Mazarrón Calendar of annual fiestas

Mazarrón Fiestas

The town and port of Mazarrón host a range of fiestas and celebrations throughout the year, bringing life and colour to the municipality.

Of greatest local significance are the Fiestas del Milagro in Bolnuevo and Mazarrón, which are normally celebrated on 17^th November, with the Romería and the event known amongst the ex-pat community as the Bolnuevo Sardine Festival, taking place on the Sunday following the 17th November.

Equally important is La Purísima, a holiday in Mazarrón on 8^th December (and also a national holiday), when there is a Fiesta Grande in honour of the patron saint of the town.

Other annual celebrations are:

Fiestas de los Reyes Magos, on 5^th January;

Fiestas of the Patron Saint of Puerto de Mazarrón, San José, on 19^th March;

Fiestas de Verano in Puerto de Mazarrón, throughout the months of July and August;

Virgen del Carmen in Puerto de Mazarrón ( with marine procession) on 16^th July;

Asunción de la Virgen in Puerto de Mazarrón on 15^th August;

Holy Week ( Easter), Semana Santa in Mazarrón;

Fiesta del Corpus;

Fiestas de Santa Bárbara (patron saint of miners).

Fiestas de la Purísima Concepción

4^th to 8^th December

On and around 8^th December Mazarrón is in fiesta mood to celebrate the day of the Inmaculada Concepción, patron saint of the town, following a tradition which has taken place since the 17^th century.

The "peñas" (fiesta groups, or clubs) of the town put a lot of effort into preparing the events held at this time of year, with the main floats parading through the streets of the municipality on the 8^th December.

It is not known exactly when it was decided that the Inmaculada Concepción should be the patron saint of Mazarrón, but there is a general consensus that this association dates back to the 16^th century, when the inhabitants began to worship this figure with special fervor after the event known as the "Miracle of Bolnuevo".

The origins of the devotion of La Purísima

In 1549 the decision was made to build a new place of worship in the town of Mazarrón, adding to the two already in existence (dedicated to San Andrés and San Antonio). According to the chronicle of San Pedro Alcántara, this small church was built in an area of rosemary bushes: tucked out of the way, in order to save it from possible attack during the not infrequent raids by Berber pirates.

Years later, between 1565 and 1573, the church was dedicated to the Virgen de la Concepción, when an effigy of the saint was placed inside it. Following this the devotion of the townspeople to the figure of the Virgen grew, and a brotherhood was formed in her name. Various supposed miracles were attributed to her influence, and she was gradually considered to be the main protector of the safety and wellbeing of the town and its people.

The events that ensured her place as the patron saint of the town occurred on 17^th November 1585, a date which is remembered in the Romería in Bolnuevo.

For full details about the Romería of Bolnuevo and the events behind the miracle of Bolnuevo, click through to the Romería of Bolnuevo.

Place of Worship

The current Iglesia de la Purísima is also known as the Iglesia del Convento, because originally it was built by the friars who came to the area to found a monastery for the order of the "Franciscanos Descalzos" (Barefoot Franciscans). The monks remained in Mazarrón until the ecclesiastic reforms made by the liberal governments of the 19^th century.

Click for Iglesia de la Purísima for details of the church and times of mass, Click  Iglesia de la Purísima.

In the middle of the 20^th century another sanctuary in honour of La Purísima was built in Bolnuevo, commemorating the place where, legend has it, the Virgen made her interventions to thwart the attempted Berber raid.

The destruction of the Image of the Virgen

During the Civil War the original image of the Virgen de la Purísima was burnt. In its place a new sculpture was made by José Sánchez Lozano after the war, and this figure is still in the Bolnuevo church.