This free street festival in Benissa features giant water slides and a massive paella contest

The Marina Alta town of Benissa is gearing up for one of its most special community events: from July 9 to July 13, the Carrer de Sant Antoni and its surrounding streets will burst into life for the annual Sant Antoni Neighbourhood Festival, or Fiestas del Barrio de Sant Antoni. This entirely free celebration will blend deep-rooted local customs with lively modern entertainment, offering an authentic slice of Spanish community life for residents and visitors alike.

Banners, bingo, and community dining

The festivities begin on Thursday, July 9, with the traditional hanging of the Saint Anthony balcony banners, setting a colourful scene across the neighbourhood. Things will pick up on the evening of Friday, July 10, at the Placeta de l’Església Vella with a lively round of musical bingo, followed by a communal neighbourhood dinner, organised by the 2026 festival committee and live music from local talents Audio Valentino.

Processions and historical music traditions

Saturday features one of the festival’s most emblematic cultural traditions. At 12:30pm, the town will gather for the entrance of the murta, aromatic myrtle leaves spread across the streets, accompanied by local residents and the committee. Later that evening, a procession will carry the image of Saint Anthony through the streets.

This lively parade will also visit the Benissa Nursing Home before heading to the traditional pastry exchange, all moving to the iconic regional sounds of the dolçaina, a double-reed instrument, and the tabalet, a traditional drum.

Finally, the night will wrap up with a community bring-your-own dinner, complete with native treats like coca maria, a type of sponge cake, mistela sweet wine, and live music from Gran José, also known as “Titi.”

Paella contests and water games for families

Sunday, July 12 will fully be dedicated to family-friendly fun and gastronomic offerings, starting with children’s water games and a popular vermouth tasting featuring local snacks. At 1:30pm, the highly anticipated open paella competition takes over, where the festival committee provides the rice and a jury awards prizes to the three best culinary creations. Giant water slides will cool everyone down in the afternoon heat before DJ Daniella brings the weekend to an incredible close. Finally, the conclusion of this special festival on Monday, July 13, will see a mass held in memory of the neighbourhood’s deceased loved ones.

Seamlessly mixing religion, food, and neighbourhood pride, the Sant Antoni festival remains a beautiful testament to Benissa’s enduring community spirit and stands as an unmissable event for people in or around Benissa during the summertime.