Ibiza Fiesta: August 8th

The biggest and best fireworks display in Ibiza takes place every year on 8th August in Ibiza town to celebrate the day of San Ciriaco. This is what it looks like!

Thanks to the nice people at the Ibiza Gran Hotel, you too can have this Grandstand view - that's Grandstand with a capital Gee - as the hotel's Casino and Gee bar have a fabulous food offer for the evening.

 Gourmet food and wine for €50 or €60 per person and a fantastic view of the pyrotechnics, what are you waiting for? Get on your i-phone now, there's a limited capacity.

Fiesta Ibiza: San Juan 2010

June's the month when we go to town in the bonfire and fireworks departments for the fiesta of San Juan.

The main celebration takes place in the village of San Juan in the north of Ibiza but every year since 1971 there's been a 'travelling' San Juan fiesta which visits a different locality annually on the night of the 23rd/24th June.

This year it's in San Agustin and for the last few years there's been a competition to design a poster for the fiesta.

This year's winner was designed by Sonia Griñó López and is simple but eye catching yet lacking in any information about date and venue which might detract from its design.

Here's a pile of information about what happened last year

Ibiza Easter Processions: Santa Eulalia

I've been to see the procesions many times, so thought it would be nice to get a report from someone who's never been before. Didi Mae Hand is a young student from London who's here on holiday and went to see the procession in Santa Eulalia for the first time. Here's what she thought, accompanied by her own photos.

"This procession is not for spectators who hope to be consumed by an event of overwhelming pace and urgency. Indeed Santa Eulalia’s Easter parade is one of the most ponderous sacraments I’ve ever witnessed, and with each step covering exactly half the length of a marcher’s foot it is of little surprise that the eerily colourful procession takes over an hour to reach the church.

Friday’s parade in Santa Eulalia was one of a series happening across Ibiza over the Easter weekend in veneration of the crucifixion and subsequent resurrection of Jesus. To illustrate this sombre series of events sets of cloaked and hooded figures paraded down the street in ever more sinisterly coloured garb, guarding various effigies of Christ in an increasingly worrying physical state.

Indeed the whole parade would have been very eerie were it not for the infallibility of the locals. Lining the streets 4 deep the crowd could not help but break ranks, running into the middle of the procession to bat away the straying hand of a young Roman soldier from his own tempting orifices or to have their picture taken next to the anonymous and shrouded figure of a loved one.

 
I confess I have never seen anything quite like the procession of Santa Eulalia, infused as it was with Pagan undertones and outbursts of community spirit, and despite finding the experience a little unsettling I am happy to have observed such a long standing Mediterranean ritual – I just wish I could have observed it a little faster."

Easter Ibiza: Santa Eulalia Processions

The religious celebration of Easter in Ibiza is a fascinating and moving spectacle and nowhere more so than in Santa Eulalia.

Several solemn processions take place there over the Easter period when traditionally garbed Penitents carry flower bedecked 'floats' carrying religious statues parade through the town.

The first procession is on 28th March, Palm Sunday, leaving the Chapel of Lourdes at 10.00 followed by a mass in the church at 11.00.


The two main processions take place on Easter Thursday, 1st April at 21.00 and Good Friday, 2nd April at 20.00 proceeding through the main streets of Santa Eulalia.

There's also a concert on Good Friday at 12.30 in front of the town hall and you can see the programme on the poster we've reproduced here.

Ibiza Spring Festival: Atzaro

Fast becoming one of Ibiza's Rites of Spring is the the fabulous Atzaro country hotel's annual Spring Fiesta. It takes place on Sunday 21st March in the picturesque heart of Ibiza near San Lorenzo with a 12.00 start and a welcome cocktail.

So, put a spring in your step and head on down to Atzaro

Ibiza Fiesta in Depth: San Jose 2010

Ibiza Spotlight's news section has the complete programme of entertainment for the upcoming San Jose Fiesta so here in our blog we're going a little more 'in depth' with videos of the bands performing during the next few weeks

19/3 22.00 Live concert with 'Ressonadors' in the church square



20/3 22.00 Live concert with Paco Fernandez, Can Raia Rock and Black Onions








27/3 21.00 Bar Crawl - Live music with Ivan Domenech touring all the bars in the village followed by fire-walking demons and spirits!



09/4 20.30 Sant Pepe Rock in the football ground with Fito and the Fitipaldis.
 

Natural Ibiza: Local Produce Market III

Surpirise, surprise, there's another big local fiesta in Ibiza this month. River town Santa Eulalia celebrates on the 12th of February, BUT, they actually prolong the festivities for weeks.

Our friends from Aaple have organised several local products markets in Santa Eulalia itself and villages within the borough.

It's all good stuff, and all of it really does come from Ibiza. See you there? 

Ibiza Fiesta: Flower Power San Antonio

San Antonio becomes San Francisco for one hippietastic night on Saturday when 'Flower Power' hits the town. There'll be Afro wigs, loon pants, joss sticks, free love and patchouli oil for everyone!

It's the 6th of the fiesta, if you can remember the first then you can't have been there, and has 21.30 kick off centred around the marquee in the town's main square. If you're going to San Antonio, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair, and remember that the action takes place all around the town's bars, decorated in day-glo to mark the occasion.

There'll be bands playing, usually touring round on the back of a wagon, and music everywhere, so be prepared to stop up way beyond your normal bedtime.

Peace, man.

Fiesta Ibiza: Romans v Carthaginians

Two ancient civilisations collide in battle in Ibiza this weekend as the armed forces of San Antonio and San Agustin meet on Arenal beach in San An near Bar M.

It's all part of the fun of the towns' respective fiestas celebrated recently – San Agustin on 28^th August and San Bartolome on the 24^th when the citizens of each become Carthaginians (San An) and Romans (San Ag.)

I reckon that the Agustinians have the easiest job turning themselves into Romans as only a white sheet and a few bay leaves are needed. The Antonians have a more difficult task to become Carthaginians but I think you'll agree that the results are certainly eye-catching!

There'll be more fake blood flowing than at a Harlequins' match when a giant battle using tons of tomatoes as ammunition commences but no need to worry as a peace treaty is signed and we all have a big BBQ, a few bevvies and watch a band.

We've put together a slideshow from last year to give you a 'flavour' of what happens

Here's the full programme of activities which really is great fun

Friday 4/9 19.00 Beach Games on Arenal Beach

Friday 4/9 21.00 Music, dinner and the first 'meeting' of the enemy forces

Saturday 5/9 17.00 gathering of the armies, Carthaginians at San An town hall, Romans at El Ruedo parking on the Avenida San Agustin, followed by parades of the troops.

Saturday 19.00 Tomato battle on Arenal beach

Saturday 21.00 BBQ

Saturday 21.30 Live music with Morbo and U2 tribute group Achtung Band

So, why not go along to cheer on your favourites?

Ibiza Fiesta: Vintage Motors in San Antonio

San Antonio's San Bartolome celebrations have an automotive theme to them this Saturday (22nd) when the 'Sant Antoni Motor Festival 2009' takes place.

Amongst the events planned are two parades of classic cars and motorbikes around the town in the afternoon and evening and there'll be plenty of excitement as go-kart racing comes to the streets of San An at noon.


Here's a slideshow of some of the classic cars you'll be able to see. Many of them are right hand drive because they date back to a time when lots of countries used to drive on the correct side of the road, the left.





And finally, if anyone's thinking of getting me a Christmas present, I'd like a bike like this one. Ideal for picking off pirate taxis a foot from my back bumper!

Ibiza Fiesta: Rock and Religion

We have yet another fiesta on the horizon in Ibiza this month.
It's the celebration of San Bartolome, known as St. Bartholomew in English on 24th August. Many places all around Spain as well as San Antonio honour the life of the Saint, who was one of Christ's disciples (also known as Nathaniel)  and is also the patron saint of butchers.
A martyr, he met a grisly end somewhere in the east when he was skinned alive and then crucified upside down, and is often depicted in paintings as holdinghis own skin over his arm as one would carry an overcoat.
Thankfully, there's nothing grisly about the fiesta's headline act this year, Spanish rocker, Rosendo. A veteran guitarist of the Spanish rock scene, Rosendo's first influences in the early 70's were Rory Gallagher and Canned Heat.
Now in his 50's he's still rocking, but these days he no longer plays a Fender Stratocaster, having swopped it for a Gibson some years ago because it looked cooler.


Here he is on video

Ibiza Fiestas: San Agustin 2009

This year's San Agustin Fiesta features Ska Cubano who are sure to get the crowds up on their feet dancing on 28th August - the big day of four days of live music and fun.


Here they are on video



Check out Spotlight News for the full programme

Fiesta Ibiza: San Juan Island Wide

If you've read our news article with the programme for the San Juan Fiesta in the village of the same name you'll know that it's the epicentre of the celebrations.

Being Ibiza we don't restrict ourselves to one place and one day when there's a good party to be had, and true to form there are celebrations all over the island on the 23^rd June

In Santa Eulalia you can see Catalan Folk Rockers La Carrau from Terrassa and local boys Pota Lait in concert in the town centre.

San Jose kicked off last night at the world famous KM8 bar Can Jordi with a concert by Projecte Mut, Black Onions and German rockers Pirate-X. On the 23^rd there's a concert and bonfire next to the town hall with the Sagitario Orchestra.

In Talamanca there's a concert by The Lost Mountain Orchestra and The Lights in the Night followed by fireworks at midnight.

Puig den Valls has Folk Dancing at 22.00 followed by midnight fireworks

Jesús has a dance orchestra and yes, midnight fireworks.

Ibiza town, which has reduced its budget for the night's celebrations by 75% from previous years, has a concert by Mar del Este (featuring San Antonio's singing policeman Micki Silva) in the Reina Sofia park

Ibiza Fiestas: San Juan

Every year we celebrate the summer solstice and the shortest nights at the Fiesta of San Juan. On the 23^rd to 24^th June nine bonfires are lit at midnight when tradition demands that villagers and visitors leap over the fires. It symbolises leaping from one stage of life to the next, leaving all the bad things behind and looking forward to a brighter future.

Even if you can't get to the village of San Juan where the main fiesta is held, nearly everywhere else in Ibiza celebrates the event and every small boy is equipped with boxes of super loud fire crackers to shock passers by!

 Here's a video of San Jose's bonfire in 2008.

Cultural Ibiza: Alternative Space

Today's a big day for thousands and thousands of clubbers who've come to Ibiza for the massive Space opening party.

For the hundreds of thousands of others who'll be giving it a miss there are other cultural activities available and a glimpse at the Diario de Ibiza's Cultural Agenda reveals the following

All day at Santa Eulalia's Congress Palace you can catch American Python Terry Gilliam at the Third Ibiza Film Festival.

At Can Ventosa in Ibiza town there's a performance of Rossini's farcical opera ‘Il Signor Bruschino’ at 19.00.

Art lovers might fancy a trip to Ibiza Council's 'Sala Capitular' where there's an exhibition marking 40 years of the city's Museum of Modern Art featuring works by Alcaraz, Bechtold, Broner, Calbet, Echarri, Faber, Flanagan, Floris, Hinterreiter, Hormigo, Marca-Relli, Portmany, Micus, Munford, Sansegundo, Schlosser, Tur Costa and Trökes. This one runs until October.

There's plenty of silliness at San Jose famous Clown School from 20.00 today with an Homage to Xevi Collellmir involves quite a bit of clowning around. (Tip – don't be tempted to smell any giant flowers in lapels!)

The Andalusians in Ibiza celebrate the 'Rocío' today with a choir at 13.00 and at 18.00 a procession to the Church of the Rosario.

More choral music can be heard at Santa Cruz Church in Ibiza when Charlotte Look directs a concert by 5 choirs from San Agustin at 18.30

And finally, there's a big folklore festival 'Mare Nostrum' taking place all over the island with traditional music and dancing from all over Spain and germany which you can catch at 11.30 in San Jose, 12.00 in San Antonio, 19.00 in Ibiza's Reina Sofia park, 19.30 in San Miguel and 20.00 in Jesus.

Enjoy your day everyone, where ever you go.

Traditional Ibiza: The Fiesta of San Isidro

The annual fiesta of San Isidro - the Patron Saint of peasants and Madrid - take splace in San Jose this Sunday 17th May. It's very much a celebration of agriculture, country life and traditional skills and crafts with products brought in for sale and many made before your very eyes.

If your Catalan isn't so hot, the day starts at 11.00 with agricultural machinery, plants and animals on display, and a market of ecological products. At 18.00 onwards you can see local craftsmen at work and then at 19.00 is a parade of horse drawn carts and folk dancing.


To give you a better idea, here's a slideshow of photos from the last couple of years





and finally, to get you in the mood, I captured an impromptu jam session by local musicians whilst having a beer in Raco Verd

Shameless Ibiza: Paco's View

I spotted the unprepossessing figure of Paco Fernandez at the cheese and bacon counter in the Ses Paisses branch of SYP supermarket yesterday and he readily agreed that if I gave him a good grilling that he would spill the beans on his recent trip to Britain.

He'd been in Manchester as part of the promotion of the 4 Balearic Islands which took place over the May Bank Holiday weekend and told me that he had not had much time to see the city but had enjoyed it immensely. He added that he'd found the people very friendly there even though most of his time had been spent going between his hotel and the concerts he performed.

He was really pleased with the organisation of the festival, the large crowds that turned out, and the venue in La Plaza de Alberto (Albert Square) and was hopeful that despite the low value of the pound at the moment, it would bring many British tourists to Ibiza this summer.

His message to tourists coming to Ibiza this year was that, sure, you can find places where you can spend lots of money on the island, but you can also find places where you spend hardly anything and still have a great time.

And you know, he's absolutely right!

Here he is in his more familiar role of chillout, jazz, flamenco guitarist in Raco Verd

Ibiza Fiesta: What about the Workers

Not only is today the official start of the holiday season in ibiza, but it's a national holiday in Spain. El Dia del Trabajador – Workers' Day – is celebrated by not doing any work. So what can idle workers do in Ibiza today?

We've raided the Diario de Ibiza's Cultural Agenda to find the following activities.

It's Indian Week in Ibiza and at the Can Ventosa Cultural Centre you can have a course in Ayurveda, an ancient Indian holistic medical system involving diet, yoga, massage and herbal remedies to keep you at optimum health (10.00) or watch a video about yoga (18.00)

 Feel like spending some money? Then you'll find plenty of knick-knacks, trinkets and bric-a-brac at the 'hippy markets' in Santa Eulalia (09.00 to 14.00) and Ibiza Port (17.00 to 02.00)

Traditional Fiestas are taking place in Santa Eulalia and San Jorge. In Santa Eulalia you can see some superb displays of horsemanship (11.00 to 19.00), browse some super boats for sale in the Nautical Fair, and take in a concert by Pota Lait and Toc Rock (21.30)

Here's a video of Ibiza's favourite pipe smoking, trilby wearing folk rock outfit Pota Lait

San Jorge has a fun fancy dress treasure hunt for adults of all ages, just bring a car, a camera and 4 of your mates (10.00) and at lunch time there's a Flao competition in the town plaza (13.00)

Fancy a bit of live music in I-town? Bar Demiedo has Flamenco fusion outfit Funkalé (23.00) at Bar Tal y Cual, Iván Doménech, Joan Barbé, Jano Blanco and Fernando Hormigo will play (23.30)

Not bad for a little island?

Shameless Ibiza: Balearics Hit Manchester

It'll be sunshine on a rainy day in Britain's capital of precipitation on each of this bank holiday weekend's 4 days as Ibiza comes to town.

From May 1^st to 4^th you can

“Discover the Balearic Islands in Manchester - a bank holiday event presenting the best of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The centre piece is a huge marquee in Albert Square, Manchester. Throughout the day and evening there will be music and entertainment on the stage, horse dressage in the arena, artisan demonstrations, food and drink sampling and a daily parade containing 110 people.”

 Lucky Mancs, currently basking in double digit temperatures which the press have been crowing about all week in their familiar 'it's hotter than Ibiza' style, will not only be able to get a bronzie, but they've also hijacked one of our top musicians, Paco Fernandez, who'll be giving a concert there.

 All the details are on a special Discover the Balearics in Manchester site and if you needed any more persuasion to go here's a video I took of Paco in San Jose's Raco Verd bar.

Ibiza Medieval Festival 2009

Every year Ibiza holds a Medieval Festival to celebrate its status as a World Heritage City and this year is no exception. It'll be 10 years since the first festival was held in 1999 when Dalt Vila once again becomes an example of all the best things about the Middle ages. From Friday 8th May to Sunday 10th you'll be able to see and hear life as it was with music, singing, dancing, acrobats, performers and of course a medieval market to buy souvenirs of your trip back in time.


The complete programme is being released tomorrow and the nice people at Ibiza town council have promised to despatch a runner with a roll of parchment with all the details for our news section - so check it out to plan your trip.


Meanwhile, here's a slideshow of photos from past years to give a flavour of what goes on.





Here's the full programme of events