Palma Events & Public Holidays

In Spain, they like their public holidays. Because most (if not all) shops close on these days, it is handy to know when they are! In total there are 14 or so public holidays in Spain with the majority of these observed on the Balearic Islands.

Many of these holidays are linked to historic or religious events and you will find that many of the annual events in Mallorca coincide with the public holidays.

Public Holidays in Mallorca

• 1st January - Año Nuevo / New Year's Day
• 5th January - Epifanía / Epiphany
• 19th March - Dia de San José / St. Joseph's Day
• Late March or early April - Jueves Santo / Maundy Thursday
• Late March or early April - Viernes Santo / Good Friday
• 1st May - Fiesta del Trabajo / Labour Day
• 15th August - La Asunción / Feast of the Assumption
• 12th October - Nacional de España / National Day
• 1st November - Todos los Santos / All Saints' Day
• 6th December - Dia de la Constitución / Constitution Day
• 8th December - La Inmaculada Concepción / Feast of the Immaculate Conception
• 25th December - Navidad / Christmas Day

Special Events in Mallorca

Here you will find a month-by-month list of the special events that take place in Mallorca each year. For a real taste of local life, we receommend that you try and take part in some of these events if they occur when you are on the island.

January:

• Revelta i Beneides de Sant Antoni Abat - January 16th and 17th, this fiesta in Mallorca includes bonfires, parades, dancing, feasting and many people dress up in costumes
• Processo dels Tres Tocs - January 17th, in Ciutadella, Menorca, this procession celebrates the victory of Alfonso III over the Muslims in 1287
• Festa de Sant Sebastia - January 20th, in Pollenca, Mallorca, a procession with two dancers, known as cavallets, mounting wooden horses

February:

• Carnival Parades - February and March, many fancy dress balls marks the end of the Carnival before Lent. Palma hosts the most spectacular fiesta, known as the Cavalcade (Sa Rua)

March:

• Semana Santa - held on Maundy Thursday in Palma, Mallorca, a procession leaves the church of La Sang, carrying a crucifix. On Good Friday, many other processions are held in towns, including Palma and Sinue in Mallorca and Mao in Menorca

April:

• Festa Sant Francesc - April 2nd, a popular feast of St. Francis is celebrated throughout the islands
• Festa Sant Jordi - April 23rd, this feast day of the patron saint of many towns and villages is celebrated on all the islands
• Princess Sofia Trophy - in Palma, Mallorca, this yachting regatta is one of the most important in the Balearic islands
• Palma de Mallorca International Boat Show - A display of over 300 boats in the Moll Vell port area. Now in it's 21st year.

May:

• Festa de Maig - first Sunday in May in Santa Eulalia, Ibiza, this spring flower festival is one of the most colourful fiestas in the Balearic islands
• Festa de Nostra Sanyora de la Victoria - second Sunday in May, held in Soller and Port de Soller, Mallorca, these mock battles are staged to mark the raid by the Turkish pirates in 1561
• Eivissa Medieval - second Sunday in May, held in Eivissa, Ibiza, this new festival includes concerts and dancing, celebrating the declaration of Dalt Villa as a World Heritage site in 1992

June:

• Corpus Christi - held in Pollenca, Mallorca, this popular festival includes the 'Dance of the Eagles' and is performed in the main town square
• Sant Antoni de Juny - June 13th, held in Arta, Mallorca, this feast also includes parades of locals dressed up as horses
• Sant Joan - June 24th, held in Ciutadella, Menorca, horses are a major part of the event, which is King Juan Carlos's name day
• Romeria de Sant Marcal - June 30th, in Sa Cabeneta, Mallorca, this is a popular fair which is also held in other towns

July:

• Dia de Virgen de Carmen - July 15th to 16th, held all over the Balearic islands, the feast of the patron saint of sailors includes parades and the blessing of fishing boats
• Passejada dies Bou i Carro Triunfal - July 27th to 28th, held in Valldemossa, Mallorca, this celebration includes a feast and a bull and a procession of carts
• Festival Isladencanta - Annual music festival showcasing the best names in DJ's, Rock & Pop on "the island that sings"

August:

• Copa del Rey - first week in August, held in Palma, Mallorca, this large and very popular international yachting regatta is held under the patronage of King Juan Carlos
• Sant Ciriac - August 8th, held in Ibiza, the feast commemorates the Spanish recapture of these islands
• Festa de Sant Lorenc - second week in August, held in Alaior, Menorca, with riding displays in the streets
• Assumption of the Virgin - August 15th, this is a major festival that is held throughout Spain
• Sant Agustin - August 28th, held in Felantix, Mallorca, this fiesta includes horse-riding shows and dancing

September:

• Processio de la Beata - first Sunday in September, held in Santa Margalida, Mallorca, this process of floats and people dressed in folk costume honouring Sant Catalina
• Diada de Catalunya - September 11th, this is a national holiday throughout the islands
• Festa des Vermar - last Sunday in September, held in Binissalem, Mallorca, this grape-harvest festival includes floats and also concerts
• Festa del Melo - last Sunday in September, held in Vilafranca de Bonany, Mallorca, this watermelon festival celebrates the end of the harvest

October:

• Dia de la Hispanidad - October 12th, a national Spanish holiday, held to commemorate the discovery of the New World by Christopher Colombus in 1492
• Festa de Virgin - October 21st, held in Palma, Mallorca, this festival includes large amounts of cakes, singing and general festivities
• Festa dies Butifarro - third Sunday in October, held in Sant Joan, Mallorca, this festival includes eating large amounts of tasty sausages

November:

• Sant Carles - November 4th, held in Ibiza, this is the patron saint's day and is celebrated throughout Ibiza
• Dilous Bo - third Thursday in November, held in Inca, Mallorca, this is an important agricultural feast, including fairs
• Birthday of Junipero Serra - November 24th, the birthday of this Franciscan monk is celebrated throughout the region

December:

• Noche Buena - December 24th, Christmas Eve celebrations, including nativity plays and midnight mass, throughout the islands
• Santos Inocentes - December 28th, a Spanish equivalent of April Fool's day
• Festa de l'Estandard - December 31st, held in Palma, Mallorca, this feast commemorates the town's conquest in 1229

 

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