Moors and Christians

The opening day of the Moors and Christians of Dénia begins with the emotional proclamation, in which a figure selected by the Federation of Moors and Christians (FEMMICC), with a special bond with the city and the festival, publicly proclaims the beginning of the festivities. His voice resounds in squares and streets, officially marking the opening of a festive period full of light, gunpowder and tradition.

This speech serves as a symbolic bridge between local history and collective fervor, giving way to the coming days of parades, music and festive culture.

Then, the mayor of Dénia makes the symbolic delivery of the keys of the city to the president of the FEMMICC, representing the transfer of the festive control to the festive ones. This gesture ritualizes the passage of the city from the everyday to the festive, accompanied by the hoisting of flags in the Pl. del Consell. From that moment on, Dénia is officially immersed in a celebratory atmosphere, where every corner is dressed in festive clothes until culminating on August 16, the day of San Roque.

Filaes Moras
The Moorish side is inspired by the heritage of the taifa of Daniya, the Berber peoples and the medieval Islamic tradition that deeply marked the history of Dénia. Their costumes stand out for the intense colors, the presence of the crescent moon and references to the desert, the sea and the Arab culture.
Among its filaes we find:

• Amaríes: founded in 1980, one of the creators of the modern festival. Its name evokes the Amirí dynasty that ruled Dénia and the Balearic Islands in the 11th century.
• Almoravids: also from 1980, it pays homage to the famous warrior tribe that played a major role in the conquest of Valencia.
• Walíes: historical filà from 1980; the term walí means governor in the Islamic world. Its colors symbolize the desert and the sea.
• Alkamar: first Moorish women’s rank (1999). Its name means moon in Arabic and its festive march is “Daughters of the Moon”.
• Berbers – Tuaregs: result of the union of two filaes (2004 and 2005), joining their shields into one.
• Abencerrajes: born in 2006, it recalls the legendary Granada lineage of the Abencerrajes.
• Amazigh: women’s lineage that vindicates the free spirit of the Berbers, where women enjoyed great autonomy.
• Pirata Berberisca: created in 2011, formed by women, it pays tribute to the pirate raids that sailed the Mediterranean.

Filaes Cristianas
The Christian side commemorates the arrival of Jaime I and the Christian repopulation after the reconquest. Its aesthetics is inspired by the medieval military orders, crusader knights and sailors defending the coast.
Among its filaes we find:

• Deniers: first Christian filà, founded in 1980. Together with the Moors, it laid the foundations of the modern festival.
• Templaris: founded in 1987 in memory of the Order of the Temple, which had properties in Dénia after the conquest.
• Cavallers del M’en Fot: with more than 30 years of history, their motto is to live the party in their own way.
• Almogàvers: women’s rank founded in 1997, inspired by the Aragonese soldiers known for their bravery. Their cry is “Desperta Ferro!
• Mozarabs: dating back to 2000, it commemorates the Christians who lived under Muslim rule while preserving their customs.
• Marins Corsaris: founded in 2002, it pays homage to the Christian corsairs who defended the coast.
• Creuats: created in 2005, it represents the knights of the medieval crusades. Its emblem is a large cross on blue and purple colors.
  Guerrers Hospitalaris del Rei Jaume I: created in 2007, reminiscent of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, with black habit and the Maltese Cross as a symbol.

The staging of the Disembarkation of the Moors in Dénia is one of the most anticipated moments of the festival cycle. From the north breakwater, where the Moorish troops simulate a maritime invasion, they descend the beach and are received by the Christians in an atmosphere of great expectation. Among cheers, festive music and thunder of arquebuses, the troops negotiate the truce in an emotional act that mixes theater, history and pure popular celebration.

This landing, which dates back to the first years of the modern festival -it is documented since 1981-, has become the symbolic starting point of the Moors and Christians of Dénia.

After the signing of the pact, the truce allows the festive coexistence between the two sides until the Christian landing, which closes the cycle with a battle of arquebusiers and the traditional “miracle of the fog”.

It is a visual and emotional spectacle that immerses the audience in a collective experience charged with tradition, theatricality and a sense of belonging.

The Grand Gala Parade is undoubtedly the most majestic and visual act of the Moors and Christians Festival of Dénia, a celebration that combines history, tradition and spectacularity. After the disembarkation and the first skirmish acts, the children’s parade opens the way to this great event that is not limited to being a simple parade: it is a real exhibition of festive power, where the Moorish and Christian filaes show their most sumptuous costumes to the beat of the festive marches while they walk along Marqués de Campo street.

Each comparsa, and especially the filà capitana, turns its passage into a show of pride and collective ingenuity: floats, choreography, banners, horses, camels, dancers, acrobats and standard bearers fill the route with color, music and theatricality, making the city stop to admire this unique representation. The parade symbolizes both the historical rivalry between Moors and Christians and the festive coexistence that today characterizes Dénia, offering residents and visitors an unforgettable experience, officially recognized as a Festival of Tourist Interest.

The Boato

At the heart of the gala parade is the pomp and pageantry, the great staging that accompanies the rank that holds the captaincy. It is a story told in movement, in which each year the Moorish and Christian captaincy build new narratives to convey their identity, their imaginary and their strength along the route.

The boato encompasses all the elements that surround the filà capitana: from the costumes and music to the floats, dance, cavalry and visual effects. Its preparation is the largest economic investment of the captaincy, as it depends largely on the collection made during the previous year and the creative and organizational capacity of each filà. Thus, each edition becomes an unrepeatable premiere that further enhances the parade.

The First Trò

Within the internal structure of each filà is the figure of the First Trò, the highest representative position and equivalent to the president in other festivals such as the Fallas. This position, which is usually rotating and with a duration of one festive year, involves the responsibility of coordinating the filà and represent its members in all events. The election of the First Trò is done through internal voting among the festeros, reinforcing the democratic, participatory and community character that defines these groups.

Dates:
August 14 the children’s and August 15 the gala parade.

The battle of arquebusiers is one of the most intense and characteristic moments of the Moros i Cristians in Dénia. In this event, representatives of all the comparsas fire their arquebuses loaded with gunpowder in a great skirmish in the city center, traditionally in La Vía Street and Consell Square.

It is a festive display in which the rhythmic roar of gunfire creates an atmosphere of tension and collective emotion, symbolically marking the temporary triumph of one side and then the other. In addition, the legendary “miracle of the fog” is represented, when a mysterious mist rising from the sea facilitates the Christian conquest of the “castle”, evoking the historical and spiritual evocation of the festivity.

After the battle, the captains and members of the filaes parade in a ceremony of surrender, forming a symbolic corridor for the Moors to leave the city, and culminate with a retreta and final shot of blunderbusses that put an end to the acts.

It is a moment full of theatricality, gunpowder and community meaning, in which tradition, drama and spectacle come together to close a vibrant and festive day, reflecting the historical and festive spirit of Dénia.

The celebration of Mig Any in Dénia marks an emotional milestone for the Moros i Cristians comparsas: it is the festive equator, the moment when the community recognizes that six months have passed since the main festivities in August and they have another six months to live them again. Although it is not linked to a specific historical tradition, this act arises from the shared desire to keep alive the festive passion and brotherhood within the filaes.

During Mig Any, participants wear their festive costumes, display the colors and symbols of their groups, and parade through the streets in an informal and cheerful atmosphere accompanied by band music. It is also the stage for the official presentation of the fila charges – as captains, standard-bearers and ambassadors – in an event that culminates with a dinner of brotherhood that combines reunion, shared history and projection of the future of the festival. The Mig Any is, therefore, a reaffirmation of the emotional commitment to tradition, a reunion that anticipates the biggest celebration and strengthens the ties between the protagonists and the festive community.

Date: Every year, at the end of February.

The festival of Sant Roc in Dénia, organized by the Brotherhood of Sant Roc since the early seventeenth century, mixes religious devotion and popular celebration in a program that fills the days of August with events for all audiences. In the devotional part, highlights the solemn mass in honor of the patron saint, followed by the traditional distribution of blessed bread and the procession where the image of Sant Roc walks through the streets, living testimony of the faith and tradition of Dénia.

But the festivities of Sant Roc go far beyond the liturgical. The “mayorales” -responsible for the organization- coordinate very deep-rooted participatory recreational activities, such as sports championships, gastronomic tastings in the street, popular celebrations and even the fireworks display that in some years closes the festive program. In this way, the festival offers a balance between spirituality, culture and fun, becoming a festive meeting point that adds to the celebration of the Moors and Christians and involves neighbors and visitors in a close and authentically local atmosphere.