9 d'octubre: a bank holiday with lots to enjoy

The 9 d’octubre, the 9 October, is the Day of the Region of Valencia, a bank holiday that sees the provinces of Castellón, Valencia and Alicante put on plenty of traditional events and activities. As a whole host of things to do are coming your way, we thought we’d put together this short guide so you can make the most of the opportunity to mark the start of autumn and take a break from your routine. Keep reading to discover what you can get up to on the 9 October. 

What does the 9 October celebrate?

The 9 October marks an historical event, namely the arrival of King Jaime I to València city in the year 1238. Centuries have passed since this event, but the commemoration is still very much alive. One of the traditions defining the festivity is the mocadorà del 9 d’octubre, which sees local pastry chefs make fruit-shaped marzipan as well as piuleta i tronaor, delicious pastries with an unusual shape. 

These sweet treats are wrapped up in a scarf, known as a mocador, and given as a special gift to loved ones. This tradition is related to the fact that the 9 October is also Sant Dionís, the Day of Lovers in the Region of Valencia. Your first mission, therefore, is to purchase a mocadorà on sale in our traditional bakeries.  

The 9 October: what’s on 

In the province of Valencia, the 9 October is celebrated across many towns and villages, and not least València city, which hosts the spectacular 9 October firework display, traditionally held on the eve of the bank holiday. Alicante city is offering plenty of music and traditional dances on the 9 October whereas Castelló de la Plana is running fun activities and workshops for kids. 

Venturing outside the big cities, there are countless opportunities for you to take part in activities and events. A case in point is Alcoy, a destination in the province of Alicante that puts on concerts, traditional dance shows, workshops, and food, book and craft fairs over a few days. 

Alzira is hosting what can only be described as a music festival with performances by The Tyets, Rawpublik, Niuss, Julieta and Xavi Sarrià while Almenara is honing in on tradition with traditional dances, games and community dinners. Benissa will see the giants and big heads take to the streets alongside groups of dancers as well as floral offerings and performances. 

Though there are the 9 October events taking place across the Region of Valencia, we’d like to close this guide with a recommendation to check out La Vall de Gallinera’s Cultural Programme. With children’s theatre, live music in the streets and more, are you really going to miss it? 

If you want to keep up to date with the other festivals and cultural and artistic events on in the Region of Valencia, follow us on social media. We’re on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X and Youtube.