ARCHIVED - 14th December to 5th January, Christmas, New Year and Three Kings in Cartagena 2019-20

A host of free events and entertainments for children in the city centre of Cartagena

Cartagena embarks on a busy schedule of events over the festive period encompassing Christmas, the New Year and the arrival of the Three Kings. Most of the events listed below are in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, opposite the seafront.

This year’s decorations include a 6-metre bauble in Plaza San Francisco and a light fountain on the roundabout of Las Puertas de Madrid, as well as a 14-metre high cone of lights in the Plaza de España.

The nativity scene, which remains on display until 6^th January, features over 700 figures created by Nicolás Almansa and Juan Antonio Griñán and has been set up every year since 1975 by Francisco Alarte. Every year more details are added, many of them deliberately anachronistic, along with representations of some of the churches of Cartagena and the windmills in the surrounding countryside.

The belén is in the Plaza San Francisco and is in a marquee, so is open from 10am onwards until late in the evening daily for visitors. 

This year a campaign to collect toys for children in need is presented by the Social Services department of the Town Hall on Sunday 8th December from 17.00 to 21.00 and then gets into full swing between 12^th and 27^th December, when donations can be made at the administrative building in Calle San Miguel.

Santa’s grotto opens on 21^st, 22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th December from 11.30 to 13.30 and 17.00 to 20.30 in the Plaza del Icue, and then on 26^th and 31^st December and 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th January is taken over by the Three Kings.

Saturday 14^th December

12.00: A festival of music school bands from all over Spain is held in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

19.00: Festival of cuadrillas, with groups from La Aljorra, Molinos Marfagones, Tallante and isla Plana performing traditional folk music in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento

Sunday 15th December

12.30: The band of the Santa Cecilia music society offer a free concert in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

16.00 to 18.00: Christmas carols performed by students at the Conservatorio de Música de Cartagena in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Wednesday 18th December

11:00 to 13:00 Christmas carols with the choir of the Colegio Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores in the Plaza del Tulipán

Friday 20th December

11.00 to 14.00 and 17.00 to 20.00: A marquee housing entertainment and activities for children opens in the Plaza Héroes de Cavite, complete with bouncy castles and the like. The marquee remains in place until 30th December.

At the same time, another children’s area called “Navidad en Shalambá” in Plaza San Francisco with fun family activities.

18.30: Sonrilandia, a children’s musical, in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

20.30: Live music from the La Prima orchestra, also in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Santa’s grotto opens on 20th, 21^st, 22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th December from 11.30 to 13.30 and 17.00 to 20.30 in the Plaza del Icue,

Saturday 21^st December

12.30: Free concert by the Sauces music society in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

18.30: Cuento de Navidad, a musical for children, in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Santa’s grotto opens on 21^st, 22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th December from 11.30 to 13.30 and 17.00 to 20.30 in the Plaza del Icue,

Sunday 22nd December

12.30: Free concert by the Unión Musical Carthagonova in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

19.00: Another free concert, this time offered by Son del Malecón, in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Monday 23rd December

18.00 onwards: Solidarity and charity festival in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Tuesday 24^th December

13.00: The group Stolen perform in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

16.00: The group Los Vecinos del Cuarto perform in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Friday 27th December

19.00: Aventura en la Nieve, a musical for children based on “Frozen”, in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

19.00: Siete Cabritillos, children’s theatre in the Centro Cultural Ramón Alonso Luzzy.

Saturday 28th December

10.00: Ruta de Belenes, a tour of various of the nativity scenes in the city of Cartagena starting at the Centro Cultural Ramón Alonso Luzzy. Prior registration is required at inscripcionesfestejos@ayto-cartagena.es.

12.30: A Son de Mar, traditional Christmas music and dancing in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

19.00: Shin Saladim, a children’s musical in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Sunday 29th December

10.00: A concert by the Nuestra Señora de la Soledad band in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

19.00: Live music from Karpe Diem in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Monday 30^th December

20.30: The Cartagena Youth Symphony Orchestra present a concert dedicated to the works of Beethoven, prior to next year’s 250^th anniversary of the composer’s birth, at the Auditorio El Batel. Tickets 7 euros.

22.30: A warm-up event for the New Year’s celebrations in the Plaza del Rey.

Tuesday 31^st December

The traditional San Silvestre run, which is held on New Year’s Eve every year, starts and finishes in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

13.00: A New Year’s party begins in the Plaza San Francisco with music first from Alta Tensión and then, at 16.00, from Nena Rose.

Friday 3rd January

19.00: Portions of a huge record-breaking “Roscón de Reyes” cake are served to the public in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Today is also the last day on which the “Navidad en Shalamba” marquee opens in Plaza San Francisco.

Saturday 4th January

19.30: Video mapping event on the façade of the Palacio Consistorial in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Sunday 5th January

11.30: The Three Kings arrive by boat in the port of Cartagena and make their way to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where they are officially welcomed with live music and bouncy castles for the crowds of children. From 12.30 until 14.00 Their Royal Highnesses talk to youngsters and collect their gift letters before retiring for a siesta prior to the long night ahead of them.

18.30: Gaspar, Melchior and Baltasar begin their grand parade with a fleet of floats from which presents are hurled into the crowds along the route. The parade starts in Alameda de San Antón and continues via the Plaza de España, Paseo Alfonso XIII, Calle Juan Fernández, Plaza Juan XXIII, Calle Santa Florentina, Calle Carmen, Calle Sagasta, Puertas de Murcia and Calle Mayor to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

For more local events, news and tourist information go to the Cartagena section of Murcia Today.

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