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April 17 to 20 Fiestas of the Berber Pirate Raids in Los Alcázares
Four days of revelry in Los Alcázares while the rest of Murcia enjoys its Semana Santa processions
While most of the rest of the Region of Murcia spends Easter Week with its religious processions, some of them solemn and some rather less so, Los Alcázares heads in another direction and celebrates the local history with the Fiestas of the Berber Pirate Raids (“Incursiones Berberiscas”).
These fiestas are a relatively recent addition to the calendar in Los Alcázares but have become extremely popular, entailing as they do a huge medieval market, processions, live music and an enormous offer of food and drink. And it’s not only the locals who take part, as visitors flock to Los Alcázares to enjoy their Semana Santa holidays on the shore of the Mar Menor!
The highlights of the week, apart from the market which runs for 4 days this year and occupies around 1.5 kilometres of streets, are the lighting of the fiestas flame on Thursday April 17, the landing of the Berbers on Friday 18th, the Medieval Tourney and the grand parade on Saturday 19th and the second day of the Tourney and the Caldero stewpot throwing event on Sunday April 20, Easter Sunday.
In addition there is a host of other entertainment, with minstrels wandering the streets, activities for children and a list of other events so long it is impossible to reproduce here!
Key venues are:
- the Paseo del Concha, where the lighting of the flame, the firework displays, the landing of the Berbers and the medieval tourney take place
- the medieval market (calle Los Luisos, Calle Concepción, Calle Fuensanta, Calle Santa Isabel and Calle Adelfas
- the Campamento Festero (at the Polideportivo Municipal sports centre)
- the farm and camels on Avenida Joaquín Blume
- exhibitions and workshops in Calle Los Luisos,
- the zoco market in Plaza Feria
- the children’s area in Plaza Manuel Floreal Menárguez
- the refreshments area in Avendia Joaquín Blume.
The full program for the 2025 Fiestas de las Incursiones Berberiscas can be found in Spanish online here, with the highlights including the following:
Thursday April 17
11.00: Official opening of the fiestas and parade from the “campamento festero” to the medieval marlet, where the opening speech is given in Plaza D. Manuel Floreal Menarguez.
12.00: “Búsqueda del Tesoro Berberisco”, a children’s activity at the Campamento Festero.
13.00, 17.00 and 19.00: Falconry display in Calle Adelfas.
14.00: A group performing Moroccan music and dance takes to the streets!
17.00: Oriental dancing in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
17.30: 13th-century King Alfonso X El Sabio takes a walk through the market.
18.30: Live music from Eddie Rever at the Campamento Festero.
19.00: A group of Vikings begins strolling through the market.
21.00: Circus acts in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
22.00: The official opening of the Campamento Festero and a parade to the Paseo de la Concha for the lighting of the fiestas flame.
22.30: Music and fireworks at the Playa de la Concha.
00.00: Live music from Orquesta Maxims at the Campamento Festero.
Friday April 18
12.00, 17.00 and 19.00: Falconry display in Calle Adelfas.
12.00: Berberchef interpeñas at the Campamento Festero.
16.30: “Vía Crucis” at the Campamento Festero.
17.00: Circus acts in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
17.30: Teddy bears competition at the Campamento Festero.
21.00: The “DESEMBARCO BERBERISCO”, the landing of the Berbers at the Playa de la Concha. Stands for spectators open at 20.00 and are free of charge but are likely to fill up quickly!
22.30: El Maleficio, fire and circus acts in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
00.00: Live music at the Campamento Festero with “Muchachito Bombo Infierno”, followed by DJ music.
Saturday April 19
11.30: Circus acts and acrobats in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
12.00, 17.00 and 19.00: Falconry display in Calle Adelfas.
21.00: The grand parade of the Incursiones Berberiscas en el Mar Menor, featuring Christian and Berber fiestas groups. The parade takes place in Carril de las Palmeras and proceeds along Avenida de la Libertad to the Ayuntamiento, and is accompanied by dance groups, guests from other municipalities and medieval entertainments.
Midnight: Live music from Orquesta La Mundial at the Campamento Festero.
Sunday April 20
11.30: Circus acts and acrobats in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
12.00, 17.00 and 19.00: Falconry display in Calle Adelfas.
16.30: The Lanzamiento de Caldero, fish stew pot throwing competition on Playa de la Concha!
21.30: Grand firework display to end the fiestas in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
For more local information contact the tourist offices in Los Alcázares or go to the home page of Los Alcázares Today.
