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October 2 to 24 Annual fiestas in Los Alcázares
Highlights include the Día del Caldero on October 12 and the Gastromar festival the following weekend
Los Alcázares celebrates 43 years of municipal independence on October 13
Every October the local fiestas of Los Alcázares are held around 13th October to commemorate the anniversary of the town being granted municipal independence in 1983, and this year the festivities are programmed to last from October 2 to October 24.
However, the fiestas don't officially begin until Friday 9th October in the Plaza Manuel Floreal Menárguez alongside the Town Hall, when the "chupinazo", takes place, and two days later, on the National Day of Spain, is the annual Día del Caldero. This is when, weather permitting, thousands of people gather on the beach for a lunch of the traditional “caldero” fish stock and rice dish – topped off with a generous dollop of alioli - and is without a doubt one of the highlights of the year for the population along the inland shore of the Mar Menor.
13th October is marked by official commemorations of municipal Independence, while other highlights include the numerous live music events, the “Surfari” surfers’ gathering (9th to 11th October) and the gastronomic events entitled "Saborea" and “Gastromar” (both from the 16th to the 18th of the month).
The full program includes the following:
Friday October 2
8.00: Opening of “Sueños de un Pequeños Mar”, an art exhibition at the Hotel Atrio del Mar. The exhibition will run until October 31.
Saturday October 3
9.00: The start of the Los Alcázares Canoe Open at Playa Las Palmeras Beach (next to the CAR Infanta Cristina).
10.00: Frist Mar Menor jigsaw puzzle competition at the Town Hall. Click here for further details.
10.00: Urban art safari cycle ride, starting at the Tourist Office: click here for further details. Prior registration is required.
11.00: Free boat trip on the Mar Menor leaving from the Pescadería jetty: click here for further details. Prior registration is required.
11.00: Traces that Connect: animal welfare, volunteering and adoption in the Plaza del Espejo.
11.00: Children’s games, workshops and storytelling in Plaza del Espejo.
22.00: Opening gala of the fiestasto choose the municipal Ambassadors for the fiestas and their Court of Honour in Plaza Manuel Floreal Menarguez.
Sunday October 4
10.00: The traditional “Laúdes” regatta, a celebration of lateen sailing just offshore from Paseo Manzanares and Paseo del Espejo.
11.00: Free boat trip leaving on the Mar Menor from the Pescadería jetty: click here for further details. Prior registration is required.
16.00 to 20.00: Free children’s activities in the fairground area on Avenida Joaquin Blume.
Wednesday October 7
A giant caldero for the elder members of the community at the fairground in Avenida Joaquín Blume.
Thursday October 8
20.00: A talk on the history of the banknote at Los Alcázares Town Hall.
Friday October 9
During the morning the official flag-raising ceremony takes place at the C101 Aircraft Roundabout (Av. Mariano Ballester and Av. Cartagena).
21.45: The “chupinazo” firecrackers are set off in the Plaza Manuel Floreal Menárguez, next to the Town Hall.
21.45: Handing out of fiestas neckerchiefs in Plaza Manuel Floreal Menaguez.
22.30: The official opening of the fiestas in Plaza Manuel Floreal Menarguez.
23.00: Los Inhumanos live in concert in Plaza Manuel Floreal Menárguez.
October 9 to 11
The annual Mar Menor Surfari, a large gathering of surfboarders and kitesurfers at the nautical beach of Las Salinas.
Saturday October 10
11.00: Children’s games, workshops and storytelling at Los Narejos Civic Centre.
16.00 and 17.30: Seafaring routes, advance booking required.
18.00: Pre-Calderos musical entertainment in Plaza de la Feria.
22.30: Live music in Plaza Manuel Floreal Menarguez.
Sunday October 11
9.30 and 11.00: Maritime tourism route, advance booking required.
10.00 to 14.00: Associations Fair in Plaza Real de la Feria, a chance for local clubs, societies and associations to show what they do and attract new members.
22.00 PARRANDBOLEROS in concert in Plaza Manuel Floreal Menárguez, followed by churrois with hot chocolate at 23.30.
Monday October 12, a national holiday and the big day for Los Alcázares
All day: Groups set up their traditional “caldero” kit on the beach and prepare this culinary delicacy unique to the Mar Menor and the surrounding area.
Entertainment all day long along the seafront promenade, featuring a stage with travelling live music acts, DJs at various points along the promenade and brass bands.
11.00: Free boat trip on the Mar Menor leaving from the Pescadería jetty.
10.00 to 16.00: Cultivated Biodiversity Fair in the Plaza del Espejo.
Tuesday October 13, a local holiday in Los Alcázares
11.00: Children’s games, workshops and storytelling in Plaza Manuel Floreal Menárguez (next to Los Alcázares Town Hall).
11.00: Free boat trip on the Mar Menor leaving from the Pescadería jetty: click here for further details. Prior registration is required.
21.00: The Alkazar awards ceremony in Plaza Manuel Floreal Menárguez, with a performance by the musical unit of the Air Force Academy (AGA).
October 14 to 17
Spanish Finn Class sailing championship opposite the CAR Infanta Cristina.
October 16 to 23
Europa Finn Class sailing championship opposite the CAR Infanta Cristina.
October 16 to 18
The GASTROMAR gastronomy festival in Plaza Real de la Feria and Plaza Manuel Floreal Menárguez. Chef ambassador for this year’s evento is Edu Torres and the programme features tastings and samplings. Advance registration via the website is required (www.gastromarlosalcazares.com).
The SABOREA–GASTROMAR AREA opens from 8.30 pm to midnight in Plaza Real de la Feria, featuring the region’s finest restaurants.
At 23.00 there are concerts at the SABOREA venue (Plaza Real de la Feria).
Saturday October 17
The SABOREA AREA–GASTROMAR opens from 10.00 am to midnight
23.00: Radar Band in concert in Plaza Real de la Feria.
Sunday October 18
The SABOREA AREA–GASTROMAR opens from 10.00 am to midnight
10.30: Charity Ham Carving to raise funds for Afa Levante in Plaza Manuel Floreal Menárguez.
16.30: Los Happys in concert in the Plaza Real de la Feria.
Thursday October 22
10.00: Energy efficiency workshop with the Red Cross in the CISSMU building.
Saturday October 24
9.30: 1st Los Alcázares Calisthenics trophy at Las Palmeras Calisthenics Park.
11.00 to 14.00: Classic car display in Avenida 13 de Octubre Avenue, next to the Los Alcázares Tourist Office.
Sunday October 25
9.00: Registration opens in Paseo Carrión for the annual Cancer Awareness Walk, which starts at 10.00.
For more local news, events and visiting information contact the tourist offices in Los Alcázares or go to the home page of Los Alcázares Today.
