What are the Fiestas?
What are the festivities of Menorca?
Son ses millors festes del món! These are the festivities of Menorca, which are characterized by the Jaleos in the eyes of the crowd, where the noise of the festival and the customs are intermingled, which are carried out in the middle of the main square with the horses to the rhythm of the music.
The festivities of Menorca
The festivities of Menorca are of centenary tradition, they have been held annually in each town and cover practically the entire summer. Starting in June with the festivities of Sant Joan in Ciutadella and continuing through the other towns of the island of Menorca, until the month of September.
The festivities have two main protagonists, on the one hand we find the horse, an authentic thoroughbred intense black color, a noble and native animal trained especially for this event. And on the other hand, we will find the caixer or cavaller (the horseman), dressed in a French empire style composed of a black tailcoat and white shirt combining clothing of the Menorcan peasants of the eighteenth century.
But these are not the only protagonists of the festivities of Menorca, as each of them has its peculiarities, such as s’homo des be, the Jaleo d’ases, the gegants, the jocs d’es Pla, the corregudes, the peñas, the music bands and many other proposals that make each of the festivals of Menorca live with a unique intensity.
El Jaleo and the Caragols
The Jaleo and the Caragols are the reason why the caixer and the cavall train together throughout the year looking for perfection in the execution of the bot, a movement that they perform in the crowd and that raises the passion of the Menorcans for these festivities. It consists of lifting the horse on its hind legs, shifting the weight of its body and that of the rider, keeping the head and neck upright, always in contact with the hands of the caixer, while both and the crowd advance along the route drawn by the horse, which seems to be dancing to the rhythm of the music with which the band delights us.
Everyone present wants to see the capers that the caixer performs with his horse, and to be as close as possible to them accompanying them during the “bot“. This spectacular manoeuvre can only be carried out by well-trained Menorcan horses, because this type of execution is part of their training and the Menorcan taming of the equine.
And although it seems risky, it does not pose any danger to the horse, nor the rider, nor the crowd, since the same crowd that participates in the Jaleo, are the same ones that execute the bot during the training together with caixers from other towns, who accompany the horse on a surface full of sand distributed for the occasion.
Are they festivals for tourists?
No, they are not festivals aimed at tourism. The village festivals of Menorca are aimed at residents, aimed at the people who give life to the town throughout the year. It is a festivity with a marked local character, so much so that they are non-working days in the town, they are local holidays in which the whole community organizes to celebrate their festivals, both in the public and private spheres.
This conception is not exclusive to tourists, civic tourism and respect for Menorca and its people is very well received in the public sphere of the festivities. That is why we recommend that you inform yourself well about the local customs.
Are there other festivals in Menorca apart from the festivals with the horses?
Of course! In Menorca the Carnival (Carnestoltes) is also celebrated and many other popular festivities are also celebrated, some local, others at the island level, others with regional and even national reasons. That is why we invite you to discover the particular festivals of Menorca on this website.
Are the festivities with Jaleo major, patron saint or traditional festivals?
This aspect is complex to clarify because the festivities of Menorca are usually called patron saint festivals of Menorca, festivals of the villages of Menorca, traditional festivals of Menorca, even major festivals of Menorca, and although the most important thing is the feeling of the people who keep them alive, perhaps not all of them should be categorised equally.
Are all the festivals village festivals?
In Menorca there is a great feeling of village in general, and although some municipalities exceed the indicators to be considered cities, or small towns, the common feeling of its people is that of the identity of a village.
Are all festivals major festivals?
From Fiestas Menorca we consider that not all of them are major festivals, since a major festival covers an entire municipality, and as some are held in nuclei or urbanizations within the municipality itself, all of them should not be considered a major festival and should be considered a major festival of some nuclei and groups.
Are all the festivities patron saint festivities?
The reason for calling them patron saint festivities is because many of them are dedicated to a Saint, or Virgin, who is honored and considered protector (sanctus patrōnus) of a domain or collective, but not in all cases this saint is the main patron saint of the entire municipality.
Are all the festivals traditional?
At Fiestas Menorca we believe that different factors intervene to determine whether they are traditional or not, such as culture, community, historical or cultural importance and that it is transmitted from generation to generation. That is why we consider that some are traditional and others are laying the foundations of tradition by being shared from generation to generation going beyond what we could define as life cycles, and that despite not having centuries of observance, some have been happening for several decades.
Fiestas where you can observe the Jaleo
If it is the first time you are going to attend a Jaleo, we offer you several considerations, as a recommendation, so that you find the best Jaleo and fully enjoy the holidays without difficulties:
- The Jaleo that takes place during the middle of the day enjoys natural light and better visibility.
- The Jaleo of the big festivals has a lower human pressure than the major festivals.
Under these 2 basic recommendations you can discover what the festivities are like, how they are lived, and what the Jaleo is like. That is why those that we categorize as large festivals are perhaps the best to be able to observe the proceeding of the festivities without difficulties, familiarize yourself with the atmosphere and enjoy the Jaleo with maximum caution without crowds.
If you attend the festivities on the eve of a major festival you may encounter great human pressure that can hinder your movement. Human pressure can increase to the point where you cannot advance or attend to observe the Jaleo, especially during the eve of the cities and towns with greater population density because the Jaleo is celebrated in a space with a limited capacity.
Ciutadella city Fiestas
The main festival of Ciutadella is the festival of Sant Joan, which originates from the festival dedicated to the patron saint of the Hermitage of Sant Joan de Missa. The patron saint of the town of Ciutadella is Mary Help of Christians (sanctuary church).
Maó city Fiestas
The main festival of Maó is the festival of the Mare de Déu de Gràcia, which originates from the festival dedicated to the patron saint of the Hermitage of Nostre Senyora de Gràcia. The patron saint of the town of Maó is Sant Sebastià (a saint without a church or hermitage).
Alaior city Fiestas
The main festival of Alaior is the festival of Sant Llorenç, which originates from the festival dedicated to the patron saint of the Hermitage of Sant Llorenç de Binixems. The patron saint of Alaior is Santa Eulàlia (saint with a parish).
Ferreries city Fiestas
The main festival of Ferreries is the festival of Sant Bartomeu, which originates from the patron saint of the Parish of Sant Bartomeu.
Es Mercadal city Fiestas
The main festival of Es Mercadal is the festival of Sant Bartomeu, which originates from the patron saint of the Parish of Sant Martí de Tours.
Es Migjorn Gran city Fiestas
The main festival of Es Migjorn Gran is the festival of Sant Cristòfol de ses Corregudes, which originates from the patron saint of the Església de Sant Cristòfol.
Es Castell city Fiestas
The main festival of Es Castell is the festival of Sant Jaume (saint without church or hermitage), which originates from the festival dedicated to the patron saint of the town of Es Castell. Sant Jordi, on the other hand, is the saint who is represented on the city’s coat of arms and flag.
Sant Lluís city Fiestas
The main festival of Sant Lluís is the festival of Sant Lluís, which originates from the patron saint of the Església de Sant Lluís.
Fiestas in the coastal rural town of Fornells, Es Mercadal
The big festival of Fornells is the festival of Sant Antoni Abat, which originates from the patron saint of the Parish of Sant Antoni Abad.
Fiestas in the rural town of Sant Climent, Maó
The great festival of Sant Climent is the festival of Sant Climent, which originates from the patron saint of the Parish of Sant Climent.
Fiestas in the rural town of Llucmaçanes, Maó
The big festival of Llucmaçanes is the festival of Sant Gaietà, which originates from the patron saint of the Església de Sant Gaietà.
Fiestas on mount El Toro, Es Mercadal
The great festival of Monte Toro is the festival of Sant Nicolau, it is dedicated to Sant Nicolau (a saint without a church or hermitage in the town). A mass is celebrated at the M.D. del Toro Sanctuary.
Fiestas of Es Caixers Festival in Alaior
The big festival of Es Caixers is dedicated to Sant Nicolau (a saint without a church or hermitage in the town). A mass is celebrated in Santa Eulàlia.
Fiestas in the urbanization of Calan Porter, Alaior
The big festival of the Calan Porter urbanization is the Calan Porter festivities, they are not linked to any saint, the suffragan diocese that grants the mass is the responsibility of Alaior.