Elche celebrates Costa Blanca traditions as fiesta crowds reach 560,000

El Pinet beach will provide the setting for an evening of traditional music when the Habaneras Festival returns on Friday, August 28.

The fourth edition of the festival begins at 9:00 PM and celebrates a local tradition stretching back more than a century, when residents would gather beside the sea with guitars to sing habaneras by moonlight.

Traditional music returns to El Pinet

Habaneras have strong links with Spain’s coastal communities. The musical style has its roots in Havana, Cuba, and became popular in Spain during the 19th century, particularly among sailors and their families.

The slow, distinctive rhythm and often nostalgic lyrics traditionally tell stories of the sea, distant lands, love and separation. Over the years, habaneras became especially associated with Mediterranean fishing communities, where groups would gather to sing them accompanied by guitars and other stringed instruments.

The tradition was closely associated with the ruins of the Torre de El Pinet, in La Marina, although this year’s concert will once again take place in the El Pinet car park.

More than 1,000 people attended last year’s festival, making it a popular fixture towards the end of the Costa Blanca summer.

The festival is organised by the culture departments of Elche and Crevillente councils, which hope to preserve a musical custom passed down through generations.

Admission is free, although entry is subject to available capacity.

Elche fiestas attract 560,000 people

Meanwhile, Elche welcomed around 560,000 people onto its streets during eight days of celebrations for the city’s August fiestas.

The festivities officially began on August 7 and finished on August 15 with a spectacular fireworks display, with attendance up by around 100,000 people compared with 2025.

Among the biggest attractions was the municipal entertainment area, which welcomed more than 150,000 people during its concerts, while around 70,000 visited the Raco de Ocio food and leisure area.

Some 45,000 people attended the Crida a la Festa, while the daytime and evening firecracker displays attracted a combined 80,000 spectators.

Another 40,000 gathered for the famous Nit de l’Alba and the closing fireworks on August 15, while around 35,000 attended the Nit de la Roa.

Hotels fill during August celebrations

The celebrations also provided a major boost for tourism. Hotel occupancy averaged 96 per cent between August 7 and 15, compared with 95 per cent last year, with some accommodation completely full. Marina Resort reported 100 per cent occupancy during the fiestas.

Around 10,000 passengers also used special night buses operating between 11:00 PM and 6:00 AM, connecting the city centre with neighbourhoods and outlying districts.

The busiest night was August 14, when around 3,300 journeys were recorded.

More than 3,700 police and security personnel were deployed during the celebrations.

Despite the enormous crowds, Elche Local Police said the fiestas passed without major incidents, bringing eight busy days of celebrations to a successful close before attention turns to the traditional Habaneras Festival at El Pinet.