January 18 to February 2 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 2025 on Saturday January 18, with most events being held at the Centro Cultural Pepe Salcedo.
The program for the following couple of weeks includes the following:
Saturday January 18, children’s day and “migas” day
13.30: Musical parade with “Los Robatubos”, portions of migas and games for children.
18.00: Live music from “Liverpool” and a DJ at the Centro Cultural Pepe Salcedo.
January 24 and 25
The Barranda Folk Festival takes place in the village, maintaining the strong links between Barranda and traditional music. Click here for the program of events in the festival.
Sunday January 26
The 2024 Fiesta de las Cuadrillas
Wednesdady January 29
21.00: Embutido night, a tasting of traditional sausage and other meat products at the Centro Cultural Pepe Salcedo.
Thursday January 30
21.00: Rice night, paella dishes for all and live music from Laura Amores at the Centro Cultural Pepe Salcedo.
Saturday February 1
8.00: Collection of firewood for the events of the evening ahead, preceded by coffee in the Bar del Pensionista before heading off to the mountains.
15.00: Float parade.
17.30: The evening entertainment begins at the Centro Social.
22.30: The traditional community bonfire is lit to warm the evening up!
Suniday February 2, the Feast Day of the Virgen de la Candelaria
7.30: The village is wakened by a parade through the streets.
8.00: Candlemas in the church.
12.30: Holy Mass in honour of the Virgen de la Candelaria with dancing at the door of the church and a parade in the streets.
19.00: Procession through the streets of the figure of the Virgen de la Candelaria, followed by a firework display outside the church (20.30).
23.00: Flamenco group Juandi Ruzafa and DJ music at the Centre Social.
For more local events, news and visiting information go to the home page of Caravaca Today
Address
Calle De Las Monjas, 19, 30400 CARAVACA DE LA CRUZTel: 968 702424 / 968 701003
Oficina de Turismo de Caravaca de la Cruz
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 sahres boundaries with Moratalla, Cehegín, Lorca, Puebla de Don Fadrique in the province of Granada and Vélez-Blanco in the province of Almería.
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
