- EDITIONS: Spanish News Today Murcia Today Alicante Today
Date Published: 18/05/2021
ARCHIVED - Almeria cancels San Juan festivities for another year but permits Virgen del Mar to go ahead
Almeria City Council in Andalucia has said it will be cancelling San Juan for the second year in a row.
Officials at Almeria City Council have said they will be cancelling the popular San Juan festival on June 24 due to ongoing health concerns and despite a drop in Covid cases across Andalucia in recent weeks.
The move was agreed by all parties in the council who argued that they would not be able to ensure safety measures would be maintained at the festival, which attracts large numbers of young people who stay out on the beach overnight, lighting bonfires to celebrate the local holiday.
The council has not yet confirmed whether residents will still be able to travel to the beach at all for the San Juan holiday, however a second popular Almeria event has been allowed; the Virgen del Mar festival, which takes place in August.
Officials have said the event will be different to the last time it was staged in 2019, with mask wearing and other health measures in place.
It is highly possible that within the next few days the regulations concerning the wearing of masks in Spain will change; currently masks are obligatory outdoors in all situations other than swimming or sunbathing.
The festival will be limited to activities where safety can be guaranteed, however, so events with unlimited numbers of people will not be allowed, but bars and restaurants will be open in line with some restrictions, while other attractions will be located in the fairgrounds and other parts of the city. Sports activities and neighbourhood festivals will also be permitted to go ahead.
Contact Murcia Today: Editorial 966 260 896 /
Office 968 018 268