Local festivals on the Costa Brava and in the Empordà
Every Empordà village has its festa major (main festival), and some are among the most special in Catalonia. Here is a calendar of those closest to the house in Riumors, by season. Dates change every year: we give the month and, for reference, the 2026 dates. Before you travel, please confirm them on each organiser's website.
Winter and spring
- Roses Carnival (12 km): in February, with parades of costumed groups. In 2026, 12 to 16 February.
The Dansa de la Mort in Verges on Maundy ThursdayPhoto: Nurianglada · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Processó de Verges (18 km): on the night of Maundy Thursday. It is famous for the Dansa de la Mort, a medieval dance of skeletons that winds through the village streets.
- Fires i Festes de la Santa Creu, Figueres (8 km): Figueres' main festival, from late April to early May. In 2026, 24 April to 3 May.
Summer
- Sant Joan night: on 23 June all of Catalonia celebrates with bonfires, firecrackers, fireworks and coca (a sweet flatbread).
- Summer Festa Major in Sant Pere Pescador (5 km): in late June, in the Parc del Riu. In 2026, 26 to 29 June.
- Castell de Peralada Festival (10 km): music, opera and dance in the castle gardens, in July and August. In 2026, 17 July to 9 August.
- Riumors Festa Major: the village festival for Sant Mamet, in mid-August, a short walk from the house. In 2026, 17 and 18 August.
Autumn
Medieval music at Terra de Trobadors, Castelló d'EmpúriesPhoto: Gordito1869 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - Terra de Trobadors, Castelló d'Empúries (5 km): a medieval festival recalling the court of the Counts of Empúries: music, troubadours, a market and giants in the streets of the old town. In September; in 2026, 11 to 13 September.
- Festa de la Sal, L'Escala (14 km): a seafaring festival in September recalling the town's salt-trade tradition. Please check the exact date on the town hall's website.
- Festa de l'Anxova, L'Escala (14 km): dedicated to the anchovy, L'Escala's best-known product. In early October; in 2026 the main day was 4 October.
Tips for enjoying the festivals
The big festivals, such as Santa Creu or Terra de Trobadors, are usually very busy: it is easier to park on the outskirts and walk in.
If you would like to come for a particular festival, book the house well ahead: those weekends fill up first.
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