Weekend Plans in Alicante: First Weekend of the Porrate de San Antón Festivities

The neighbourhood of San Antón in Alicante is already in full swing with celebrations in honour of the saint it is named after, patron of domestic animals. The Porrate festivities officially began this Friday with a proclamation by the Councillor for Social Welfare, Begoña León, and will continue this weekend and the next.

The blessing of the animals in the bullring is the main event of these festivities, which are considered among the oldest in Alicante, alongside Corpus Christi and the Raval Roig celebrations. However, this weekend promises to be very active until then.

The festive calendar this Sunday, January 12, features the highlight of the descent of galleys (12 noon) from Cuesta de la Fábrica street. The neighbourhood residents bring out their most creative 'vehicles' to the district's streets, aiming more for fun than speed records.

The festivities will resume on Thursday, January 16, with a costume contest hosted in the Patio de Sol. The following day, starting at 7:30 pm, a mass and subsequent procession with the saint's image are scheduled. It will begin at the Old Hospital Square, in front of the Mercy parish, and continue through Santa Teresa Square, Díaz Moreu, Empecinado, Trafalgar streets, Mercy Square, Cuesta de la Fábrica, Sevilla, San Carlos, Valencia streets, and end at the Old Hospital Square. As the procession passes through La Pipa Square, the Hermanos Sirvent pyrotechnics will launch a display of fireworks.

The paella contest on Saturday, January 18, will precede one of the major days of the festivities: the blessing of the animals in the bullring. After the mass at Mercy, officiated by the new parish priest Manuel Llopis, the bearers will carry the throne of San Antón to the bullring. There, following an exhibition and a horse contest, Llopis will impart the blessing for the first time after taking over from Felipe Martínez.