Costa Blanca news, 12 August 2026: Benitachell literature festival returns

Here's what's going on around the Costa Blanca as of Wednesday 12 August. A literature festival is back in Benitachell, Spain's festival calendar got a fresh write-up, and Benidorm's beaches are making headlines again. Quick summaries below, with links to the full stories if you want to dig in.

One note on how we do these roundups. We stick to what each source actually says, we link everything, and we skip the grim stuff. Good news and useful news only.

Benitachell's literature festival is back

Euro Weekly News reports that Benitachell's literature festival returns with flood-salvaged art and open-air culture. That's the headline, and it's a good one. Flood-salvaged art and open-air culture is quite the combination.

The word "returns" is doing some nice work there too. A town bringing a festival back is always a good sign. The summary we've seen is light on detail, so read the full article before you plan a visit around it.

Festival season across Spain

The Olive Press has published a festival season calendar for Spain, and it calls the Holy Weeks in Murcia and Albacete the standouts. That's the kind of piece you save now and thank yourself for later.

Spanish festivals reward a bit of planning. If you're the type who likes having a trip on the calendar months out, this is a useful read. If you're not, save it anyway.

Benidorm beach life, in two stories

First, the practical one. The Olive Press reports that Benidorm police have warned beachgoers about scams involving non-existent sunbeds and umbrellas. The short version: people are paying for sunbeds and umbrellas that don't exist.

The fix is boring but simple. If you're handing over money for a sunbed, make sure the sunbed is real and the person renting it actually works there. If something feels off, walk away.

Second, the entertaining one. Euro Weekly News says Benidorm's beach wars are back. Holidaymakers are setting 6am alarms and racing to claim the best shoreline spots in the middle of the night.

Rather them than me. No sea view is worth a 6am sprint with a cool bag. But if you've done it, we respect the commitment.

Closer to home

If the beach crowds sound like too much, we reviewed La Crisalida Retreats in L'Alfàs del Pi, and it's the opposite of a 6am sunbed race. Worth a look if your August needs less noise, not more.

And if you're in Alicante itself, the city's own fiestas are covered in our guide to the Fiestas de San Roque 2026. That one tells you what to know before you go.

That's it for this roundup. We'll be back with more as the sources publish it.