The Mayor of Calp, Ana Sala, received the official designation today at Madrid's Teatro Real recognizing Calp's Moors and Christians Festival as a Festival of National Tourist Interest. The award was presented by the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosario Sánchez Grau. The mayor was accompanied at the event by the Councilor for Tourism, Mireia Ripoll; municipal technical staff; and the president of the Calp Moors and Christians Association, Rocío Pastor.
Last September, the Ministry of Industry and Tourism—through the Secretary of State for Tourism—designated Calp's Moors and Christians Festival as a Festival of National Tourist Interest in recognition of its uniqueness and its historical, cultural, and festive value. This marked the twenty-sixth such designation in the Valencian Community and the 168th nationwide.
The celebration takes place annually around October 22, the feast day of the *Santíssim Crist de la Suor* (Most Holy Christ of the Sweat), Calp's patron saint and the municipality's Perpetual Mayor since 1949. The festivities maintain a close link to local history—specifically the pirate attack the town suffered in 1744. This episode is part of the festival's narrative and Calp's collective memory, and the event is currently marking its 50th anniversary across this year and next.
Key events include "El Miracle," a folk theater performance recreating the town's defense against the pirate attack; the "Desembarco" (Landing), where various sailing vessels stage the attackers' arrival at Arenal-Bol beach; and the "Entradas" (Grand Parades) of the Moors and Christians, the festival's most spectacular moments.
