<\/span><\/h2>\nThe tradition of Las Hogueras<\/i> has its origins in the ancient custom of lighting bonfires to celebrate<\/b> the longest day of the year<\/b> and ward off evil by burning unwanted objects.<\/p>\n
In 1928, the celebration took its current, more organized and artistic form, inspired in part by Las Fallas<\/i> in Valencia, but with its own character.<\/p>\n
Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda Py y Ram\u00edrez de Cartagena<\/b><\/i> is considered an important promoter of this modern form. In fact, he was the initiator and founder of the festival Las Hogueras de San Juan<\/i>.<\/span> <\/p>\nAfter living in Valencia for 25 years and becoming familiar with the Fallas festival<\/i> there, he moved to Alicante in 1922. In 1928, at a meeting of Alicante-Atraction<\/i>, he proposed the organization of bonfires in Alicante, similar to those in Valencia<\/i>, but called Hogueras<\/i> and centered around the feast of San Juan<\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\nHe became the first chairman of the management committee<\/b> in 1930. Despite his noble lineage (Baron of Rosta<\/i> through his mother), Py<\/i> was known for his enthusiasm, selflessness and modesty. <\/span><\/p>\nJos\u00e9<\/i> died on March 15, 1932, but his legacy lives on; since 1942, a street in Alicante has been named after him in honor of his crucial role in the creation of the great Alicante Festival<\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Image:](\"https:\/\/www.purecostablanca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Jose-Maria-Py-y-Ramirez-de-Cartagena.jpg\" "\\"Jos\u00e9")
<\/span>Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda Py y Ram\u00edrez de Cartagena initiator of Las Hogueras de San Juan in Alicante.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.purecostablanca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Las-Hogueras-de-San-Juan-Alicante-monument.jpg\" "\\"Las")
<\/span>A monument during Las Hogueras de San Juan in Alicante. Photo: Comunitat Valenciana.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span>More than just bonfires<\/span><\/h2>\nLas Hogueras<\/i> is much more than just the burning of statues. It is a deeply rooted cultural phenomenon that revolves around community spirit, satire, art and the celebration of life. <\/p>\n
Neighborhood associations(comisiones<\/em>) work throughout the year to raise money and create their own hoguera<\/em> and barraca<\/em> (marquee). The monuments, made of wood and papier-m\u00e2ch\u00e9, are often satirical commentaries on current affairs, politics or local events. <\/p>\nThe celebration symbolizes renewal<\/b>: the old is burned to make way for the new. It is a week when the city buzzes with energy, music, color and togetherness. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/span>The highlights of Las Hogueras<\/i><\/span><\/h2>\nThe week of Las Hogueras<\/em> is full of events. Here are the absolute must-sees<\/em> for this edition: <\/p>\n\n- \n
The “Preg\u00f3n” (June 5)<\/b>:<\/span> The official proclamation and opening of the fiesta from the balcony of the City Hall. After the festive opening parade, this event heralds the start of the city’s festivities, this year kicked off extra festively with a welcome party in the Zona Volvo<\/i>; <\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
La Plant\u00e0 (June 19-20)<\/b>:<\/span> On the night of Friday, June 19 to Saturday, June 20, all the monuments are officially built. The children’s monuments are there from midnight on the 19th, and the large adult works of art follow exactly 24 hours later. From then on, hundreds of colorful and often meter-high satires adorn the streets and squares; <\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Masclet\u00e1s (June 18-24 at 2 p.m.)<\/b>:<\/span> A deafening spectacle of popping fireworks in the Plaza de los Luceros. This year’s official competition concurs for no less than seven consecutive days. What matters here is not the colors, but the rhythm, the atmosphere and the sheer power of the explosions. In addition, early masclet\u00e1s<\/i> can already be admired at the malls on the weekend of June 7 and 13; <\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Ofrenda de Flores (June 21 and 22)<\/b>:<\/span> Thousands of foguerers<\/i> and barraquers<\/i> march through the city in traditional costume in two consecutive evening sessions to offer flowers to the Virgen del Remedio (the patron saint of Alicante) at the San Nicol\u00e1s Cathedral. The thousands of flowers combine to form a gigantic, colorful mosaic carpet; <\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Parades and Folklore<\/b>:<\/span> In addition to the flower offering, numerous traditional parades fill the streets:<\/p>\n\n- \n
Cabalgata del Ninot (June 6)<\/b>:<\/span> a large and cheerful parade in which neighborhood associations walk along dressed in the theme of their own monument;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Nanos i Gegants (June 22, 23 and 24 at 1 p.m.)<\/b>:<\/span> for centuries, these traditional dwarfs and giants with their large cardboard heads have been a permanent part of the festivities. They parade through the streets around the Rambla in the afternoon; <\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Dans\u00e0 d’Alacant and International Folkloric Defile (June 23)<\/b>:<\/span> On the evening of the 23rd, first the traditional Valencian dance(dans\u00e0<\/i>) is performed around the Official Monument in the town hall square. This is immediately followed by a large international parade showcasing the rich culture and costumes of the region and host countries. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Nit de la Crem\u00e0 (night of June 24-25)<\/b>:<\/span> the absolute and spectacular highlight of the fiesta. Everything begins at the stroke of midnight (00:00) with the lighting of La Palmera<\/i>: a monumental palm tree of white fireworks that illuminates the sky from the top of Mount Benacantil. Immediately afterwards, the official monument and then all the hundreds of other hogueras<\/i> in the city are set ablaze. A unique and beloved part is the bany\u00e0<\/i> (the bath), in which firefighters spray the jumping and cheering crowd wet for much-needed refreshment; <\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Fireworks party on the beach (June 25 to 29)<\/b>:<\/span> once the monuments are reduced to ashes, the party is not over. For five nights, a spectacular fireworks competition erupts over the water at Playa del Coc\u00f3<\/i> at 00:00. The festival concludes colorfully on Sunday, June 29, at 20:00 with the Desfile del Coso Multicolor<\/i>, a joyous parade in which tons of confetti fly through the streets. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>![\"Ofrenda](\"https:\/\/www.purecostablanca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Las-Hogueras-de-San-Juan-Alicante-Ofrenda-de-Flores.jpg\" "\\"Las")
<\/span>Image: Ofrenda de Flores during Las Hogueras de San Juan in Alicante. Photo: Comunitat Valenciana.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span>Traditional costume<\/span><\/h2>\nThe traditional costumes of the Hogueras de San Juan<\/i> are a symbol of the tradition and splendor of these festivities in Alicante, showcasing the city’s rich cultural heritage and deep-rooted traditions.<\/p>\n\n- The Belleas del Foc<\/i> (beauties of the fire) embody the spirit of the festival through their Valencian costumes. These include voluminous skirts, elaborate jewelry and traditional hairstyles that emphasize their central role in the festivities; <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Foguerer<\/i> and Foguerera<\/i> costumes: the representatives of each hoguera <\/i>(bonfire group) wear traditional regional attire. Men wear close-fitting pants called zarag\u00fcelles<\/i>, combined with a shirt, sash and embroidered vest. Women wear wide, flowing skirts known as faldas de fallera<\/i>, along with a blouse, scarf or cape, and traditional hair accessories. This clothing serves as a symbol of pride and identity for Alicante residents. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/span>Las Hogueras<\/i> versus Las Fallas<\/i><\/span><\/h2>\nLas Hogueras<\/i> are often compared to Valencia’ s Las Fallas<\/i>, and there are certainly similarities. Both celebrations revolve around the building and burning of monumental works of art<\/b>(ninots<\/em>), impressive fireworks, and tremendous community involvement. <\/p>\nThe main differences are in the timing(Hogueras<\/i> in June, Fallas<\/i> in March), the name of the monuments and some specific traditions. The Bellea del Foc<\/em> (Beauty of Fire) is the queen of the fiesta in Alicante, while Valencia has its Fallera Mayor<\/em>. <\/p>\nThe atmosphere in June, with the summer sun, also gives Las Hogueras<\/i>its own, warmer character, making, for example, the bany\u00e0<\/em> during the Crem\u00e0 possible and popular. Although inspired by Valencia, Alicante has developed its own proud festival. <\/p>\n<\/span>Jumping over bonfires<\/span><\/h2>\nAnother beloved tradition inseparable from the Noche de San Juan<\/i> (the night of June 23-24) and also alive in Alicante is jumping over bonfires.<\/p>\n
Although, of course, one cannot cross the meter-high, burning monumental <\/span>hogueras<\/em> in the city, many residents and visitors flock to the beaches, such as <\/span>Postiguet<\/i> and <\/span>San Juan Playa<\/i>. There they create smaller, proprietary fires over which, they jump (often three or seven times). This provides <\/span>purification<\/b>, <\/span>happiness<\/b> and the <\/span>warding off evil<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>![\"Nanos](\"https:\/\/www.purecostablanca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Las-Hogueras-de-San-Juan-Alicante-Nanos-i-Gegants.jpg\" "\\"Las")
<\/span>Nanos i Gegants during Las Hogueras de San Juan in Alicante. Photo: Comunitat Valenciana.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/www.purecostablanca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Las-Hogueras-de-San-Juan-Alicante-2026-poster.webp\" "\\"Las")
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