Christmas in Ontinyent begins right after La Puríssima, the town's main festival on 7 and 8 December, and lasts until the Three Kings (Epiphany). The Town Council groups everything under the name Ontinyent Il·lusiona: lights, a market, street circus, concerts and the parade.
The dates in this guide are from Christmas 2025-2026 and serve as a guide. This year's dates will appear in the events calendar as soon as the programme is published.
The illuminated nativity on the bell tower
This is the symbol of Christmas in Ontinyent. Since 1980, a group of volunteers has set up a huge nativity scene made of lights on the Santa Maria bell tower, the tallest in the Valencia region, every December. The lit figures can be seen from almost anywhere in town, and it's the classic Christmas photo.
The lights switch-on
Christmas kicks off with the official switch-on of the tree and the town's lights. In 2025 it took place on 5 December at 19:30: a parade with els Güendos de Nadal (Christmas elves) set off from Avinguda Martínez Valls and ended in Parc Ausiàs March, where the lights came on.
The Christmas Market
It is set up in Parc Ausiàs March, with stalls selling crafts, gifts and food, plus music and entertainment. In 2025 it opened on two December weekends (12 to 14 and 19 to 21), from 18:00.
Street circus and theatre
Between Christmas and New Year, circus companies from Spain and abroad give free shows in the squares: Parc Ausiàs March, Plaça de la Concepció and Plaça Sant Domingo. In 2025 they ran from 20 to 28 December. A perfect plan with children.
Concerts
December brings carol concerts, choirs, jazz and classical music; in 2025, even Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The town's music societies also give their Christmas concerts. They are all in the events calendar.
New Year's Eve race and children's New Year
- Sant Silvestre: the popular end-of-year fun run. In 2025 it started from Plaça Major on 30 December at 20:00.
- Children's New Year: early "midnight chimes" for little ones, with hot chocolate. In 2025, on 26 December at 17:00 in Plaça Major.
The Three Kings
The parade and the Three Kings events are organised, together with the Town Council, by the Friends of the Three Kings Association of Ontinyent (Amics dels Reis Mags), a group of volunteers who have done so since the early 1970s. They also run the Royal Camp of Emissary Jacobo, with workshops, games, films and hot chocolate, and the Ja vénen els Reis programme.
- The Royal Postman tours the neighbourhoods on a little train to collect children's letters.
- Emissary Jacobo: on the morning of 5 January he wakes up at the Palau de la Vila and walks in procession from Plaça Major to the Town Hall.
- The Three Kings Parade: on the evening of 5 January, at 18:00, it leaves from the Sant Josep parish church and goes along José Simó Marín, Martínez Valls, Daniel Gil, Plaça de la Concepció and Gomis and Maians streets to the Town Hall square.
If it rains, plans can change: in 2026, with rain and snow forecast, the parade was moved to the morning of 6 January. Always check the Town Council's announcements on the day.
And in January, Sant Antoni
After the holidays comes Sant Antoni Abat, after 17 January, with bonfires, the blessing of the animals and the porrat street market.
Practical tips
- Wrap up warm: December nights in Ontinyent are cold. Check the weather before you go out.
- Park outside the centre on parade and switch-on days, as streets are closed. More in Parking in Ontinyent.
- Coming for the weekend? See what to do this weekend.
Sources: Turisme Ontinyent (Ontinyent Il·lusiona 2025 programme), TV Digital Ontinyent and Ara la Vall.
