Unforgettable Moments: Enjoy the Best Festivals in Mallorca
Unique Festivals in Mallorca You Won’t Find Elsewhere
Mallorca isn’t just the largest of the Balearic Islands; it’s also the liveliest, celebrating dozens of festivals throughout the year. While its beautiful Mediterranean beaches are obviously ideal for summer fun in the sun, there’s much more to this island’s festivities than your run-of-the-mill beach parties.
Spring is a season of carnivals and spirited historical reenactments. Summer shindigs can be glamorous, even elegant, while fall’s harvest festivals are playful and plentiful. And in winter, you can sample sweets and hot drinks beneath the Christmas lights or attend a fiery revelry beneath the stars. In Mallorca, it seems like there’s always a party going on somewhere, but which festivals are most worth your time?
1. Festes de Sant Sebastia
Fiery January festivities featuring demons and a dragon
Good for: Budget, Families, Unusual
The annual Festes de Sant Sebastia lights up the city of Palma in honor of its patron saint with bonfires, communal barbeques, fireworks, and lots of live music. One of the biggest festivals in Mallorca, it typically begins the second week of January and runs for multiple weeks.
This family-friendly event features lots of magic acts, craft workshops, and concerts that both kids and adults will enjoy. If you’re only able to attend one night, however, make it Revetla Night, usually on or around January 19th. You’ll get to meet the local dragon, el Drac de na Coca, and witness fire-wielding devils and demons racing through the streets in a spectacular correfoc or fire run.
Location: 07002 Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
Festes de Sant Sebastia
2. Sa Rua
An island-wide Carnival, complete with a dazzling parade in Palma
Good for: Food, Photo, Shoppers
Every March, all of Mallorca comes alive with the Carnival spirit during Sa Rua, but no party is quite as spirited as that of the capital city. Dress in your best and get ready to dance, drink, and dine your way through one of the area’s most colorful and creative annual events.
Browse the vendor tents popping up along the streets like blooms on vines or hop from party to party until your dance shoes wear out. Wear a fanciful disguise and take a shot at the costume contest or enjoy the show from the sidelines. Sa Rua is the main attraction, but if you have children, don’t worry, just check the schedule for the kid-friendly version, Sa Rueta.
Location: Centre, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
Sa Rua
3. Capdepera mediaval fair
A mountaintop festival set in the Middle Ages and centered around a castle
Good for: Families, History, Shoppers
Every May, Capdepera travels back in time with an annual Medieval Fair that takes over the entire town for three magical days. Don your most historically accurate garb and wander down the cobblestone streets at will, where locals hang shields and banners bearing heraldic symbols and children play generations-old games in the shadow of the majestic Capdepera Castle.
Feel your coin purse grow lighter as you shop at the market stalls, where artisans of all kinds hawk archaic wares alongside food vendors selling mouthwatering traditional dishes like paella and sobrasada. Attend a falconry demonstration, calligraphy workshop, or jousting tournament with friends or family, and be sure to catch the closing parade if time and energy allow
Location: Plaça des Sitjar, 5, 07580 Capdepera, Illes Balears, Spain
Capdepera mediaval fair
4. Fiesta d’Es Verma, Binissalem
A September celebration of all things wine
Good for: Food, History, Unusual
Where else would Mallorca’s Festa des Vermar, Festival of Grapes, be held but in the heart of the island’s wine country, beautiful Binissalem? Taste wines from some of the finest producers in the country. Attend parties or a parade. Drink, dine, dance, and put your strength to the test in a grape-stomping competition.
While some streets start partying early, the Festa des Vermar officially begins with a proclamation in the main square, followed by a massive food fight in which local wineries’ castoff grapes become ammunition for a battle that ends only when the supply runs out. Afterward, feast on some delicious Fideus de Vermar, a traditional noodle and mutton dish cooked in red wine.
Location: Carrer Concepció, 7, 07350 Binissalem, Illes Balears, Spain
Fiesta d’Es Verma, Binissalem
5. En Blanc at Nikki Beach
A glamorous party to kick off the summer season in style
Good for: Food, Luxury, Nightlife
Nikki Beach venues are known for luxury and glitzy parties, and the Mallorca location’s “En Blanc” White Party delivers both in spades. Held early in June, En Blanc is a night of glittering cocktails and top-shelf champagne, gourmet cuisine, and performances by renowned musical guests and gifted DJs.
Put on your most fabulous all-white attire as the dress code is strictly enforced, and get ready to dance till dawn. Between the avant-garde decor, Random celebrity appearances, and brilliant fireworks, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a dream you won’t want to wake from. Reservations are required, so if you want to go, book your spot as soon as possible; it’s one of the most popular shindigs on the island.
Location: Av. Notari Alemany, 1, 07181 Calvià, Illes Balears, Spain
Phone: +34 697 164 853
En Blanc at Nikki Beach
6. Bellver Castle Music Festival
Classical concerts in a magical setting
Good for: Couples, History
For romantics, the Bellver Castle Music Festival in July offers an unparalleled opportunity to enjoy classical compositions in the dreamiest of settings, a centuries-old castle. Whether you’re a lone listener or looking for a classy date idea, this summer festival offers a veritable symphony of concerts to choose from.
Enjoy timeless pieces by Mozart, Ravel, and Beethoven as performed by the Balearic Symphony Orchestra, or traditional Catalan music by local musicians. Sing along to acoustic rock from American artists or tap your feet to the rhythm of a flashy flamenco concert. The castle hosts around eight concerts in all, over the course of several weeks, but feel free to explore the museum during regular business hours.
Location: Plaça des Sitjar, 5, 07580 Capdepera, Illes Balears, Spain
Bellver Castle Music Festival
7. Dijous Bo Fira, Inca
Inca’s food-filled “fair of fairs”
Good for: Families, Food, Shoppers
Dijous Bo Fira, the Good Thursday Fair, is a bustling agricultural festival in Inca that more than earns its reputation as the “fair of fairs.” Held in mid-November every year on, you guessed it, Good Thursday, Dijous Bo may date all the way back to medieval times, when farmers from all over the island would congregate in the town to trade quality ingredients and artisan goods.
Today, you can buy just about anything at the fair: local foods, of course, but also leather goods, jewelry, and even agricultural machinery. The programming is just as varied, including fashion shows, wine tastings, live music, and a livestock exhibition. Arriving by car can be tricky, so take the train instead if you can.
Location: Plaça Font Vella, 6, 07300 Inca, Illes Balears, Spain
Dijous Bo Fira, Inca
8. Fira de Tardor, Muro
Autumnal festivities featuring a plethora of pumpkins
Good for: Families, Food, Shoppers
Fall heralds harvest season in many parts of the world, and the town of Muro celebrates each year’s bounty with the Fira de Tardor on the second weekend of November. Also known as the Fira de sa Carabassa, or Pumpkin Fair, this festival is a must for fans of fall, and especially its signature squash.
Take the “pumpkin tapas trail” and sample themed bites and drinks all over town. Make lanterns with the kids and watch them illuminate the streets in a spectacular parade. Shop for pumpkin snacks and merch in the arts and crafts market while buskers play traditional bagpipe tunes. Don’t miss the pumpkin contest, where the year’s biggest local and international pumpkins will be revealed.
Location: 07440 Muro, Balearic Islands, Spain
Fira de Tardor, Muro
9. Christmas Market at Pueblo Español
A charming winter market in a model village
Good for: Families, History, Shoppers
When winter comes to Mallorca, seasonal markets blanket the island like snow, but for a truly unique experience, it’s hard to beat the Christmas Market at Pueblo Español. Located near the heart of Palma, Pueblo Español is a model village crowded with reconstructions of famous buildings and sculptures from throughout Spain. It makes for some incredible sightseeing any time of year, but in December, it becomes a twinkling beacon of holiday cheer.
Browse handmade crafts by local artists in search of unique gifts and souvenirs. Sip a complimentary glass of mulled wine while strolling arm-in-arm with your partner, or savor hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies with your kids. Time your visit right, and they might even get to meet Santa.
Location: Carrer del Poble Espanyol, 55, Ponent, 07014 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
Christmas Market at Pueblo Español
10. Es Firó
A tale of two cities and a boatload of pirates
Good for: Adventure, History, Photo
In the ancient fishing town of Sóller and its sister, Port de Sóller, May and Es Firó bring back memories, and a bunch of pirates, out into the streets. Welcome to this annual festival recalling a historic battle in which the locals fended off Saracen marauders.
In Sóller itself, you’ll find parties, parades, and hundreds of vendors selling trinkets and accessories for the event, which heavily involves locals dressing up as either their ancestors or the Saracens. Beware: the pirates often wear black paint, which is smudged onto any landlubbers who get too close. Follow the party to Port de Sóller to watch the highlight of the festivities: a boisterous reenactment of the battle on the beach.
Location: 07100 Sóller, Balearic Islands, Spain
Es Firó
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