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.

Every year, during the second weekend of May, the inhabitants of Soller prepare their muskets, bring out the black shoe polish, and engage in fearsome battles to commemorate one of the town’s greatest historical triumphs.  In 1561, the town was invaded by pillaging pirates from North Africa who were set on stealing riches and selling the folk of Soller into slavery.  This event is celebrated these days during the annual Soller ‘Fira & Firo’ which honours the victory of the town’s people, (the Christian Sollerics) over the invading Algerian Moors (the Saracens).  

Carnival happens in the Port of Soller from Friday 2nd March onwards. Take a trip to the marina end of the Port in the morning and the children from the only school in the Port will parade down to the sea in their fine costumes. Masked princesses, skeletons, pirates, fairies and goblins will stroll among the holiday makers and locals. 

Friday’s stormy weather and the recent sighting of a large blue shark around the island didn’t hold back SUP fanatics taking part in the annual event over the weekend of the 14th May 2016.

Last weekend saw more than 200,000 people flood the streets of Son Ferriol to attend one of the biggest agricultural fairs in Mallorca.

Valldemossa was packed with visitors on Friday to celebrate 'Artdemossa', its annual evening dedicated to art, music and poetry. The pretty mountain village burst into life with entertainment for all the family; taditional giants and teasing demons, live painting and soulful singing were all essential ingredients of this cultural fair.

The Soller road from Palma cuts through fertile lands of almond and olive groves. The odd goat and flocks of sheep graze in the surrounding fields. A straight road that gives no clue of the vast estates that lie on either side of the road and the interesting stories they have to tell. A few years ago Jill Sander, the German fashion designer, was prepared to spend 8 million euros on one of these estates and her interest sparked government intervention.

Ed Sheeran opened Mallorca Rocks last night in Magaluf with a gig that left everyone smiling and started the summer-long festival in style. With nothing more than a mic, a guitar and a looping pedal he owned the Mallorca Rocks venue taking to the stage on his own and playing his entire set without support.

The BBQ Nights on Thursdays in the summer are a popular event at Ca’s Xorc Boutique Hotel & Restaurant. For €59 per person, you get all the food you could possibly want to eat, including half a bottle of wine, water, dessert and coffee! So, on a particularly balmy evening, we decided to take on their flaming feast.

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

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. 

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 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?

‘Sa Rua’ is one of Palma’s biggest spectacles. Each year, dozens of floats and carnival goers covering a range of themes parade through the streets of the city. With 42 themes and 16 floats this year, 2018 was the biggest yet!