A groundbreaking children's cattle-herding event transpired in Alicante for the very first time.
Calpe's Patron Saint Celebrations in 2022: A Spectacular Bullring Extravaganza
In the picturesque town of Calpe, on Spain's eastern coast, the annual patron saint celebrations in honour of the Virgen de las Nieves were a spectacle to behold in 2022. Traditionally taking place around the end of July and beginning of August, these festivities are a significant highlight in Calpe's annual calendar.
The 2022 schedule, while not extensively detailed in our search results, typically featured a series of religious ceremonies, processions, cultural events, and community gatherings dedicated to the Virgen de las Nieves. These festivities offered a unique blend of tradition and modernity, attracting both locals and tourists alike.
One of the main attractions of the 2022 celebrations was the bullring competition. Over the course of nine nights, a diverse array of bull breeders showcased their livestock, with each night offering a different participant. Here's a rundown of the bullring events:
- La Templanza presented an unforgettable show of vacas enfundadas (horn-protected cows) on Wednesday, August 13, from 10pm to 11.55pm.
- The fifth night of the competition, on Sunday, August 10, featured La Templanza representing Calpe and the wider Alicante region.
- The fourth night, on Saturday, August 9, showcased El Cali from Moixent (Valencia).
- The second night, on Thursday, August 7, featured Hermanos Colomer from Zaragoza and a local breeder from Alicante.
- Bulls from La Paloma entered the ring on Saturday, August 9, at 11.59pm, sponsored by Bar Restaurante Tata.
- Benavent from Quatretonda (Valencia) starred in the third night of the competition on Friday, August 8.
- Gregorio de Jesús from Sueca (Valencia) led a special "Bous i Capons" bull event on Sunday, August 10, at 11.59pm.
- The grand entrance of 23 bulls occurred on Saturday, August 9, at 11.59pm.
- Benavent returns with their "Tot Bous" herd on Monday, August 11, at 11.59pm, sponsored by Chimeneas Calp, marking their first appearance in the Marina Alta region.
- La Paloma from Xaló (Alicante) features in the seventh night of the competition on Tuesday, August 12.
In addition to the bullring events, the celebrations also included various parades and musical performances. On Friday, August 8, La Xarxolà band led a lively pasacalle at 11.30pm. Another pasacalle, featuring traditional xirimiters from El Carellot, took place at 11.30pm on Saturday, August 9. La Xarxolà led another festive pasacalle at 11.30pm on Tuesday, August 12.
The children's trashumancia (cattle drive) was a unique event that took place on Thursday, August 7, at 7pm, led by Martorell Gargallo from Fortanete (Teruel), marking the first time such an event occurred in the province of Alicante.
The Gran Cabalgata Humorística (humorous parade) marked the grand finale of the official patron saint festivities on Sunday, August 10, at 8pm.
Local bullfighter Cristian Soler (Gata de Gorgos, Alicante) made his debut in Calpe on Sunday, August 10, at 11am. El Salero, a bull from Monserrat (Valencia), made its debut in Calpe on Thursday, August 7, just before 8pm.
The festive closing ceremony took place on Wednesday, August 13, concluding this year's celebrations. El Cali's bulls had a midnight entrance on Tuesday, August 12, sponsored by Azulejos Calp. Germans Guillamon from Sant Joan de Moró (Castellón) made their debut in the Marina Alta in the sixth round of the bullring contest on Monday, August 11. Hermanos Sánchez Moreno from Alginet (Valencia) made their first appearance in Calpe at 7.45pm on Tuesday, August 12.
For the most accurate and specific schedule and highlights of Calpe's patron saint celebrations in 2022, local municipal or tourism websites from that year would be the best sources, since the presented results mainly cover events in 2025.
In the context of Calpe's vibrant annual patron saint celebrations, one could find outdoor-living venues such as the bullring, transformed for the spectacle of bullfighting competitions, showcasing various home-and-garden decorated bulls from different regions. The festivities, beyond the bullring events, also included parades, musical performances, and unique events like the children's trashumancia, enriching the overall lifestyle experience.
