Why is the Moors and Christians festival celebrated on different dates?

The Moors and Christiansfestival  is one of the most spectacular and traditional festivals in Spain, especially popular in the Valencian Community and the province of Alicante. This celebration commemorates the historical battles between Muslims (Moors) and Christians during the Middle Ages. It includes parades, battle re-enactments, colourful costumes and firework displays.

One of its most curious features is that it does not have a single date. In each city or town, the festival is held in different months, from April to October. Why does this happen?

📌 1. Patron saints and local devotions

In many cases, the Moors and Christiansfestival  is celebrated around the feast of the local patron saint, considered to be the protector of the people against invasions or catastrophes.

In Alcoy, one of the oldest and most famous festivals is celebrated in April in honour of Saint George (Sant Jordi). According to legend, this saint miraculously appeared during a Muslim attack in 1276 and helped the Christians to win. Since then, it has been commemorated every year on that date.

In Villajoyosa, it is celebrated at the end of July, in honour of Santa Marta, considered by the inhabitants as their saviour during the pirate attacks by sea.

Thus, the date of the festival reflects both religious devotion and the historical memory of the place.

🏰 2. Historical recreations linked to the territory

Muchos municipios celebran hechos históricos que ocurrieron realmente en su zona durante la Reconquista: la toma de un castillo, una batalla ganada, la capitulación de un emir, etc.

For example:

• In Ontinyent, in August, spectacular medieval battles linked to local history are reenacted.

• In Murcia, a symbolic representation of the handing over of the city keys from the Moors to the Christians is included.

Each town celebrates its own history, and the chosen date corresponds to those events.

🎉 3. Links with local festivals and fairs

In some places, Moors and Christians form part of a week-long festival, local fair or harvest celebrations, which already have a set date..

• In Santa Pola, for example, the festival takes place in September as part of the patron saint's festivities..

• In Elche (Elx), it is celebrated in August, in combination with other important festivals such as the Misteri d'Elx..

This allows to integrate resources and attract more visitors during the same festive week..

🗓 4. Tourist and organisational reasons

In the province of Alicante, where there are many municipalities that celebrate this festival, the dates are coordinated in an informal way in order to:

• facilitating the participation of brass bands, theatre companies and other groups in various villages;

• allow tourists to attend more than one celebration without overlapping;

• avoid saturation of public services (police, sanitation, cleaning).

Festivals are therefore spread throughout the year, especially between spring and autumn. This benefits both the local economy and the visitor experience.

📅 Indicative calendar of important holidays