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.

Santa Ponça is getting reading to commemorate the successful landing and conquering of the Moors by King Jaume I in 1229 with eleven days of festivities.

The far easterly village of Capdepera was bursting with activity last weekend as it celebrated its 17th Medieval fair. Over 70,000 visitors flocked to its picturesque streets, most heading straight up to the walled fortress of Capdepera Castle, which provides a very authentic backdrop to the festivities.

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?

There was a great sense of anticipation at Palma Auditorium on Friday, as people arrived for the one night only show celebrating Glenn Miller and the golden era of swing and big band music.

On the third Thursday in September, a selection of Palma’s art galleries open their doors to the public free of charge, for the cultural extravaganza that is known as the Nit de l’Art. Organised by Art Palma and the Association of Independent Art Galleries of the Balearics, it is one of the top social gatherings in Palma’s events calendar, and you can pick up flyers for the event in tourist offices and art galleries.

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.

Llubi is a small, unassuming town in the plains of the Pla, to the east of the Tramuntana mountain range. Surrounded by wonderful countryside, it has relied on agriculture for it's wealth for many centuries. And since the 14th and 15th centuries, honey has been a mainstay of their economy, and is now celebrated in Llubi's annual autumn fair.

The Superyacht Cup opened its docks to the public this year. I went down to take a look and quickly realised what a different world it is…

Mallorca has long been a big draw for cyclists from all over the world, colourful teams of road bikers are a common sight all over the island but this weekend bikers of a different breed took over Old Town Pollenca in North Mallorca. No cycle shorts in sight here as lightweight bikes were switched for downhill rigs and Lycra was replaced with full body armour; the downhill mountain bikers were in town!

Santa Ponça's annual Festes del Rei en Jaume came to a close on Sunday after eleven days of festivities. Thousands of visitors flocked to the coastal town to see it transformed into a medieval stage where Christians and Moors reenacted the battle of 1229 with humour and gusto.

June is upon us now and here in Mallorca that means we have some BIG opening parties ahead of us and the beginning of some of the major events of the Summer.

The 54th Festival of Pollenca is under way and a part of it is an exhibition by Mallorcan born artist Astrid Colomar. 

There's a real buzz in the air ahead of Calvià's biggest party. The battle of the Moors versus the Christians comes at the end of a week of celebrations in the south-western town of Santa Ponsa.