Costa Blanca news, 17 August 2026: Almoradí fiesta officially honoured
Almoradí's fiesta wins official recognition, Javea lights 16,000 candles on 22 August, and Calpe Pop wraps up a summer of music.
Mid August on the Costa Blanca means fiestas, candles and the start of the football season. Here's what made the news around 17 August 2026. Most of it is good news for once: official honours for a classic fiesta, a candlelit old town, and a few practical bits if you live here year round.
Almoradí's fiesta gets official recognition
Almoradí just got a nice win. Euro Weekly News reports the town's Fair and Moors and Christians celebrations have been officially recognised. The paper calls it a major boost, going from local favourite to tourist treasure.
Official recognition can sound like paperwork, but it tends to matter. It usually brings more attention, more visitors and a bit more weight behind the celebrations. If you've been meaning to try a fiesta away from the big-name ones, keep Almoradí on your list.
Javea lights more than 16,000 candles on Saturday 22 August
This one's easy to plan around. On Saturday 22 August, the historic centre of Javea will turn into a glowing spectacle of light, calm and celebration, with more than 16,000 candles lighting up the old town.
Candlelit old towns sound a bit twee on paper, then completely win you over in person. Treat it like any big summer event on the coast: give yourself time to wander, expect plenty of other people with the same idea, and don't count on parking right next to the action. Take a proper camera if you have one. Phone photos of candlelight rarely do it justice.
More fiesta and festival news
Costa Blanca towns are bringing back colourful street traditions for patron saint fiestas, per Euro Weekly News. The smaller towns often do fiestas best, so if one of these pops up near you, go. You usually get the fun without the crush of the famous ones.
Euro Weekly News also has a wrap on the Calpe Pop Festival and its summer of live music. We usually skip recaps, but if you like knowing which festivals to watch for, the wrap is a decent read.
Football is back for Elche
Diario de Alicante reports that Elche and Deportivo kick off the season at Riazor, with Dépor back in La Liga. If you've been looking for a reason to follow a local side, the start of a season is the obvious moment to jump in. Pick a bar, order something cold, and learn the songs.
Quick local notes
Costa Blanca residents are being asked to help track disease-carrying mosquitoes using a mobile app, per Euro Weekly News. It's citizen science: you report what's biting you, and the data helps the people tracking it. If mosquitoes ruin your evenings anyway, you may as well make that useful.
And Orihuela is set to get a new 40-place disability care home, per The Leader. Not flashy news, but it's the kind of local infrastructure that matters if you're settled here for the long haul.
Catch up on more local news
We also covered a record July at Alicante airport in our 14 August 2026 news roundup. And if the festival items got your attention, our guide to the Summer Disco Festival Benidorm 2026 covers tickets, VIP passes and tips.