, this fiesta of Hogueras de Alicante is a very loud event in general and it may not be the best time to visit Alicante if you are looking for peace and quiet during your holiday.

The morning of June 25th, right after midnight, is the moment everyone's been waiting for, when the burning of the monuments takes place (la Crema), marking the end of this year's fiesta.

Fireworks competition in Alicante

• Location: on the Postiguet Beach

But the celebrations still continue even after June 24th with the Firework Display Competition (Concurso de Castillos de Fuegos Artificiales) and the String of Firecrackers Display (Concurso de tracas) on Postiguet Beach.

The fireworks competition lasts from the 25th until 29th of June,  and takes place on the most popular beach in Alicante, El Postiguet Beach.

The historical center of Alicante also continues in celebration mode, with a large medieval market and a variety of activities and shows.