Burying the Sardine

They do bury sardines. Music, colour, dancing, and processions precede the more solemn religious holidays as funfair season ends.

This centuries-old ritual of burying a dead fish in a coffin and parading it through the streets draws many people. The burying is humorous, but the origins of this festival are unclear. One story is that Charles 3rd ordered wine and sardines for the commoners to celebrate the festival’s end in the 17th century. Sardines smelt bad that day due to the heat. Burying the sardines was the only way to eliminate the smell. People cried when the King buried the sardines because it was the end of free food and the start of abstinence.

The celebration ends with a spectacular fireworks display that we will enjoy before leaving.

Enjoy the market and the various sites of this popular seaside Costa Blanca town on this wonderful day.