In September, celebration of the Feast of King Jaume I

Salou. Costa Dorada. 31 August 2024. From 5 to 8 September 2024, Salou celebrates the departure of King Jaume I from the Port of Salou to conquer Mallorca. During these days, various cultural, sporting and recreational activities will remember that historic moment with the Medieval Market, the historical recreation of the royal departure, conferences, workshops and a regatta, among other events.

One of the busiest is the Medieval Market that will be held during all the days of the festivities, from 5 to 8 September. It will be located in Plaça Bonet and the streets of the old town, appropriately decorated. From 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., every day, you can enjoy craft stalls, children's games, traditional craft workshops and a medieval camp.

There will also be travelling shows with minstrels, jesters and knights, the giant Farrell, the Barkman, and witches and alchemists, among other characters, who will fill the Medieval Market area with music, dance and fun.

On the same dates, from 5 to 8 September, the XXXVIII Regatta King Jaume I will take place, which pays tribute to the historic voyage of Jaume I with his ships to conquer Mallorca. The regatta takes place in Catalan and Balearic waters and will bring together boats from different nautical clubs. The Club Nàutic de Salou is the organiser of this event.

On Friday 6 September, at 6.30pm, in the Sala Costa Daurada of the Civic Centre (calle Advocat Gallego, no. 2), the conference "1229: Preparations for a conquest beyond the horizon" will be given by the doctor in Art History, Esther Lozano, who will explain the difficulties and challenges of organising the expedition to Mallorca, in which more than 10,000 men took part.

On Saturday 7 September, from 10am to 1pm, in the Plaza del Carrilet, a children's workshop on the figure of King Jaume I.

On the same Saturday, at 12pm, in the Municipal Library, a talk "Jaume I: life and deeds" by the writer and expert Juan Ramon Barat, who will review the life and deeds of the monarch and his influence on the Iberian Peninsula. This activity is organised by the Associació Cultural i d’Esbarjo Jaume I de Salou.

Also on September 7, the departure of King Jaume I and his troops from Salou to conquer Mallorca will be relived. This historical recreation is the high point of the festival. At 8 pm, from the square of the Teatre Auditori de Salou (TAS) the procession accompanying the king, who is only 21 years old, will set out towards the Port of Salou. Knights, nobles, labourers, clergy, doctors, ladies, cooks, farmers, among other characters, form the procession that will travel through the main streets of Salou to Llevant beach, where the exhibitions of all the entertainment groups and the final show will take place.

On Sunday, September 8, at 10.30 am, on the Jaume I promenade, there will be a digital tourist gymkhana. The duration is 75 minutes and the route will cover approximately 1.8 km. The whole family can take part in this activity in which you have to solve various puzzles while walking along the Jaume I promenade. Places are limited and to take part in the activity you have to register in advance, in person, at the Culture Department of the Salou City Council, on 5 and 6 September from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

On the same Sunday, at 12 noon, in the Sala Costa Daurada of the Civic Centre (calle Advocat Gallego, no. 2), the literary prizes “Relatos cortas Jaume I” will be presented, organised by the Associació Cultural i d’Esbarjo Jaume I de Salou.

For its part, the Grup de Dones de Salou association encourages all Salou residents who want to sew their own dress for the King Jaume I festival. Interested people can contact them by email at [email protected]

The Feast of King Jaume I, a reminder of a historic event celebrated throughout Europe
With the celebration of the Feast of King Jaume I, Salou commemorates a historic event of great significance for the Crown of Catalunya and Aragó, but also for the Iberian Peninsula and for Europe, since Mallorca was a hotbed of Muslim piracy that ravaged the Mediterranean.

After the courts approved the military initiative in December 1228, on September 5, 1229, more than 150 ships of King Jaume I set sail from the natural port of Salou, one of the most important at that time, and also from Cambrils and Tarragona.

After 3 months of siege, Mallorca finally fell into the hands of King Jaume I in December 1229. This triumph was widely celebrated in Europe for putting an end to the existing enclave of piracy, and in Mallorca for its liberation. Furthermore, the military feat also allowed the expansion of the Crown of Catalunya and Aragó towards the Mediterranean.

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