Benidorm Fancy Dress 2026: Date, Where It Is & Fiesta Week

Benidorm's fancy dress day in 2026 has a date TBD. Based on last year, expect Thursday 12 November, the day after the town's patron saint fiestas finish. The council has confirmed the fiestas for 7 to 11 November 2026. The fancy dress party is unofficial though, so treat the 12th as a best guess until the organisers and the programme confirm it, usually in late October.

If you've never been: picture tens of thousands of people, mostly British, dressed as just about anything you can think of, packed into Rincón de Loix from lunchtime until very late. It's daft, good-natured and loud.

Quick facts

• Fancy dress day 2026: TBD. Based on last year, expect Thursday 12 November (it was Thursday 13 November in 2025). Not officially confirmed at the time of writing, October 2026
• Fiestas (Festes Majors Patronals): Saturday 7 to Wednesday 11 November 2026, confirmed by the council
• Where: Rincón de Loix, the Levante end of town, around Calle Gerona, Calle Lepanto and Calle Mallorca
• When: 2026 times are TBD. In 2025 it officially kicked off at 2pm, roads closed from around 11am, and it ran well into the night
• How big: over 30,000 people in 2025, mostly British, according to the council
• Cost: nothing, it's a street party
• Weather: mid-November highs of around 19-20°C, evenings around 12°C

When is Benidorm fancy dress day 2026?

The 2026 date is TBD. It follows the patron saint fiestas, the Festes Majors Patronals, which build up to the second Sunday of November and end the following Wednesday. Fancy dress day is the Thursday after that.

You can see the pattern in recent years: Thursday 17 November in 2022, Thursday 14 November in 2024 and Thursday 13 November in 2025. In 2026 the second Sunday is 8 November, and the council says the fiestas run from 7 to 11 November. Going by last year, that puts fancy dress on Thursday 12 November, but that's an estimate until it's announced.

You might see old forum threads arguing for the 19th. Ignore them. The official fiesta dates settle it. In 2025 the organisers also put on smaller events on the Friday and Saturday after, so if you're flying in, Wednesday to Sunday covers everything.

Is it the "Benidorm carnival"?

That's what a lot of Brits call it, but it's not a carnival. Spain's Carnaval is a February thing. This is an unofficial party that started over 30 years ago, when a local businessman, Manuel Nieto, threw a fancy dress get-together with friends. It grew every year. 2025 was the 31st edition, so 2026 should be the 32nd.

Today it's organised by the hotels and bars of Rincón de Loix, with the local hospitality association Abreca-Cobreca and the council helping out. The mayor called it possibly the biggest costume party in Europe. Having been in the middle of it, I wouldn't argue.

Where it happens

Head for Rincón de Loix, the British heartland at the far end of Levante beach. In 2025 vehicle access was shut off around Calle Mallorca, Calle Gerona and Calle Lepanto, and the float parade ran along Gerona. More than 50 bars and venues joined in, including some from other parts of town.

It's not in the old town. That's where the official, more traditional fiesta events happen during the week before. If you want a base on the day, the Shamrock Irish Pub is right on Calle Gerona (here's our honest review), and further along the Levante seafront you've got Penelope and Oasis Beach Club.

Timings

• From about 11am: police start closing roads in the party zone (2025 timing)
• 2pm: official start (2025)
• Afternoon: the float parade along Calle Gerona. In 2025 there were around 15 themed floats with dance groups and batucada drummers.
• Evening into night: the party carries on in the streets and bars long after dark

Get there by lunchtime if you want a decent spot on Gerona. By mid-afternoon it's shoulder to shoulder. The 2026 times are TBD but should be similar, so check benidorm.org nearer the day.

Costume tips

• Go as a group. Group themes are half the fun, and you're much easier to find in a crowd of 30,000.
• Plan for the weather. Mid-November can be 20°C and sunny or grey and wet. November is the rainiest of the winter months here, with about 4 rainy days on average. Pick something you can layer under, and have a plan B.
• Comfy shoes. You'll be on your feet for eight hours or more. Leave the platform boots.
• Keep it breathable. Full head masks and fur suits get hot and sweaty fast in a packed street.
• Think about pockets. A bumbag or a zip pocket for your phone, cards and room key. Crowds are crowds, so keep valuables on you and zipped.
• Skip anything that looks like a real weapon. There's a big police presence, and you don't want the hassle.
• Bring your costume from home. It's cheaper and you'll have more choice than buying last minute.

Getting there

Fly into Alicante. The direct ALSA bus to Benidorm is the cheap option, at roughly 45 to 60 minutes, and a taxi is quicker but costs a lot more. All the details are in our Alicante airport to Benidorm guide.

From Alicante city, TRAM Line 1 runs from Luceros to Benidorm in about 72 minutes. Benidorm's TRAM stops are set back from the seafront, so budget extra time or a short taxi to Rincón de Loix. See Alicante to Benidorm by TRAM. Fares changed on 1 October 2026, so check tramalacant.es.

On the day, walk. With roads closed from late morning, taxis can only get you so close.

Where to stay: book early

Fiesta week is one of the busiest weeks of the low season, and the organisers deliberately spread events into the weekend to keep people in town longer. Book as soon as you know your dates.

• In the thick of it: Rincón de Loix. You can nip back to change, but it will be noisy late.
• For sleep: Poniente or the edges of the old town. It's a walk or a short taxi to the party, and much quieter at 3am.
• Best timing: arrive by Wednesday for the official float parade and fireworks, stay until Sunday.

What else is on during fiesta week

The official Festes Majors Patronals honour the Virgen del Sufragio and Saint James. They're very different from the Thursday party, and worth seeing if you're in town early.

• Saturday 7 November: the Hallazgo. A reenactment on Poniente beach of the patron saint's image being found on the shore. In 2025 it started at 5pm. A pilgrimage with a flower offering then heads up to the church of San Jaime y Santa Ana in the old town.
• Daily mascletàs. Loud, rhythmic daytime firecracker displays are a fiesta staple, at 2pm. You'll hear them before you see them.
• Wednesday 11 November: floats and fireworks. The official float parade closes the fiestas. In 2025 it set off just after 6pm from Avenida de Bilbao, through Alcoy, Martínez Alejos, Ruzafa, Venus, Marte and Almendros streets, ending on Marqués de Comillas. Then a fireworks display of nearly twenty minutes is launched from Poniente beach.
• Old town evenings. The old town is lively all week. It's a good excuse for tapas at La Cava Aragonesa or El Rincón del Ribera on Plaza de la Constitució.

The detailed hour-by-hour programme is usually published in late October. Check benidorm.org for the final version. For the rest of the month, see Benidorm in November, and for the town in general our Benidorm area guide.

FAQ

When is Benidorm fancy dress day 2026?

TBD. Based on last year, expect Thursday 12 November 2026, the day after the official fiestas finish on Wednesday 11 November. The party is unofficial, so confirm it once the fiesta programme is out, usually in late October.

Where does the Benidorm fancy dress party happen?

In Rincón de Loix, at the far end of Levante beach. The float parade runs along Calle Gerona, and the party spreads across Gerona, Lepanto and Mallorca streets and the bars around them.

What time does Benidorm fancy dress start?

2026 times are TBD. In 2025 it officially started at 2pm, with roads closed to traffic from around 11am, and it went on well into the night. Expect something similar.

Is the Benidorm fancy dress party free?

Yes, it's a street party, so there's nothing to pay to join in. You only pay for drinks, and for your costume.

When are the Benidorm fiestas in 2026?

The council has confirmed the Festes Majors Patronals for 7 to 11 November 2026, in honour of the Virgen del Sufragio and Saint James. The float parade and fireworks close them on the Wednesday evening.

Is the fancy dress the same as the Benidorm carnival?

Yes, that's what most British visitors mean by 'Benidorm carnival in November'. It isn't a carnival in the Spanish sense, which happens in February. It's a fancy dress street party tacked onto the end of the town's patron saint fiestas.

Bring a costume, a jacket and some stamina.

Planning the rest of the year? See November · December · Benidorm in winter