ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS of the Orihuela Costa social calendar takes place later this month, as the stage is set for the annual Santa Claus Christmas Parade.
Despite ongoing renovation and improvement works, Zenia Boulevard was decked from head to toe in tens of thousands of sparkling Christmas lights earlier this month, in preparation for one of the most prominent dates in the festive season.
Over recent years the Costa Blanca's premier shopping centre has developed an excellent reputation for its festive displays, and the mall never fails to impress each year with a spectacular Christmas advent calendar of its very own, culminating in the “Cabalgata de Papá Noel”.
It's become something of a modern Spanish tradition, and the Zenia Boulevard Christmas Parade marks the pinnacle of the festive celebrations.
The evening event is a dramatic spectacle of music, light and colour, as the shopping centre's rambling avenues are filled to the brim with hundreds of dancers, and thousands of festive visitors.
The La Zenia Boulevard Christmas Parade, Orihuela Costa
Local men and women of all ages dress in brightly coloured costumes and parade through the streets from Playa Flamenca to La Zenia in an evidently well-rehearsed and perfectly choreographed dance performance.
Beautifully executed, the festive theatrical enactment concludes with Santa Claus himself taking a well-deserved break from his chores at the North Pole, to ride his sleigh through the shopping centre's avenues, greeting spectators and waving to the waiting crowds.
The Zenia Boulevard Christmas Parade takes place on Friday 22nd December 2023 departing Calle Nicolás de Bussi at 17:00, and arriving at Zenia Boulevard shopping centre around 50 minutes later – depending on traffic and local conditions.
Find out more about this year's parade on the official Zenia Boulevard website. Additionally, you can check Zenia Boulevard's opening hours over the Christmas and New Year season by following this link.
Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.
Photo credit: LaZenia.com
