The Marina Alta region is gearing up for ten days of festivities and community spirit with the commencement of the Popular Sant Jaume Festivities in Ondara. Following the Soledat celebration, the municipality is ready for the traditional "chupinazo" (opening firecracker) that will mark the start of the festive program this Friday, July 17th, running until July 26th.
This year's main protagonists will be the members of the 2026 "quintà", named “Fanecaes”. These young people will have the honor of delivering the opening speech and firing the "chupinazo" from the Town Hall balcony, igniting the festival. The "quintà", composed of dozens of young people born in 2007, will represent the municipality's youth during this Sant Jaume celebration.
The festivities will kick off on Friday with the traditional "popular dinners". At 11:45 PM, the "quintà" "Fanecaes" will be collected, accompanied by the Xaranga Me'n Fot to the town hall. At midnight, the opening speech and the "chupinazo" will take place, followed by a pyrotechnic show and the traditional "hanging" of the Sant Jaume icon. The night will continue with the first bull run, the release of heifers, a mobile disco, and a grand ball with the orchestra Seven Crashers.
Over ten intense days, the festivities will offer a wide range of activities for all ages, including bullfighting events, musical performances, balls, mobile discos, children's activities, sports, the Rock & Moll cycle, a humorous rally, the day for children's "quintades", and the traditional Sant Jaume day dedicated to clubs and "quintades".
The Ondara Department of Festivals and Traditions encourages all citizens, residents, visitors, clubs, and "quintades" to actively participate in these festivities, which remain a key festive reference in the region, preserving the popular spirit of Sant Jaume.
