Tag: palma

Sant Sebastià 2026: A Festival of Music and Tradition in Mallorca

Spain is widely known for its tradition of fiestas. A fiesta in Spain is a vibrant festival or celebration, often rooted in religious holidays honouring saints or commemorating historical events, but also encompassing cultural, seasonal, or modern parties. These celebrations typically feature music, parades, food, fireworks, and unique local traditions.

The patron saint of Palma de Mallorca is Saint Sebastian (Sant Sebastià), a Roman soldier martyred for his faith. His feast day is celebrated with major festivities in the city in the middle of January featuring concerts, bonfires, and traditional parades such as the Correfoc. He became the city’s patron after his relic was brought to the Cathedral, coinciding with the end of a plague and symbolising protection against epidemics.

This Friday, January the 16th the Crystal Fighters take to the stage in Plaça d’Espanya. They are an English-American electronic music band formed in London in 2007. Known for their explosive fusion of electronic music, folk influences, and festival energy, the band promises one of the international highlights of this year’s programme. Their Instagram says they are excited to start the New Year together with a free concert for all. 

On Saturday, January the 17th, the now-popular tardeos will spread across Plaça del Rei Joan Carles I and Plaça Major, with DJ sessions and live performances aimed at a broad audience. It’s a format that continues to grow in popularity, perfect for enjoying music during the afternoon while soaking up the atmosphere of Palma’s city centre.

Everything will culminate on January the 19th with the Revetla de Sant Sebastià, when simultaneous concerts will take over multiple city squares. Urban music and electrolatino will dominate Plaça d’Espanya, local talent and tradition will shine in Plaça Major, Catalan pop and Balearic sounds will fill Plaça del Rei Joan Carles I, and rock history will resonate in Plaça de Cort.

All in all, Sant Sebastià 2026 is shaping up to be a celebration marked by diversity, blending generations, traditions, and musical styles into a vibrant cultural offering that once again places Palma’s streets at the heart of the party.

Exploring the Palma International Boat Show: A Nautical Industry Overview

After working in tourism for most of my life, it was refreshing to immerse myself in a totally different world last week. The radio station was invited by two different companies to present live broadcasts from their stands at the Palma International Boat Show. The world of yachting is a fascinating industry that employs thousands of people and generates a significant amount of income.

To give you a full breakdown, the Balearics encompass 879 companies generating €1.106 billion in revenue and creating 5,145 jobs, with an annual growth rate of 4.26%, according to a report unveiled last year by the Balearic Marine Cluster. This was the first time a comprehensive overview of the sector had been provided, revealing the consolidation of the Balearic Islands as a hub for nautical activities in the Mediterranean.

Toni Salom, President of the Balearic Marine Cluster, stated in his opening speech: “The nautical industry in the Balearic Islands, representing 3.1% of the Balearic GDP, is not only an integral part of our local economy but also a symbol of our identity and culture.”

I was reliably informed by one of the exhibitors that the Palma International Boat Show is now the fourth largest in Europe. It has over 300 exhibitors and a 96% year-on-year return rate. On our site visit early last week, you couldn’t help but be impressed by the amount of detail people went to in order to make their stand or yacht stand out.

On Wednesday and Thursday, we were with Estela Yachts in the Port Authority building, which was right by the main entrance of the show. They are a full-service agency for commercial vessels, cruise ships, and superyachts, headquartered in Barcelona. They have offices and representatives on three continents and a global network for bunkering, shipping, customs & immigration support, and concierge services.

On Friday, we were with Precision Marine at their stand inside the show.

They provide a wide range of pragmatic, affordable, and always professionally conducted marine engineering services. They are experienced professionals in the marine engineering industry and have been providing successful services from 1994 to the present day. Their policy is to provide a quality service geared to customers’ requirements and deadlines. PME has been a family-run business since it was formed in 1996. Its founder, Andrew Wilcox, is still actively involved in the business today.

Outside broadcasts are fun, as they take you out of your comfort zone and make you totally reliant on a good internet signal. Unfortunately, that wasn’t always the case, but our plan B was to interview people and broadcast the segments back throughout the shows. All of this was great experience for us as we move on to the next big event. We met loads of different people from loads of different companies. It’s only when you get into it that you see what goes into making a successful boat show.

The vibe I got from everyone I spoke to was that this was one of the best shows ever, and they are looking forward to a very busy season. It’s an industry that, in my opinion, should be looked after by the authorities. I came away totally impressed by all the people who work in it, and we look forward to working with many of them in the near future.