Artichoke Festival (Festa de la Carxofa) from February 6 to 8, 2026

The town of Alaquàs will celebrate the 9th edition of the Artichoke Festival (Festa de la Carxofa) from February 6 to 8, 2026, in the Plaça de la Constitució, reaffirming the event as one of the most important gastronomic and cultural gatherings in the municipality and the wider l’Horta Sud region. Under the slogan “The town that is reborn, the festival that blooms,” the 2026 edition symbolizes renewal, collective effort, and reconnection after a year marked by change, adaptation, and recovery.

The festival places the artichoke at the heart of the celebration—not only as a key ingredient of Valencian cuisine, but also as a powerful symbol of Alaquàs’ identity, resilience, and agricultural roots. Over the course of three days, the town will host a wide-ranging programme that combines food competitions, popular tastings, live music, cultural performances, family activities, workshops, and an extensive artisan and local commerce market, transforming the main square into a lively meeting point for residents and visitors alike, including those travelling from Valencia and nearby towns.

The main gastronomic highlights are the Artichoke Rice Competition on Saturday and the Artichoke Tapas Competition on Sunday, featuring restaurants from Alaquàs and neighbouring municipalities. Visitors will be able to enjoy hundreds of tastings, including free popular degustations, and for the first time, the public will participate directly by voting for their favourite tapas through a QR-based digital system, alongside a professional jury made up of renowned chefs, food journalists, and gastronomic influencers.

Music and entertainment play a central role throughout the weekend, with performances by groups such as Yambú and El Tío la Careta, children’s shows, dance workshops, traditional Valencian music, choral performances, folk dance groups, and the iconic Muixeranga, reinforcing the festival’s strong cultural dimension. The programme also includes craft exhibitions, painting and watercolour workshops, and creative spaces designed to promote local artisanship and small businesses.

The festival is organized by the Associació d’Amics i Amigues del Cant de la Carxofa, with essential support from Caixa Popular, Cáritas Diocesana, Fundació Horta Sud, and the Alaquàs City Council, as well as collaboration from local businesses. These institutions are working together to stimulate social cohesion and economic recovery in the region following the impact of recent flooding (DANA), emphasizing that revitalizing local commerce and gastronomy is also a form of social action.

Since its creation in 2016, the Festa de la Carxofa has grown beyond a food event to become a reflection of Alaquàs’ collective identity and community spirit. Inspired by the traditional Cant de la Carxofa, celebrated every September, the festival strengthens ties between culture, agriculture, and community life. The local government has expressed its ambition to have the festival officially recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage, highlighting its cultural, social, and symbolic importance for the town and the region.