Until June 18, Corpus Christi fiestas in Archena

Two weeks of parties, concerts, parades and the famous coloured salt carpets in the town of Archena

Archena has two major blocks of fiestas sewn together, providing almost continuous partying throughout June, as the Fiestas of the Moors and Christians and Virgen de la Salud precede the fiestas of Corpus Christi.

The fiestas are based on the typical Spanish combination of religious devotion and popular partying, and as well as on the feast day of Corpus Christi, in Archena this is also the case on the feast days of San Cosme, San Damián, San Juan Bautista, San Roque and the Virgen del Rosario.

Prior to Corpus Christi the patron saint of Archena was San Juan Bautista (John the Baptist), to whom the parish church is dedicated, reflecting the fact that the town belonged to the military and religious Order of San Juan. The fiesta at the start of the summer coincided in many ways with the end of the agricultural year and the harvest season.

Later, in the 18th century, the faithful in the town were devoted to the cult of San Roque, and the first record of any celebration of Corpus Christi dates from as late as 1884. These were declared civic fiestas by the Town Hall in 1904, and the first official procession took place six years later.

One of the unusual features of the Corpus Christi celebrations in Archena is the preparation of coloured salt carpets over which the procession passes. In the past during the procession the tradition was for households to drape their most colourful carpets, blankets and embroideries outside their homes to decorate the route, and on the ground carpets of petals and aromatic plants were created. Nowadays the carpets are made from coloured salt and are real works of art in the streets of Archena.

Corpus Christi falls 60 days after Easter Sunday, and this year’s fiestas in Archena last from late May to the end of June. The 2023 program of events includes the following:

Monday June 5

18.00 onwards: FESTIVAL DE LA SAL. Locals flock to the Plaza de España to dye their salt, accompanied by music and snacking on churros.

Wednesday June 7

18.00: Opening of floral exhibitions created by florists from all over Spain at the Town Hall and the two main churches of Archena.

18.30: Creation of the salt carpets on the route of the Corpus Christi procession.

20.00 The bases of the children’s peñas (fiestas groups) open in the playground of the Colegio Miguel Medina.

22.00: Marta Saorín in concert in Plaza Primero de Mayo.

23.00: The bases of the main peñas (fiestas groups) open.

23.30: Malas Pulgas in concert at the Recinto de Peñas.

1.00: La Espartera in concert at the Recinto de Peñas.

Thursday June 8, the feast day of Corpus Christi

10.00: The salt carpets are officially placed on display along the procession route.

11.00: Musical parade featuring the local Santa Cecilia music society, following the procession route.

11.00 to 14.00: The Corpus Family Day event, especially for youngsters, with bouncy castles (for adults as well!). Cartoon characters will be in attendance and music and dancing will be to the fore in the Plaza 1º de Mayo and Jardín de Villa Rías.

11.30: Holy Mass in the parish church of San Juan Bautista.

12.00: After Mass a religious procession leaves the church and the town of Archena is blessed on the carpeted route as it makes its way to La Purísima.

19.00: Mass is held by José Manuel Lorca Planes, the Bishop of Cartagena, and another procession follows the route from the church of San Juan Bautista to the church of Corpus Christi and La Purísima.

22.00: Transistores in concert at the Recinto de Peñas.

23.00: Ana Guerra in concert at the open-air cinema (admission 5 euros).

23.30: Desenkanto in concert at the Recinto de Peñas.

Midnight: Firework display from the roof of the Centro Cultural.

1.30: Los Happys in concert at the Recinto de Peñas.

Friday June 9

17.00: Foam party in the Jardín de Villa Rías.

Midnight: Musical parade from the Recinto de Peñas Festeras to the open-air cinema.

00.15: La Voria in concert at the Recinto de Peñas Festeras.

00.30: Orquesta La Mundial in concert at the open-air cinema (admission free of charge).

Saturday June 10

14.00: The Peñas celebrate with a giant paella in the Jardín de Villa Rías.

19.00: The Peñas hold their parade, complete with wine wagon, in Avenida del Carril!

22.30: Spoti and Marta Saorín in concert at the Recinto de Peñas.

23.00: Funambulista in concert at the open-air cinema (admission 10 euros).

Sunday June 11

11.30: Traditional “huertana” Mass in honour of the Virgen de la Salud, the Patron of Archena, at the parish church of San Juan Bautista.

19.30: The grand Corpus Christi parade of 2023, featuring floats, music and dance troupes. Route: Avenida Antonete Gálvez, Carretera Mula, Avenida Daniel Ayala, Avenida del Carril.

22.00: Cántame Cómo Pasó, a concert in the Plaza 1º de Mayo.

Midnight: Fireworks and music in the car park of the Miguel Medina school.

Sunday June 18

8.00: The second Romería of the Santísima Virgen de la Salud. The figure of the Virgen is taken back to her church at the Balneario spa resort from the parish church of San Juan Bautista.

20.30: Concert by the local Santa Cecilia music society at the open-air cinema.

For more upcoming events in the Region of Murcia go to the What’s on section of Murcia Today.