Event Previews & Reviews from Mallorca

A trip to Deià on the north coast of Majorca is a must for anyone wishing to experience the diversity that this beautiful island has to offer.

The Diamond Jubilee celebrations may be over in the UK, but here on Mallorca, we enjoyed a quintessential English garden party at La Residencia Hotel in Deia to mark the British monarch’s 60th year on the throne.

The festivities of San Juan kicked off on the evening of 23rd June with a wonderful family-friendly atmosphere in front of Palma's majestic Cathedral. A band playing traditional Mallorcan music spurred on the crowds who needed little encouragement to get involved in the folk dance known as Ball de Bot.

Soller is situated in the plains of the valley, surrounded on three sides by the majesty of the Tramuntana mountain range. This encloses us and keeps us safe or insular – both interpretations are valid. It is very common for my neighbours to think they are planning a huge expedition if they venture through the tunnel to join the rest of Mallorca. The car gets packed up with the ‘just in case’ supplies and local friends wish them a good journey.

Festivals in Mallorca are a considerably more boisterous affair than our more reserved British fetes with their Maypoles and cream teas.

The 50th International Plastic Art’s Competition on display in Pollenca Museum.

Is there anything as thrilling as the Correfoc? Literally translated as 'fire run', it's a festivity in which people disguised as devils take to the streets with pitchforks loaded with squealing fireworks.

The children of Mallorca have twelve weeks holiday in the summer. Summer schools are therefore essential to allow parents to work in the tourist industry and to stop the little ones getting bored of holiday life. The families of the hidden valley have choices - groups based in school buildings throughout Soller, the community centre Ca’n Dulce, or the favoured one of my family – the Tennis & Swimming Summer School. 

The Kaiser Chiefs played Mallorca Rocks last night in the Majorca beach resort of Magaluf. The Chiefs were only the second band since the opening party with Ed Sheeran three weeks ago. Since then the crowds have been treated to the likes of Maverick Sabre and Chase and Status but this was the first full band with guitars and vocals and it was a band who are making something of a come back after a long hiatus. Could they still be enough to entertain the Mallorca crowd?

Before you reach for your top hat or fascinator, this is not Ascot, nor is it actually horse racing as you know it. For in Mallorca, it is trotting races that is the king of sports. The specially bred horses (with a height of 1.5 - 1.7 metres) pull a small and lightweight cart which carries a ‘jockey' around a race track going at speeds you would not think possible. This sport has been popular in Majorca for 200 years and tracks in Palma and Manacor host races once a week.

Last weekend saw British-born, international artist Andrew Potter host his first art exhibition at his new gallery at Carrer Major 19, Felanitx.

There is a definite buzz around Puerto Pollensa at the moment as once again the locals and visitors to this town in the north of Majorca celebrate the Patron Verge del Carme (the Virgin Carmen- Patron Saint of sailors). This is the second of two main festivals held in Puerto Pollensa, the first being Sant Pere (St. Peter) that was held between the 28th June to 1st July.

Palma Boat Show 2017 saw more than 500 exhibitors representing almost 4000 boat and marine brands in front of the city’s iconic cathedral, between Friday 28th April and Tuesday 2nd May 2017.

If you are in Mallorca this weekend, you might notice how the island is gearing up for one of its biggest fiestas of the year. Each June, the locals get together to celebrate in honour of Sant Joan (John the Baptist).