In the middle of the tourist season, the Night of the Candles held in Mojácar was a success both in organisation and participation, exceeding the number of visitors reached in 2019 (the last time it was held due to the pandemic). The event organisation estimates that 17,000 people took part in this Mojácar event.
Visitors staying in municipal hotels, locals and residents of other Almería municipalities went along, as well as visitors on more than 20 organised excursions from other Spanish cities and regions.
Last Thursday 21st July marked 10 years since its first edition, which was held on 12th August 2012 on the initiative of Mojácar Pueblo business owners and shopkeepers with the aim of offering Mojácar, its streets and viewpoints, as the perfect settings for gazing at the stars on summer nights.
For this purpose, they turned off the public street lights, illuminating some streets with candles. The success of that first edition only grew, in 2018 and 2019 reaching 12,000 and 14,000 visitors respectively.
Since then, the event has become one of the most eagerly anticipated on the Mojácar calendar of activities.
In this 2022 edition, the first announcement with the dates of the event reached 50,000 hits in just a few hours on Facebook. From then, and as the date got closer, the Municipal Tourist Office got thousands of enquiries by email, Messenger, telephone, etc.
This expectation is justified by the wonderful setting that one of the prettiest villages in Spain’s old town offers, lit up by 8,000 candles instead of electric lighting, which remains off, creating a very special atmosphere in the historic district’s streets, squares and emblematic corners.
At the same time, it’s a great opportunity to gaze at the stars from the Mojácar viewpoints, also taking advantage of the installation of telescopes at the highest part of the village.
To make their strolls even more pleasant, visitors came across live music and a Batucada percussion procession through the village streets. These attractions brought together all kinds of people, mainly couples and families, who were also able to enjoy on the terraces the offer of restaurants, bars, cafés, ice-cream parlours, etc. Like the wining and dining establishments, a wide variety of charming shops stayed open until late that evening.
The large number of visitors attracted by this festival brings with it important support to the economy of the municipality’s businesses, which see an increase in their sales on that day and on the days prior to and following the event.
To guarantee access to the village without parking problems, Mojácar Council put in place a special public transport service, which functioned perfectly.
This service had 20 buses, which from 7pm to 3am did direct routes between the village and the main, busiest bus stops on Mojácar coast. To speed up the service, booths were installed at these stops for the sale of bus tickets, thus ensuring that the waits to get to and from the event were as short as possible.
This service managed to transport thousands of people in eight hours in a safe, economical, comfortable and sustainable way.
Many congratulations for the event were received at the end.
Mojácar Council thanked everyone via social media who made the success of this great event possible, among them:
– Volunteers putting candles in place from 6am.
– Volunteers lighting 8,000 candles and taking care they didn’t go out.
– Moors and Christians Association volunteers.
– Civil Protection volunteers.
– Works and Services personnel.
– Local Police.
– The 20 special transport service drivers.
– Ticket sales personnel in the huts.
– Transportation coordinators.
– Mojácar Pueblo business owners and shopkeepers.
– Hospitality sector and shop staff.
– Hoteliers.
– Musicians.
– Local Council Candles2022 event organisation team.
– Tourist Office Staff.
– The media.
etc., etc.
And especially the thousands of people who went along to the Mojácar 2022 Night of the Candles.
