Free summer music festivals bring pop, rock and metal to the Costa Blanca

Music lovers are spoiled for choice this summer as towns across Alicante Province prepare to host a series of free open-air festivals. From chart-topping Spanish pop and emerging local talent to hard rock and heavy metal, these events promise something for every musical taste while showcasing the region’s thriving live music scene.

Villena welcomes Los 40 Summer Live

Villena will welcome the return of Los 40 Summer Live on Tuesday, 22 July, with a free open-air concert featuring some of Spain’s best-known pop artists.

The event, now in its third year in the town, will take place on Avenida de la Constitución as part of the national Los 40 summer tour, which visits 22 cities across Spain.

Mayor Fulgencio Cerdán said the aim is to offer another free concert that appeals to people of all ages, while helping kick off the summer in Villena.

Eduardo Rosales, director of Radio Alicante and Radio Villena, said last year’s Los 40 Summer Live tour attracted more than 200,000 people across Spain, including around 8,000 in Villena alone. He added that this year’s event features one of the strongest line-ups of the entire tour.

Fiestas councillor José Ferri thanked everyone involved in organising the concert and encouraged residents and visitors to enjoy what has become one of Villena’s biggest summer music events.

Admission is free, with thousands of music fans expected to attend the concert in the town centre.

Raim Festival celebrates local talent in Novelda

Live music will take over Parque Viriato in Novelda on Saturday, 18 July, as the 21st Raim Festival returns with a full evening of performances celebrating local talent and emerging bands.

Starting at 6:30 PM, the free festival has become one of Novelda’s best-loved summer events, giving local musicians the chance to perform in front of a large audience while bringing together music fans from across the area.

This year’s line-up features six bands from Novelda: The Broken Room, Guinea Pigs, Koskoja, Hellvetics, Alone and Tulpa. Headlining the festival will be Radio Bleach, widely regarded as one of Spain’s top Nirvana tribute bands, while Rubén Rizo DJ will keep the music going between live performances.

The festival has spent more than two decades helping young musicians gain valuable live experience and showcase their music.

A new addition this year is a food and drinks bar, allowing visitors to eat and drink without leaving the venue and enjoy the full evening of entertainment.

Youth Councillor Rubén Millán said the festival reflects the town’s ongoing commitment to supporting young artists through rehearsal spaces, music workshops, concerts and other initiatives that help them develop their musical careers.

Rock’N’Pola returns to Santa Pola

Heavy metal fans are in for two nights of live music as the 11th Rock’N’Pola Festival returns to Santa Pola on Friday, 24 July and Saturday, 25 July.

The free festival will once again take place at the El Palmeral Auditorium, bringing together 10 bands from across Spain and, for the first time, an international act from Chile.

This year’s line-up features seven bands from Alicante Province, two from Murcia and Chilean thrash metal pioneers Massacre, who will be making their first appearance in Spain as part of a three-date tour that also includes Madrid and Barcelona.

Organisers Periko Ruiz and Daniel Paraíso said the festival continues to grow each year, attracting more bands than ever wanting to perform. They also highlighted their commitment to supporting local talent, with most of this year’s line-up coming from the Alicante area.

Visitors can expect a wide range of styles, from hard rock and classic heavy metal to hardcore, death metal, groove metal and industrial sounds.

Festival councillor Nely Baile praised the work of the Rock’N’Pola Association for helping establish the event as one of Santa Pola’s best-known music festivals.

As well as live music, the festival will feature artisan stalls, band merchandise and food and drink at popular prices. Entry is free thanks to the support of Santa Pola Town Hall.