Traditions
There are a lot of celebrations during the year in Castalla. Most of them have hundreds of years of history and tradition, as the Moors and Christians, and others more recent as the San Isidro Fair. During the first quarter of the year there are several festivities: Carnival, Mig Any, and the Holy Week.
But when the weather is good the calendar is full of celebrations: San Francesc Fires, and San Isidro Fair. In July, the traditional Bouet de la Sang together with the Presentation of the Queen and the Court of the Moors and Christians and Sant Jaume on the 25th start the engines of the Local Festivities.
The celebration of la vaca in August is the traditional and popular festivity of the month. It is celebrated about the middle of August and during a few days there are free young cows in some closed streets.
At the end of this month it is also celebrated in the Plaça Major, the opening speech of the Moors and Christians Fête.
The local festivities start on 31st August with La nit de l'Olleta, and during the following four days there are an infinite number of acts celebrating, but it is noteworthy the parades of 1st and 3rd September for its colourful and spectacular show. Another characteristic acts are the procession of La Baixà de la Mare de Déu, where La Virgen de la Soledad, is taken from the hermitage to the church with bursts of gunpowder and the rhythm of waltzes or La Ballà de les Banderes. In September it is also celebrated in the penultimate weekend another typical festivity: Les danses, an old celebration with popular dancing in which la dolçaina i el tabalet are played.
