The Fancy Dress Party is expected to attract more than 30,000 people to Benidorm for “Europe’s Biggest Fancy Dress Celebration”

The busiest tourist streets of Benidorm’s Rincón de Loix area will once again burst into colour next Thursday, 12 November, just one day after the city’s Festes Majors Patronals come to an end, with the return of the popular Fancy Dress Party. The event attracts thousands of visitors from Spain and abroad every year, particularly from the UK, and has become “a major celebration of fun and enjoyment”, according to Councillor for Events Jesús Carrobles.

Carrobles presented this year’s edition alongside Rubén Navarro, representing Abreca, and Manolo Nieto, who launched the celebration 32 years ago at Sinatra’s pub.

The councillor noted that the party “has continued to grow in recent years, possibly becoming Europe’s biggest fancy dress party”, which is the slogan being used to promote this year’s event.

“It started out as a rather informal, local affair, but over the years it has grown into an event that attracts around 30,000 people,” Carrobles explained. He also pointed out that “although British visitors were initially the main participants, the event is increasingly attracting people of other nationalities, as well as Spanish tourists and residents of Benidorm and other towns in the surrounding area and province, who come along eager to join in this huge celebration”.

The councillor, who is also responsible for Public Safety, acknowledged the challenges involved in organising security for an event of this scale. The party takes place in an open area, mainly along Gerona, Lepanto and Mallorca streets, with crowds gradually building throughout the day.

“Both the Events and Public Safety departments have been working on the event for months, coordinating all the necessary measures with leisure businesses, the National Police and Civil Protection, among others,” he explained. However, Carrobles emphasised the “great atmosphere” that characterises the celebration, noting that despite the huge crowds, “there has never been a serious incident, because people come here to have a good time”.

Regarding this year’s arrangements, the councillor explained that the Local Police will close Gerona and Lepanto streets to vehicle traffic at around 11 am to ensure the safety of both drivers and pedestrians. More than 50 local businesses are expected to be involved in the organisation in one way or another, with the colourful parade, scheduled to start after 4 pm, serving as the main highlight of the event.

According to Abreca, 18 floats and dance and entertainment groups have already signed up for the parade, exceeding last year’s figures. Additional resources will also be deployed from the Local Police, National Police, Civil Protection and emergency medical services to ensure safety and respond to any incidents that may arise.

Rubén Navarro and Manolo Nieto explained that “more and more venues are getting involved, and the crowds continue to grow”. They added that their aim is for the event “to keep growing year after year, attracting more people from an increasingly wide range of places, as has already been happening in recent editions”.

They also stressed that the party is “very safe, with hardly any incidents, thanks to everyone’s efforts, the City Council’s cooperation and the good atmosphere among attendees”. Participants include British, Belgian, Dutch and Spanish visitors, with increasing numbers of Spaniards joining in each year. Many people travel to Benidorm specifically for the Fancy Dress Party on that Thursday, while others extend their stays, arriving earlier in the week or remaining beyond the following weekend “to enjoy Benidorm and everything it has to offer as well”.