La Patrona 2026: The Mock Battle and the Final Days of the Pollença Festivities
If you are staying in Pollença or Port de Pollença in late July or early August, you are in the right place at the right time. The Patron Saint festivities of Pollença build towards one of the most extraordinary local events in Mallorca: the Mock Battle of Moors and Christians on 2 August, a tradition that re-enacts the defence of the town against a Turkish raid in 1550.
Here is the full programme for the final stretch of the festivities, from Saturday 1 August through to the closing fireworks on the night of Sunday 2 August.
Saturday 1 August
The day begins in the afternoon with a children's play area in the Joan March Gardens from 6:00 PM. Free and open to children aged three and over, the space includes a circus corner, a mini market and giant games.
At 8:00 PM, a street parade sets off through the streets of Pollença featuring the Caparrots, the traditional large-headed figures from Esbart de Sant Jordi, accompanied by the Soldiers' Cornet and Drum Band and the Pollença Town Band.
The evening closes at 11:00 PM with an open-air dance party at Plaça Major featuring The Hawaiians, Cirko and Sideways DJ.
Sunday 2 August: the main day
The day of La Patrona is unlike any other in the Pollença calendar. It begins before sunrise and ends with fireworks long after midnight. Here is how it unfolds.
At 5:00 AM, the Alborada procession departs from Plaça Major, winding through the streets of the old town in the dark along a route that touches the squares, corners and lanes of the historic centre before ending at Plaça de l'Almoina. This is a genuinely atmospheric moment: the combination of the pre-dawn hour, the music and the moving crowds through the narrow streets of Pollença is something that stays with you.
At 8:30 AM, a second Alborada takes place at Plaça de Cala Molins in Cala Sant Vicenç, and at 9:15 AM a third at Plaça de Miquel Capllonch in Port de Pollença.
At 11:00 AM, Solemn Mass is celebrated at the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Angels, followed by the Dance of the Offertory performed by the Cossiers, the traditional folk dancers whose appearance is one of the defining images of the day.
At 12:15 PM, the Cossiers perform again in Plaça Major, and at 12:45 PM the official ceremony takes place at the Monti-Sion Church with a performance by the Pollença Music Band.
The afternoon begins at 5:00 PM with a street parade by the Soldà Corps of Buglers and Drummers, followed at 5:30 PM by the traditional procession carrying the historic image of the Patron Saint through the town.
At 7:00 PM, the Mock Battle of Moors and Christians takes place. This is the centrepiece of the entire festivities: a dramatic re-enactment of the 1550 raid by the Turkish corsair Dragut and the defence of Pollença by its inhabitants, fought out in the streets with costumes, choreography and controlled chaos. It draws visitors from across the island every year and is genuinely unmissable if you are anywhere near the area.
At 9:30 PM, the Te Deum is celebrated by Mossèn Miquel Tortell, followed by the singing of the traditional Goigs in honour of the poet Costa i Llobera. In Plaça Major, the Pollença Music Band performs L'Alborada and Visca Pollença.
Unfortunately, the fireworks display at 11:30 PM has been cancelled this year as a precaution against fire risk in the summer heat.
A note for guests
Pollença old town will be very busy throughout 2 August, particularly from the late afternoon onward. Parking in and around the town centre will be extremely limited from midday.
The Mock Battle starts at 7:00 PM and the streets fill up well before that. Finding a good spot on the route by 6:30 PM is a reasonable aim. Comfortable shoes, a bottle of water and patience are all that is required.
At Prestige Villas we have been watching La Patrona for decades. It remains, year after year, one of the things that makes staying in this part of Mallorca in early August something genuinely special.