The city of Murcia follows the Semana Santa celebrations with more festivals from Sunday 31st March to the Sunday 7th April 2024. These are several really colourful and enjoyable festivals! They include the Spring Festival known as the Fiesta de Primavera, the Bands of the Countryside Festival, known as the Bando de la Huerta and the Burial of the Sardine Festival known as the Entierro de la Sardina.
There are also several sporting events, cultural offerings, concerts and many events. It is quite involved, with some 250 events, but is well worth enjoying!! It has been declared as being of International Tourist Interest. Below is a simplified version, in English, of the main acts and celebrations. The whole programme including the Parade Routes, can be seen by viewing in the downloadable pdf brochure at the end, The main parades are:
- Tuesday 2nd April at 17:00 Grand Parade of the Bando de la Huerta (countryside parade)
- Thursday 4th April at 18:00 Grand Parade Murcia en Primavera (flower parade)
- Saturday 6th April 20:30 Grand Parade of the Entierro de la Sardina (burial of the Sardine
Sunday 31st March
- 14:00 Opening of the Barracas Huertanas. These are specially assembly huts which represent countryside houses and gardens, each barracas offers tapa food, folk music and demonstrations of various traditional crafts. These remain open for the whole duration of the fiesta until 1am every night!
- 17:30 Children’s Parade of the Bando de la Huerta from the Centrofama to the Plaza Belluga
Monday 1st April
- 18:00 Flower Offering to the Virgen de la Fuensanta at the Plaza Belluga, followed by the Carriages Procession.
- 21:00 Firworks at Avda. Teniente Flomesta
Tuesday 2nd April
- 10:00 Mass in honour of the Virgen de la Fuensanta followed by the Patron Saint Procession in the Plaza Belluga
- 17:00 Grand Parade of the Bando de la Huerta, this is of International Tourist Interest.
Wednesday 3rd April
- 19:30 Childrens Buriel of the Srdine Parade
Thursday 4th April
- 18:00 Grand Flower Parade Murcia en Primavera
- 18:30 Presentation of the Sardine in the Plaza San Antolin
- 20:00 Parade of the Arrival of the Sardine
Friday 5th April
- 20:00 Parade to the Testament of the Sardine
Saturday 6th April
- 12:30 Parade of Mrs Sardine
- 20:30 Grand Parade of the Burial of the Sardine, which finishes at about 01:00 after which the sardine is burnt and there is a monumental firework display.
- 01:30 Grand Firework Display in the la Pasarela Miguel Caballero
Sunday 7th April
- 09:00-13:30 Meeting of Naval and Radio Controlled Models in the area of C/Pintor Almela Costa.
- 14:00 Closure of the Barracas