Like all Spanish provinces Los Murcianos (the Murcians) love their festivals and traditions. Festivals are also great days out for locals as well as visiting tourists and sightseers, that flock to the Murcia's fabulous beach and golf resorts to rent golf apartments or luxury villas with pools. Below, in date order, are just some of the many celebrations and festivities that happen throughout the year in the popular holiday region of Murcia.

What: Cartagena Jazz Festival
Where: Cartagena, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: 6-21 November
An annual celebration of international jazz music, this year 2009 festival features artist like Bela Fleck & the Original Flecktones, James Hunter, Marcus Miller, Concha Buika.

What: Fiesta de San Francisco de San Javier (Saint Francis of San Javier)
Where: San Javier, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: 3 December
During the festival of Saint Francis of San Javier there are sports, games, exhibitions and concerts for the public to enjoy.

What: Grape gobbling on New Year's Eve
Where: all over Spain/Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: 31 December
New Year is celebrated worldwide with parties, champagne and fireworks, but the Spanish have an unusual tradition which involves revelers gobbling up grapes (preferably without seeds), one for ever gong of the chime (12 in total at midnight) of the clock of Puerto del Sol in Madrid. Reasons behind this tradition stem from an abundant grape harvest once upon a time where the king give his people grapes on New Year's Eve.

What: Los Reyes Magos (the three Kings) procession
Where: Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: 5 January
The Festival of the 3 Kings arrival in Bethlehem is celebrated in most towns and cities across the whole of Spain. It is a fabulous day out for families and children who brace the winter cold to see pageants and procession floats bearing gifts that travel throughout the streets throwing (literally) tonnes of sweets and goodies at the eagerly awaiting and sweet-toothed children.

What: The Tamborada Festival
Where: Moratalla and Mula, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: 24-27 March
This festival celebrates the passion of Christ with the beating drums over three unusual days in March.

What: Semana Santa (Holy Week)
Where: Murcia, Costa Calida/all over Spain
When: Easter/April
Celebrated across the whole of Spain with ornate religious processions, Easter in Murcia is truly spectacular affair with the flickering light of candles and smell of incense drifting through the streets. On Wednesday, the Aurora (red-cloaked and hooded attendants) parade the streets of the regional capital and on Thursday evening the city lights are switched off and the processions pass in a silence broken only by the choirs of the various brotherhoods. Good Friday morning witnesses the procession of 'Los Salzillos' and the purple gowns of the Nazarenes brotherhood can be seen as they march at dawn. Smaller processions take place in nearby Cartagena and San Pedro del Pinatar.

What: El Bando de la Huerta
Where: Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: April
There is a day's respite after the solemnity of Holy Week before El Bando de La Huerta signals the start of a few more days of festivities. The city's cathedral plaza hosts the start of the Spring Fiestas, where the day begins with a floral parade, which is offered to the Virgin of Fuensanta, the patron of the city.
The city's other plazas and gardens host stalls called 'barracas' that are run by rural folk, also know as 'Penas', and serve typical dishes from the region of Murcia. They also dress in traditional costumes and participate in folklore performances throughout the day. In the afternoon the main parade continues with marchers and floats decorated with products of the countryside and weaves its way around the nearby boroughs before returning to the city centre.

What: The Burial of the Sardine
Where: Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: April
The incredible carnival finale of the spring celebrations featuring floats, Rio Carnival-type costumes and dancing, samba beats, giants and big-heads, entertainers and torch bearers...a truly crazy time as the crowds try and catch thousands of euros that are thrown to the public. On the night of the eve of the Burial, the Testament of Doña Sardina (Ms Sardine) is read from the Town Hall balcony. The strange celebrations end in the wee hours of the morning, when, the sardine, a papier-mâché effigy, is burnt in the Plano de San Francisco.

What: La Manga Fiesta
Where: La Manga, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: May
La Manga's Fiesta also hosts the La Manga Ladies Windsurfing Championships.

What: The Festival of the Holy Cross in Caravaca de la Cruz
Where: Caravaca de la Cruz, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: 1-5 May
A five-day fiesta that see the famous 'Race of Wine Horses'... the region's horses used in the vineyards race from the bottom of the town, decorated in embroidered coats, through the streets to its castle.

What: Three Cultures International festival
Where: Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When May
A rich and varied festival of concerts and cultural events including performances of flamenco, folklore music, Arabic dances, Sufi poets and medieval music, which focuses on the tolerance and mixing of different cultures including Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

What Baby Jumping: Colacho Festival
Where: Castrillo de Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: June
If grown men celebrating Corpus Christi dressed up as the devil leaping over rows of babies in a street sounds like your cup of tea, then this famously bizarre event celebrated since 1620 could be for you.

What: San Javier international Jazz festival
Where: San Javier, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: July
Throughout July the popular old fishing town of San Javier boarding the beautiful blue waters of the Mar Menor and Famous La Manga strip hosts it international Jazz Festival, featuring leading blues and jazz artists.

What: Cante de las Minas Flamenco festival
Where: La Unión, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: August
Started in 1961 as a flamenco singing competition this flamenco festival in Murcia is one of the most important in Spain.

What: San Javier's International Theatre, Music and Dance Festival
Where: San Javier, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: August
Performed in San Javier's Parque Almansa's open-air auditorium tourists and residents can enjoy international theatre, music and dance performances from global artists.

What: Sea of Music Festival
Where: Cartegena Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: July
Started in 1955 this internationally recognised festival of 'global sound' has a different country theme every year. Featuring top international music performances the theme for 2009 was Morocco.

What: Farewell to summer party
Where: Los Alcazares, Murcia, Costa Calida, Murcia
When: 29 August
With dancing in Los Alcazares' Asunción Church square holidaymakers in Murcia, as well as residents, can say 'farewell to the heat of the summer' with the little party.

What: Feria of Murcia
Where: Murcia, Costa Calida, Murcia
When: September (first two weeks)
With bullfights, parades, pageants, concerts and folklore displays the city of Murcia celebrates in patron saint, La Virgen de la Fuensanta. Traditional games, video screenings and golf tournaments also take place.

What: Moors and Christians Festival
Where: Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: September
Relive bloody battles and cultural clashes at Murcia's Moors & Christians Festival with famous parades and battle re-enactments performed in front of the public.

What: Roots Music festival
Where: Plaza de Romea, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: September
Held at the Plaza Romea this Festival de Música de Raíz celebrates groups and musicians from the region of Murcia with regional food and arts and crafts also available.

What: Carthaginians & Romans Festival
Where: Cartagena, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: September
Opening with the traditional sacred fire this 10-day festival celebrates Cartagena's rich marine history with battle re-enactments, parades and marches, a wedding and a circus and, finally, a spectacular fireworks display.

What: Fiestas del Caldero
Where: Los Alcazares, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
When: 9-13 October
A week-long celebration of the town's municipal autonomy hosting processions, fireworks, the Mar Menor's Surfari Windsurfing competition and, finally, the 'Caldero' Festival where the local fisherman cook their catch for the public in hanging cauldrons by lighting fires on the beach.

Connect Rentals is a holiday rentals specialist, offering holidaymakers a wide selection of luxury villas with pools, superb golf apartments and beautiful townhouses throughout Spain, including Polaris World rentals on the Costa Calida, Murcia, and Costa Brava.

Visit our website today at http://www.connectrentals.com/