ARCHIVED - 1st to 13th October Alhama de Murcia Feria

Live music, fairground, and lots of activities in Alhama de Murcia

There are a large number of activities taking place under the umbrella of the Alhama Feria, including the folk dancing festival, a large funfair, open air dances and free musical events, parade of floats, and plenty of family fun.

The main core events are held in the Avenida de la Constitución, in front of the Town Hall, the Recinto ferial fairground and the Auditorio Municipal, (all opposite the town hall, find the town hall and everything is just a few metres away) with lots of rides and entertainment for all ages as well as a music zone where many of the free concerts take place.

The main recinto ferial where the peñas put up their marquees and fairground are behind the Parque Cubana, where there is plenty of parking. This is opposite the Town Hall.

Just around the corner from the town hall is the Jardín de los Patos, which is opposite the main market place and just behind the tourist office (on the corner of the plaza in front of the Town Hall), and the church of San Lázaro, behind the Jardín de los Patos and  in front of the Archaeological Museum of Los Baños.

All of these lie within a 5-minute walk of the underground car park below the Town Hall or the car parking area at the back of the Recinto Ferial.

More information about Alhama de Murcia, together with links to all of the areas mentioned, can be found in the Alhama de Murcia town section, accessed via the map box at the bottom of every page

The Tourist Office is located on the corner of the main plaza by the Town Hall, and can provide maps and programmes for those who go there in person. The staff in Alhama are always very helpful and speak good English.

Details of main venues:

Feria de Día in the Avenida de la Constitución
Open between the 5th and 13th of October at weekends.
Opens at 13.00 until 20.00 except Saturday the 12th when it closes at 18.30. This is open on the 5th, 6th, 7th, 12th, 13th and 14th October.

Chiringuitos in the old children’s road safety park (by the recinto ferial) between the 4th and 13th October.
Open from 19.00 to 03.00 in the morning

Recinto Ferial, the fairground attractions
Open between the 5th and 13th October from 18:00 until midnight during the week. On Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of Day of the Patrona it closes at 2am (the 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th and 12th October).

Marquees of the peña in the Recinto ferial

Friday 4th and Saturday 5th from 22:00 until 05:30am

Sunday 6th from 22:00 to 5am.

Monday 7th October Open until 01:00.

Friday 11th October from 22.00 to 05:00.

Saturday 12th October from 22.00 to 05.30.

Nocturnal Feria market in the Parque de la Cubana between the 5th and 13th October. Open from 18:00 to 02:00.

Programme of events by day 2019

Saturday 28th September

17:00 As part of the activities within the Alhama de Murcia Feria. X gathering of classic vehicles in the Recinto Ferial.

17:00 Rock Festival El ZEBADERO. Taking place in the grounds of the outdoor swimming pool, the Centro Deportivo Guadalentín. Entry free of charge.

Tuesday 1st October

20:30 Inauguration of the annual ornithological competition, which celebrates its 21st edition this year with various breeds competing.
The XXI CONCURSO EXPOSICIÓN ORNITOLÓGICA is held in Avenida Antonio Fuertes number 22, opposite the El Pozo plant.

The birds will be on show until the 5th October

Registrations on 28th September until 20.30, followed by judging on the 29th. The exhibition of the birds is open between the 1st and the 5th October, from 10:00 and 13:00 and again from 17:00 to 21:00.

Friday 4th October
18:00 the fairground opens
19:00: The refreshments bars, the CHIRINGUITOS, open.
20:00: III CORTE SOLIDARIO DE JAMÓN, third solidarity ham cutting event, with all money raised donated to the AECC, Spanish Cancer Association. Taking place in the marquee of the Hermandad de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores y la Soledad in the recinto ferial next to the fairground.

20:30 A session of planetary observation using telescopes. taking place in the piece of ground alongside the athletics track, the camino de Los Tejaros.

22:00. Fiesta Ebony. Music from the 80's and the beginning of the 90's. Taking place in the Recinto Ferial in the area alongside the chiringuitos. With Dj’s: Paco Espadas, Pepe Medina, Arturo Vidal and Carlitos. Entry free of charge.
22:00.Opening of the peñas marquee.

Saturday 5th October
13:00: Opening of the FERIA DE DÍA  which is in the Avenida de la Constitución.

18:00: Opening of the fairground attractions

19:30: Formal reception in the town hall of the folkdancing groups which are taking part in this year’s annual folk dancing festival, the 40th edition; the XL MUESTRA NACIONAL DE FOLKLORE.

20:00: The annual activity in which the peñas present their peña t-shirt to the tourist office in order for it to be displayed in the window of the office between the 6th and 13th October.
This official presentation takes place in the plaza de la Constitución.

20:30: PREGÓN, CHUPINAZO. The pregón is the official speech opening the fiestas, followed by the Chupinazo which is a noisy event inciting the peñas to go off and celebrate the fiestas. During this the street lighting illuminating the Feria is switched on. The core act takes place in the plaza de la Constitución.

21:00: The authorities visit the Recinto Ferial where the peñas have their marquees and where the fairground is located.

21:30 Free entry costumed folk dancing event, the XL MUESTRA NACIONAL DE FOLKLORE. Taking place in the open-air auditorio municipal, located on the corner of the Parque Cubano, this is a free entry folk-dancing festival organised by the host group, the Grupo de Coros y Danzas Virgen del Rosario de Alhama.

This year the visiting folkdancing groups are from Ampurias, Palencia, Zaragoza and Murcia.

23:30. The grand opening concert of the Alhama de Murcia Feria features the Orquesta Panther and takes place in the Avenida Juan Carlos I in the bus-stop.

Sunday 6th October

08:00. Senderismo walking route organised by the Alhama de Murcia orientation and mountaineering club.

10.00. ZOCO-ALHAMA. An open-air market held in the parque de la Cubana, selling artisan products, antiques, collectables and natural products. Open until 14:00.

16:00. 1st Alhama de Murcia beach football tournament, first day. Taking place in calle Perú.

17:00 Remote control car competition. Taking place alongside the marquees of the peñas in the fairground area of the recinto ferial.

19:30. The XXXV Festival de Bandas de Música, the 35th edition of the annual bands competition.

This year the concert features the Patronato Musical Aguileño from Águilas alongside the hosts, the Agrupación Musical de Alhama de Murcia. Tickets for this concert, which is taking place in the Teatro Cine Velasco, are free of charge, and seats are allocated on a first-come, first- served basis.

21:00 Grand Feria concert aimed at young people. This features DJ Alex Mele, who is the Spanish sub-champion of Beatbox, Makelenller and Jesús de Manuel who performs a tribute to Reggeaton. Free entry.

23:30: In the marquees of the peñas a toast is held to the patrona of Alhama on the eve of her fiestas. In the marquee of the peña Telita Mix. This is the Brinda por la Patrona.

24:00 In the marquees of the peñas: III FIESTA REMEMBER in the marquee of the peña Viñotes with retro music. Free entry.

24:00: Concert in the recinto ferial featuring Fran Jackson, the official Spanish Michael Jackson tribute artist. Free entry.

Monday 7th October: the day of the Virgen del Rosario, a local holiday in Alhama

10:00 Hot chocolate and magdalenas for all to celebrate the day of the patrona of Alhama de Murcia. Taking place in the atrium of the church, Iglesia de San Lázaro.

10:30 DIANA Y PASACALLES The musical band of the town parades through the central streets of Alhama accompanied by gigantes y cabezudos, which are giant heads and figures made from papier mâché.

11:00 to 13:00 Free workshops for children in the Plaza de la Constitución run by the Sierra Espuña Visitor's Centre relating to the 2019 International Bird Day.

11:30 Floral offering to the Virgen del Rosario in the church, the iglesia de San Lázaro. Participants depart from the Jardín de Los Patos.

12:00 Solemn mass sung by the choir Agrupación Musical de Alhama de Murcia in the iglesia de San Lázaro.

13:30 CUCAÑA in the parque Cubana. A crazy game in which groups attempt to scale a greasy pole to collect the prize impaled on the top of it. Always fun to watch.

16:00. 1st Alhama de Murcia beach football tournament, second day. Taking place in calle Perú.

18:30. In the peñas zone of the Recinto Ferial; egg and spoon race with prize for the winner.

19:00 Solemn mass in the iglesia de San Lázaro.

19.30. The family games continue in the peñas zone of the Recinto Ferial with a blindfold race.

19:30 Solemn procession with the image of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, accompanied by the municipal musical band, the Agrupación Musical de Alhama. Route: departing from the iglesia de San Lázaro, then continuing via La Feria, Vergara Pérez, Plaza Vieja, Larga, Corredera, La Feria and returning to the iglesia de San Lázaro.

21:30. Grand open-air dance with live music from 'Dúo Géminis'. In the Recinto Ferial.

23:30 Fireworks in honour of the patrona. Urbanización Nueva Espuña.

Tuesday 8th October

16:30 to 19:00 Competitive activities in the marquees of the peñas in the Recinto Ferial

20:30 Children’s musical theatrical spectacular based on the story of Peter Pan. In the open-air auditorio municipal. Entry free of charge.

Children’s day at the fairground.
From 6pm to midnight children’s attractions at the fairground are just 1 euro.
 

Wednesday 9th October
Children’s day at the fairground.
From 6pm to midnight children’s attractions at the fairground are just 1 euro.

17:00 to 19:00 Competitive activities in the marquees of the peñas.

19:00 Special fiesta and light supper for retirees in the auditorio municipal. Ticket only.

20:00 Live music for the retirees with the Trío Jema.

Thursday 10th October

Children’s day at the fairground.
From 6pm to midnight children’s attractions at the fairground are just 1 euro.

17:00 to 19:00 Competitive activities in the marquees of the peñas.

20:00. Inauguration of an exhibition focusing on the table grape production of the Bajo Guadalentín area. In the Casa de la Cultura.

22.00 Cocktail making games in the peñas zone.

Friday 11th October

19:30 Migas making competition amongst the peñas in the urbanización Nueva Espuña.

23:30 Grand Feria concert with the Grupo Essencial in the Recinto Ferial.
 

Saturday 12th October
09:30.Petanca competition in the Jardín de la Carrasca.

10:00. Nordic walking initiation. Taking place in the Complejo Deportivo Guadalentín. Pre-registration required in the webpage of the Alhama Club de Orientación y Montaña

16:30 Parade of carriages and floats. This is a competitive parade amongst the peñas and there are prizes for not only for the best float, but also the most animated peña and a prize decided by the public who can vote for their favourite via social media.

The parade starts in the rambla Don Diego and continues via Avda. Sierra Espuña, Isaac Albéniz, Molino, Rambla, Corredera and concludes in La Feria. At the end of the parade the prizegiving takes place in the Plaza de la Constitución.
The floats are left on display in the Avenida de la Constitución until the 14th October.

23:00 Concert in the Recinto Ferial with the group La Hora Ye-Ye.
 

Sunday 13th October
12:30 Prizegiving related to the display of table grapes in the Casa de Cultura