Colour, music and tradition: Thousands fill Ondara streets for Sant Jaume celebration

While many people sought shade or stayed indoors as temperatures climbed across the Costa Blanca, the people of Ondara chose to celebrate. In scenes full of colour, music and tradition, hundreds of residents from different generations filled the streets for one of the most eagerly anticipated days of the town’s annual Sant Jaume festivities.

The Day of Sant Jaume, held on Saturday, July 25, saw peñas (social groups) and quintades (age-based friendship groups) turn out in force, creating a festive atmosphere that highlighted the importance of community celebrations in the Marina Alta despite the intense summer heat.

A day built around tradition

Festivities began early with the traditional despertà, or wake-up parade, led by the 2026 Quintà, known as Fanecaes. The lively procession through the streets signalled the start of the municipality’s biggest celebration, encouraging residents to join the day’s programme.

By lunchtime, the El Prado venue had become the centre of activity as peñas and quintades gathered for the traditional communal meal. Long tables filled with families and friends offered a chance for different generations to come together before the evening’s main events, while music from DJ Taron kept spirits high despite the soaring temperatures.

For many locals, the annual meal is as important as any official ceremony, bringing together people who have celebrated Sant Jaume together for decades alongside younger generations experiencing the tradition for the first time.

Colourful parade through the town

As temperatures began to ease later in the day, the streets came alive with the traditional pasacalle. Peñas and quintades made their way along Carrer Sant Jaume towards the town’s bullring, accompanied by the sounds of the Xaranga Me’n Fot brass band.

One of the defining features of the parade is the order in which groups enter the arena. Rather than arriving at random, participants enter from the youngest age groups through to the oldest, with the 2026 Quintà Fanecaes bringing the procession to its conclusion. The format reflects the intergenerational nature of the festival, where children, teenagers, adults and long-established friendship groups all play a part in the celebrations.

Bullring hosts the evening celebrations

Once inside the Plaza de Toros, the programme continued with the scheduled livestock event featuring añojos (young bulls) from Ganadería La Paloma, organised specifically for the peñas and quintades. Later in the evening, traditional communal dinners took place across the town, including a special anniversary dinner in the Plaza Mayor for quintades celebrating milestone reunions ending in five and zero years.

The festivities continued well into the early hours with live music from Orchestra La Tribu before concluding with an early morning breakfast organised by the 2026 Quintà.

One of Marina Alta’s biggest annual festivals

Sant Jaume remains one of Ondara’s most significant annual celebrations, running from July 17 to July 26. The programme combines concerts, sporting events, children’s activities, traditional music, communal meals and cultural traditions that attract both residents and visitors throughout the festival period.

Preparations for the event involve months of planning by the town council, local festival committees and dozens of volunteer groups, with peñas and quintades playing a central role in organising many of the celebrations.

Celebrating together despite the heat

Although much of eastern Spain has experienced persistent high temperatures this summer, the weather did little to dampen the atmosphere in Ondara. Instead, the packed streets, music and constant activity demonstrated the enduring popularity of the town’s Sant Jaume festivities.

For many participants, the day was about far more than the official programme. It was an opportunity to reunite with lifelong friends, welcome returning family members, introduce younger generations to local traditions and reinforce the strong community identity that continues to define Ondara.

As the music echoed through the streets late into the night, Sant Jaume once again proved why it remains one of the Marina Alta’s best-loved summer festivals, bringing together people of every age in a celebration of friendship, tradition and local pride.