The Javea International Festival (Festival Internacional de Javea) is the most important fiesta of the year celebrating the local international community.
There are 28 major nationalities living in Javea, and they make up 43% of people registered on the municipal register – the Padrón.
Typically 20 of these nationalities will share their traditional foods, their traditional music and their traditional friendliness in a dedicated tent all along the central Avenida de Augusta in Javea’s Port.
Sound like a Javea festival you’d like to get involved in?
Read on to find out more about the Javea International Festival.
When is the Javea International Festival?
The Javea International Festival takes place every year over the last weekend in June.
Where is the Javea International Festival?
The Javea International Festival is held outside the Instituto IES no. 1 school on the Avenida de Augusta, right next to the Gorgos riverbed which borders the port area of Javea.
What’s the highlight of the Javea International Festival?
Depending on your taste:
- Live music events over Friday, Saturday and Sunday
- Sampling local cuisine from over 20 nationalities resident in Javea
- Sitting out on tables and chairs in the closed-off Avenida de Augusta under the stunning Montgo on the horizon and in the best weather all year
- Chatting to local Javea residents who you might never otherwise get an opportunity to meet
- It’s free!
More than 25 years of the Javea International Festival
The Asociación Cultural Festival Internacional de Jávea held the first Javea International Javea back in 1995.
The multicultural event was an instant hit, and has been part of the fabric of Javea fiestas ever since (except for COVID-19 related cancellations in 2020, 2021 and 2022).
According to the website of the Javea International Festival, the objective is the ‘promotion and the stimulation of interculturality by means of cultural, social and culinary integration’.
While Javea residents can enjoy a whole range of festivals and traditions – some dating back over 250 years – this is the festival that aims to represent the local society today.
The 20 participating countries in 2019 were as follows:
- Argentina
- Belgium
- Chile
- Colombia
- Cuba
- Ecuador
- France
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Italy
- Madagascar
- Mexico
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- Peru
- Poland
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Uruguay
In other years, these have been joined by:
- Brazil
- Philippines
- Portugal
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
The countries take part by running one of the market-stall-like tents running along either side of the Avenida de Augusta.
In these tents, you can sample the local food and speak to Javea’s international residents – often dressed up in traditional clothing to add an extra element of fun to the festivities.
At the far end of the setting, the Javea town hall (Ajuntament de Xàbia) gets involved to set up a music stage, where you can see live music, dance performances, speeches and more from Friday to Sunday in the last weekend of June.
The association running the Javea International Festival works throughout the year to make sure each event is a stellar success and brings together residents, local business, NGOs, consular officials and ambassadors from the range of countries who call Javea home.
What else does the Javea International Festival association do?
The Asociación Cultural Festival Internacional de Jávea is also behind a number of events you can enjoy throughout the year.
These include:
- The Mercadillo International de Navidad (the International Christmas Market) where stalls selling festive goods go up in the Placeta del Convent in the Old Town of Javea
- Vide Grenier flea market, which pops up at various locations at various times of the year
- The Cena Gala Internacional in May is a gala dinner event which celebrates all the nationalities present in Javea
The Pasacalle International (International Parade) takes place a week before the Javea International Festival and sees a mix of all Javea’s nationalities parade through the town streets in their traditional clothing and bearing the flags of their homelands.