- 5 January
Cabalgata de Reyes – Three Kings parade
On the eve of Epiphany the Three Kings parade through town throwing sweets to the children. Epiphany, not Christmas Eve, is the big present day in Spain.
- February
Carnival
Carnival parades, children in costume and chirigotas – satirical singing groups – in the week before Lent. Ends with the 'burial of the sardine'.
- 19 March
San José in La Herradura
La Herradura's patron saint is celebrated with a procession, mass and a village party.
- March/April
Semana Santa – Holy Week
Processions with the brotherhoods' heavy floats through the old town every evening from Palm Sunday. On Good Friday 'El Paso', a passion play with sixteenth-century roots, is performed on Plaza de la Constitución.
- 3 May
Day of the Cross
Neighbourhoods and associations dress crosses in flowers and offer food, drink and music around them.
- 23 June
Noche de San Juan – Midsummer night
The beaches fill with bonfires, barbecues and people bathing at midnight for good luck in the year ahead. Spain's midsummer.
- 16 July
Virgen del Carmen
The patron saint of fishermen and sailors is carried down to the beach and out to sea in a boat procession, in both Almuñécar and La Herradura. Fireworks over the water.
- July
Jazz en la Costa
International jazz festival since 1987, with open-air concerts in Parque El Majuelo late in the evening for a week. Headline names from around the world.
- 9–15 August
Almuñécar Fair – Virgen de la Antigua
The town's big festival for its patron saint. Fairground with casetas and rides, concerts, flamenco and a procession. On 15 August it all ends with a huge fireworks display over the Peñón del Santo.
- October
Cherimoya season begins
Harvest celebrations for the coast's own fruit with tastings and a market; date and place vary between the valley villages and Almuñécar.
- December
Christmas and New Year
Christmas lights, nativity scenes around town and twelve grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve on Plaza de la Constitución.
Where do I find current dates?
The town hall's events calendar is at almunecar.es and the tourist office's at visitalmunecar.es. Posters around town and the town hall's social media are often quicker. Local news (in Spanish) in Almuñécar Comunicación and El Faro de Motril. Organising something that should be listed here? Get in touch.