Pego

The Pego festivities begin with the Porrat de Sant Antoni Abat (Saint Anthony the Great), patron saint of animals, which is celebrated on January 17. At midday on Saturday the association of coachmen ‘plant’ a pine tree in Pla de la Font, which in the afternoon is set on fire while a barbecue with traditional sausages is held around it. On Sunday morning there is a pilgrimage to the hermitage dedicated to the saint, located approximately two kilometres from the old town. Upon arrival at the hermitage, a Holy Mass is celebrated followed by the blessing of the animals – and, according to tradition, walking around the hermitage three times offers protection against stomach ache. A traditional porrat (street fair) is also set up offering traditional sweets such as toffee apples, nuts and sugared almonds.

 La Vall d'Alcalà

This festivity is held on the weekend closest to January 17.
It begins the previous Saturday, when the Festeros de San Antonio carry out the symbolic planting of the pine tree.
Saturday night sees the cremà or burning of the tree, with live music. Then at 7.30 am on Sunday the Aurora takes place, where participants sing the song of Sant Antoni around the town until ending at the Plaça d’Al-Azraq for hot chocolate and bunyols (fried dough fritters). There is then a religious procession, Holy Mass and street lunch.

The Festes de Sant Antoni were declared a ‘Festivity of local tourist interest in the Region of Valencia’ in 2020.

 Pego

It is held on the Saturday before Carnival, when groups of friends attempt to sail down the river on handcrafted boats with no engine, guaranteeing maximum respect for the environment. The Baixada del Bullent was included in the festive programme in 1986.

 Pego

Fancy dress party around the town.

Local children in fancy dress celebrate Carnival at the Pla de la Font on the Saturday morning with music and games.

In 1981 and 1982 the local Ateneu Llibertari association organised a cardboard mask workshop to commemorate the festivity, recalling the party that used to be held before the Spanish Civil War. These masks were worn all over the town, in the local bars and discos, but at the time no one could imagine that this was the beginning of what would become the single most participative festivity and the most popular Carnival celebrations throughout the Region of Valencia.

 Pego

Celebrated on the following Tuesday after Carnival, the eve of Ash Wednesday. This meal celebrates the arrival of Lent and traditionally marks the last meat meal until after Easter, and is named after the typical local dish of baked rice with meat and a crosta (crust) of beaten egg on top. It is traditional for friends and families to organise outings to the beach or mountains to eat the Crosta.

 Pego

The burial ceremony marking the ‘death’ of the Carnival, held on the following Saturday. It consists of a parade of ‘mourners’ and bonfires with the remains of Carnival, followed by a correfocs (firework race through the streets).

The name ‘pinyata’ comes from a dance held in Pego on the first Sunday of Lent before the Spanish Civil War. The original Pinyata gathered in the Town Hall Square at midnight, where the various fiesta groups and their companions, dressed as mourners, paraded and finally burned their Carnival-related monument to the tune of music and percussion.

Years later, in 1992, the correfocs (see above) were added to the fiesta programme as the culmination of the festivities and as a new way to celebrate fire – the symbol of this magical night. Other events that have been progressively and spontaneously incorporated into the celebrations include photography competitions, fancy dress contests and parades, dress exhibitions, radio programmes, etc.

 Pego

Pego has a great tradition of Fallas. Back in the year 1947 the first ninots (satirical statues made out of papier-mâché, wood and paint depicting politicians, celebrities or other characters and used to mock and criticise specific events or issues) were already erected in Sant Josep Street, and then in 1951 the first fallas (groups of ninots forming a coherent whole with an overarching theme) were set up in Sant Josep and Regueró Streets. The famous Vaca Lechera falla was set up in Sant Roc street in 1952, and the following year saw the installation of fallas on Regueró and Sant Bertomeu streets.

These early fallas were only really individual ninots and unwanted pieces of furniture and other junk collected by people from each neighbourhood, which were skilfully ‘dressed’ and painted to be offered up to Sant Josep on the night of the patron saint of the Fallas (March 19). In 1954 the first real falla was erected in the neighbourhood of Sant Josep, bearing the name Falla La Font.

This tradition has remained until the present time, except for the odd year when the falla could not be built due to various reasons. Pego’s second falla, La Plaça, appeared in 1955, followed by Del Natzarè in 1957. These two monuments were eventually joined together creating the current Falla Plaça i Natzaré, which in 1997 gave birth to Falla Convent.

On November 30, 2016, the fallas were declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Unesco.

 Pego

Pego has been characterised by its religious fervour since medieval times.
One of the first documented Holy Week brotherhoods was the one dedicated to ‘la Sang’ (‘The blood’), today known as ‘de l’Ecce-Homo’ and dating back to 1579. This brotherhood venerated the Holy Sepulchre that was kept on an altar in the chapel of the town’s poorhouse – today the site of the Ecce-Homo chapel.
Another element that was vitally important was the carved image of the Christ of the Divine Providence, attributed to the artist Damià Forment (16th century). From that point onwards other brotherhoods emerged and began parading their icon through the streets of the town, which at that time was still enclosed by the city walls.

The system of brotherhoods that has endured almost until today was set up in the mid-20th century. The festivities began on Palm Sunday and ended on Easter Sunday, the day of the famous Encontre (‘Gathering’). Holy Week in Pego currently consists of 10 processions or passos, which according to hierarchy follow this order: la Creu dels Trastos (‘the Junk Cross’), l’Oració de l’Hort (‘Agony in the garden’), el Crist de la Columna (‘Christ at the column’), l’Ecce-Homo, el Jesús de Medinaceli, la Mare de Déu dels Dolors (Our Lady of Sorrows), el Jesús de Natzarè (Jesus of Nazareth), la Verònica, Crist de la Providència (the Divine Providence), and La Pietat (‘Piety’). Another significant procession is the Holy Sepulchre, which replaces the Ecce-Homo on the night of Good Friday.

On Holy Wednesday the traditional Salpassa (literally ‘sprinkling of the salt’, a tradition only held in a handful of towns in the Region of Valencia where a priest blesses the houses and families with salt or water) is still celebrated, albeit slightly altered by time, but without losing its charm.

 La Vall de Gallinera

The Cherry Festival was launched in the year 2000 by the Unió Cultural d’Amics i Amigues de la Vall de Gallinera (‘Friends of the Vall de Gallinera Cultural Association’), with the local council later taking over the organisation of the event. The festival, held on the second weekend of June to coincide with harvest time, aims to celebrate one of the most important products of La Vall de Gallinera. The Cherry Festival is a fun event where both young and old enjoy a weekend full of activities for everyone.

The festival features a programme of events that have become yearly traditions, such as the poster competition and the international cherry stone-spitting championship.

In addition, and throughout the previous month, there is a cherry-based gastronomy route through all the bars and restaurants of the valley, whereby visitors can enjoy typical dishes based on the characteristic fruit.

 Pego

The Moors and Christians are the main festivities in the area and are celebrated on the last weekend of June.

They were declared a Fiesta of Regional Tourist Interest by the Valencian government’s department of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism in June 2024.

On the Friday (at 7.00 pm) the festivities kick off with the Entradeta (‘Entrance’) and the Ambaixada (‘Embassy’).

On the Saturday (at 7.00 pm) the Moors and Christians Entry starts.

On Sunday (at 11.30 am) an ‘informal’ parade takes place, followed by the Moors and Christians Entrada Jove (‘Youth Entrance’) at 8.00 pm.

Various other festive activities take place throughout the week, such as concerts, children’s games and others.

www.morosicristianspego.com

 Pego

Wednesday: patron saint festivities in honour of the Holy Ecce-Homo. They are historically linked with the celebrations in honour of the Most Precious Blood and date back to the 18th century. On the previous day the statue of the Ecce-Homo is exhibited in the morning, and in the evening it is carried in procession from the Ecce-Homo chapel to the parish church of l’Assumpció. The following evening sees the solemn procession to return the Holy Ecce-Homo statue from l’Assumpció to the chapel.

 La Vall de Gallinera

The 8 villages that comprise La Vall de Gallinera celebrate their patron saint festivities at the end of July and in August:

- Benirrama: Last weekend of July.
- Benissivà and Benitaia: First weekend of August, in honour of Sant Roc (Saint Roch).
- Benialí: Second weekend of August, in honour of Sant Miquel (Archangel Michael) and the Mare de Déu dels Desamparats (Our Lady of the Forsaken).
- Alpatró: From August 14 to 16.
- La Carroja: Third weekend of August, in honour of Sant Francesc de Borja (Saint Francis Borgia).
- Llombai: Last week of August.
- Benissili: Last weekend of August, in honor of Sant Pasqual Bailón.

 L'Atzúbia y Forna

In L'Atzúbia, the patron saint and Moors and Christians festivities are held on the last weekend of August and the first weekend of September in honour of the Mare de Déu dels Desamparats (Our Lady of the Forsaken), the Crist del Miracle (Lord of Miracles), the Verge del Rosari (Our Lady of the Rosary) and Sant Francesc (Saint Francis of Assisi).

In Forna, festivities in honour of Sant Bernat (Saint Bernard) are held during the second half of August.

 La Vall d'Ebo

La Vall d'Ebo, a small town with narrow streets and around 250 inhabitants, organises a yearly festival to promote this native fruit – which is simultaneously much appreciated and largely unknown – while, at the same time, publicising the town’s agricultural and cultural heritage.

The perelló is a variety of apple that is pear-shaped, with yellow-brown skin and a mealy texture. It is a dryland fruit that grows at high altitudes, cultivated at over 700 metres above sea level as it needs cold temperatures to grow.

The fruit is collected while still unripe and stored underneath a cloth covering until it takes on a chestnut color, which means it is ready to eat. The skin is hard, therefore it is advisable to peel the apples before eating them. The perelló is sweeter than regular apples and can last up to four months if stored in a cool and covered place. It is usually eaten raw, as a jam or in cake.

Between 120,000 and 150,000 kilos are currently harvested each season.

During this weekend in November, a number of activities take place including cooking workshops, a market offering local products, guided tours, music, children's activities and much more.