Next Tuesday, July 16 is Fiesta of the Virgen del Carmen who is the Patron Saint of fishermen and sailors. Sabinillas ,Castillo and Estepona all have links with the fish community and therefore this fiesta is very important to our local area.
If you’ve never seen it, you really should – it is a beautiful spectacle to watch. Following masses in the churches of Sabinillas and Castillo, statues of the virgins are taken from the churches and are placed on board the local fishing boats in two separate ceremonies: the first off the beach at Sabinillas and the second in the Port of Duquesa. The two boats bearing the Virgins, along with with a flotilla of other boats then parade up and down the coast from the Salt Tower to Chullera before disembarking and returning to their respective churches.
Virgin del Carmen is also the patron saint of Castillo de la Duquesa so the celebrations go on for over a week…. any excuse for a party!
Here’s the programme of entertainment in Castillo
Friday 12th July – Veterans football tournament
Saturday 13th July – 10.00 – kids beach football tournament
13.30 Sardine BBQ
15.00 Election of fiesta queens
Sunday 14th July – 21.00 Mass in honour of Virgin del Carmen
Monday 15th July – 21.00 Mass in honour of Virgin del Carmen
Tuesday 16th July – 9.00 Parade by Manilva’s band and no doubt some rockets will be let off as its a fiesta….
11.00 Children’s games
17.00 Prizegiving ceremony
18.00 Mass in honour of Virgin del Carmen
19.00 Procession of the virgin to the shoreline and onto the boat
23.00 Full on party with live latin music
Apart from the masses, all activities will take place in the Parque del Huerto, alongside the castle.
Please note that it is an official holidayin Estepona and Castillo so many shops and businesses will be closed on Tuesday and although, not an “official” holiday in Sabinillas, you may find that many business will either not open for the afternoon or will close early.
