January 10 to February 3 Fiestas de la Candelaria in the Caravaca village of Barranda
Parades and plenty of traditional music and food as Barranda honours the Virgen de la Candelaria
The village of Barranda in the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz celebrates its annual fiestas in honour of the Virgen de la Candelaria, whose feast day falls on February 2, and the festivities begin in 2026 on Saturday January 10 with the crowning of the Fiestas Queen and live music from Alboroque followed by DJ music at the Centro Cultural Pepe Salcedo.
The program for the following couple of weeks includes the following:
Saturday January 17, “migas” day!
13.30: The very best migas are served, after which there is entertainment in what is billed as a “Rebember Festival”, although it seems safe to assume that this is a typographical error! Alongside are children’s games, face-painting and trampolines.
19.00: Live music from Orquesta Kacike.
23.00: DJ music into the early hours of the morning.
January 23 and 24
The Barranda Folk Festival takes place in the village, maintaining the strong links between Barranda and traditional music.
Sunday January 25
The 2026 Fiesta de las Cuadrillas, traditional music and dancing.
Tuesday January 27
21.30: Embutido night, a tasting of traditional sausage and other meat products at the Centro Cultural Pepe Salcedo.
Wednesday January 30
21.00: Rice night, paella dishes for all and live music at the Centro Cultural Pepe Salcedo.
Sunday February 1
8.00: The collection of firewood for the evening bonfire begins.
14.30: Lunch for all at the Centro Social.
16.00: A musical parade through the streets of the village.
17.30: Live music from Los Happys followed by DJ music into the night.
Midnight: The ceremonial bonfire is lit to welcome the feast day of La Candelaria!
Monday February 2, the Feast Day of the Virgen de la Candelaria and the Barranda Winter Festival 2026
7.30: The village is wakened by a parade through the streets.
8.30: Candlemas in the church.
12.30: Holy Mass and a floral offering in honour of the Virgen de la Candelaria followed by dancing at the door of the church and a parade in the streets.
17.00: The procession of the figure of the Virgen de la Candelaria followed by fireworks at the church.
20.30: More fireworks at the Cooperativa to end the fiestas for another year.
23.00: The Winter Festival Barranda with various artists performing live.
For more local events, news and visiting information go to the home page of Caravaca Today
Image: Ayuntamiento de Caravaca de la Cruz
Address
Calle De Las Monjas, 19, 30400 CARAVACA DE LA CRUZTel: 968 702424 / 968 701003
Caravaca de la Cruz tourist office
More information about the places of interest which can be visited in the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz, along with what's on and local news can be found in the Caravaca Today.
Caravaca de la Cruz, in the north-west of the Region of Murcia, is one of only 5 Holy Cities in the Roman Catholic world, a centre of pilgrimage, along with Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liebana, and is home to the Cross of Caravaca, the Vera Cruz.
The status of Holy City was bestowed by Pope John Paul II in 1998, granting the City a Permanent Jubilee year every 7 years for perpetuity, the first one held in 2003 and the next in 2024.
The strategic and natural advantages of Caravaca de la Cruz have attracted the attention of settlers for more than 800,000 years, the Cueva Negra yielding remains of Homo Heidelbergensis, forbears of the Neanderthals and the municipality also houses important archaeological remains from the Argaric, Iberian and Roman cultures. many of these can be seen in the Municipal Archaeological Museum.
As a border town caught between the Catholic forces of Castille and the last remaining Moorish stronghold in Spain, Granada, Caravaca had a turbulent medieval history, but it was during this period that the legend of the Cross of Caravaca was born, bringing the religious orders which shaped the structure of Caravaca today, with its impressive hilltop castle and eclectic collection of churches and monasteries, religious tourism today being a backbone of the town´s economy.
Caravaca de la Cruz is a municipality with important natural resources, including extensive forests, part of which have protected status due to their wealth of flora and fauna, and due to the abundant water supplies is also a major area for canned fruit production, apricots in particular being an important crop.
Caravaca is renown for its important May Fiestas, held in honour of the Vera Cruz, which also incorporate the Moors and Christians celebrations and the Running of the Wine Horses.
Caravaca de la Cruz is also the home of Europe´s largest collection of ethnic instruments at Barranda, the Museo de Música Étnica Barranda and is the location of the Barranda festival de Cuadrillas, which celebrates the Region's ethnic music traditions.
The municipality is home to around 26,000 inhabitants and shares boundaries with Moratalla, Cehegín, Lorca, Puebla de Don Fadrique in the province of Granada and Vélez-Blanco in the province of Almería.
Tourist office opening times:
Weekdays: 10.00 to 14.00 and 16.30 to 19.30
Saturdays: 10.30 to 14.00 and 16.30 to 19.30
Sundays and public holidays: 10.30 to 14.00
Click for map, Caravaca de la Cruz Tourist Office
