What's on in Mallorca from Friday to Sunday

Banyalbufar, Mare de Déu de Setembre Fiestas - 12 noon: Shower of sweets and raising of the banner. Plaça Vila. 7.30pm: Opening address and choral concert. At the church.

Buger - 8.30pm: Ensemble Tramuntana; Dvorak, Elgar, Toldrà. Sant Pere Church. Ten euros. ticketib.com.

Cas Concos, Sant Nicolau de Tolenti Fiestas - 7.30pm: Ringing of bells, firing of rockets, pipers, bigheads, demons. 9pm: Opening address; 9.30pm: Tumbet supper (tickets by August 29); 10pm: Ballroom dance. Sports ground.

Costitx, Mare de Déu de Costitx Fiestas - 12 noon: Raising of the banner, Sencelles pipers; 5.30pm: Opening address and then xaranga accompaniment to different bars; 8.30pm: Al fresco supper and music. Plaça Mare de Déu.

Deya - 8pm: Deià Cultura; Piolet Swing. Belmond La Residencia, C. Canals. Free.

Fornalutx, Nativitat de Nostra Senyora Maria Verge Fiestas - 10pm: Summer carnival; Dirty Jobs and DJ. Plaça Espanya.

Lloseta, Mare de Déu de Setembre Fiestas - 2pm: Ringing of bells and raising of banners. 9pm: Al fresco supper in the streets. 11.30pm: O-ERRA, Cirko, DJ. Plaça Espanya.

Maria de la Salut, Mare de Déu de la Salut Fiestas - 1pm: Raising of the banner, pipers; 9pm: Supper in the square; 12 midnight: Playback contest. Plaça Pou.

Montuiri - 8pm: Camila Costa (Brazilian singer-guitarist). Cas Retratista, C. Pujol 10. Ten euros.

Santa Margalida, La Beata Fiestas - 6.45pm: Ringing of bells, raising of the standard. 7pm: Children's entertainment with Cucorba; 9.30pm: Music from the Megastar Duo. Plaça Vila. 10.30pm: Correfoc; Dimonis de Hiachat (below). From Plaça Església. 10.30pm: Avalanx, Butxe & Antarctic DJs. Passeig Son Mas.

Santa Ponsa, Rei en Jaume Fiestas - 10pm: Night of swing; Monkey Doo, Calvia Big Band. Plaça Pinada.

S'Arracó, Summer Fiestas - 7pm: Street circus; 11pm: Orquestra Nexus, .Cat, Enrockats and DJ. Plaça Weyler.

Vilafranca, Melon Fair and Fiestas - 8pm: Traditional domestic activities and work. Plaça Major. 11.30pm: Night of the "melòmans"; Reservoir Tones (surf classics from the '60s). Plaça Tomeu Penya.

Saturday, September 2

Banyalbufar, Mare de Déu de Setembre Fiestas - 11.30pm: Party with theme of the 1920s. Plaça Vila.

Cas Concos, Sant Nicolau de Tolenti Fiestas - 10pm: Anegats, Pellillos a la Mar, DJs.

Costitx, Mare de Déu de Costitx Fiestas - 10am: Children's play party. C. Sol.

Formentor - 9am: 19th Open sea race (seven kilometres). Formentor beach to Sant Pere beach, Alcudia. elitechip.net.

Fornalutx, Nativitat de Nostra Senyora Maria Verge Fiestas - 7pm-midnight: Nit de l'Art; paintings, photography, ceramics, live music. Plaça Espanya.

Lloret de Vistalegre, Festa des Sequer (figs) - 6pm: Procession with the Figueralers. 7pm: Opening of gastronomy market, stalls and exhibitions. 8pm and 10pm: Folk dance with Aires d'Andratx and Brocalet.

Fig trees have been a feature of the Mallorcan landscape for over 2,000 years. Introduced to the island before the Romans, their cultivation has been up and down over the centuries. At the turn of the nineteenth century, for example, the amount of farm land dedicated to growing fig trees was negligible. Nowadays, their presence is guaranteed, not least because of experimental cultivation - well over 300 different varieties.

In Lloret de Vistalegre there is an annual fig fiesta. Well, it's more a fair to be exact and strictly speaking it is a celebration of dried figs. 'Sequer', the name of the fiesta, refers to a place for drying fruit or other food - the fig is a false fruit. In advance of the fair, they have a workshop all about drying figs. An evening fiesta, Lloret's bars offer fig-based tapas, and presiding over the whole event are the 'figueralers' in traditional dress.

Lloseta, Mare de Déu de Setembre Fiestas - 5.30pm: Junior dance; 6pm: Zumba; 7pm: Children's entertainment; 10pm: Orquestra Aquarius, Aquellos Maravillosos Años. Plaça Espanya.

Maria de la Salut, Mare de Déu de la Salut Fiestas - 10pm: Children's correfoc; Dimonis dels Infernets. Plaça Pou.

Maria de la Salut - 9pm: Catalina Sureda (violin), Jorge Pérez (viola), Esteban Belinchón (cello), Rafael González (piano). Casal de Cultura, C. Escola de Nines. Eight euros.

Palma - 8.30pm: Ensemble Tramuntana; Dvorak, Elgar, Toldrà. Sant Francesc Basilica Cloister, Plaça Sant Francesc. 15 euros. ticketib.com.

Petra - 9pm: The Suricats. Plaça Ramon Llull. Free.

Sa Pobla - 7.30pm: Sa Pobla'n'Roll; Celtas Cortos, Madòna, Pedro Borrás, Acoustic Outsiders. Parc Can Cirera Prim. 18 euros. ticketib.com.

Celtas Cortos are a pretty big name in Spanish rock music, though the 'rock' description isn't wholly accurate. The 'Celtas' does perhaps provide a clue as to their origins, ones to which - for the most part - they have stuck since their formation in Valladolid in 1984. The original members wanted to perform folk music, and so Celtic influences have always been a feature of their output. The name does, however, come from a brand of cigarette, 'Celtas'.

Over the years, they've released a dozen studio albums with sales of well over two million, which makes them one of Spain's most successful bands. Their music is very accessible, which is partly due to their variety of instruments - bagpipes, whistles, flutes, violin together with the more traditional guitars, bass, drums and keyboards.

Santa Margalida, La Beata Fiestas - 7.30pm: The offering of flowers - ball de bot folk dancers, pipers and whistlers, band of music, giants In front of the town hall. 8pm: Mass, followed by giants procession with pipers and dancers. 9.30pm: Al fresco supper. Registrations by August 31. Passeig des Pouàs. 10pm: Trio Bombay, La Tinbrass Band, Valnou, Enrockats, DJs. Plaça Vila. Followed by the "scalded cat" (cold water) and dawn procession with the banners of the Gat Escladat.

Santa Ponsa, Rei en Jaume Fiestas - 7pm: Giants procession. From Plaça Pinada. 10.30pm: Folk music and dance with Música Nostra. Plaça Pinada.

S'Arracó, Summer Fiestas - 12 noon: Classic cars and bikes exhibition; 11pm: Orquestra Marblau, Disccovers, Na Pipona, DJ. Plaça Weyler.

Vilafranca, Melon Fair and Fiestas - 4.30pm: Melon battle. Parc Josep Maria Llompart. 7pm: Opening of the evening fair; artisan and local products. 8.30pm: Lanterns procession and batucada. From Plaça Major. Followed by Melofoc, demons' correfoc; Boietons de Foc. Plaça Centenaris. 10pm: Line dance. Plaça Tomeu Penya. 11.45pm: Performance by Dulce Maria (Spain's The Voice Kids): 12 midnight: Concert - Tomeu Penya i Geminis, Eva & The Cool Katz. Plaça Major.

Sunday, September 3

Banyalbufar, Mare de Déu de Setembre Fiestas - 8pm: Final of the Tomatigó (ramellet tomatoes). Ses Escoles.

Cas Concos, Sant Nicolau de Tolenti Fiestas - 12 noon: Ringing of bells, raising of banners. 5pm: Children's party; 9pm: Felanitx Band of Music together with folk group Do Natural. Sports centre.

Costitx, Mare de Déu de Costitx Fiestas - 10am: Water games. Municipal pool. 8pm: Wine tasting. Casal de Cultura. Eight euros.

Maria de la Salut, Mare de Déu de la Salut Fiestas - 9pm: Dance in the square. Plaça Pou.

Palma, Canamunt and Canavall Fiestas - 4pm: Gatherings of Canamunts in Plaça Sant Jeroni and Canavalls in Plaça Drassanes. 5pm: The battle. Parc de la Mar.

Water is a key element in alternative fiesta events in Mallorca. The melon battle in Vilafranca, the almond shells' fight in Petra, the scrap with straw in Sencelles, and the so-called scalded cat in Santa Margalida; water is integral. But none of these can compete with the big water fight in Mallorca. They don't worry about other things, melons for example, they just go for it with water. And who are they? The inheritors of the legacy of the Canamunt and Canavall, whose vendetta originated in Palma at the end of the sixteenth century and lasted for much of the seventeenth.

Unlike those violent days, no one dies; they just get sprayed with water. It all takes place in the Parc de la Mar, the organisers clearly having been able to source some water, as the town hall had told them that the municipal agency wouldn't be supplying it this year.

Palma - From 3pm: Elrow, Origen Fest; 'Chinese Row Year'. Trui Son Fusteret Showground, Camí Vell Bunyola. From 45 euros. sonfusteret.com / origenfest.com.

Elrow is a Barcelona-based company which has been organising dance music events since 2010. It is in fact a family business that dates back to 1870 and a cafe that was opened in Fraga, Aragon. There have clearly been developments along the way. In 2001, the move was made to Barcelona and the company started music sessions called 'Row'. The 'El' was added some time later in order to sound more Spanish.

It has become known for its themed dance events and their "crazy" nature. One of these themes is the Chinese New Year, which is branded Chinese Row Year. Accordingly, there are dragons, there are lanterns, there are Chinese characters. All this and some of the finest dance DJs from the Elrow stable, who specialise in techno and house music. Crazy it promises to be.

Palma - 4.15pm: LaLiga Santander; Real Mallorca v. Athletic Club. Son Moix Stadium, Camí dels Reis. rcdmallorca.es.

Pollensa - 7.30pm: Sons de Nit 2023; Clodine (Mallorcan singer-songwriter) plus Nita. Sant Domingo Convent Cloister, C. Guillem Cifre de Colonya. 18 euros. fonart.com.

Santa Margalida, La Beata Fiestas - 10am: Departure of the demons. Plaça Vila to the church. 11am: Solemn mass - Santa Margalida Choir, school of ball de bot, pipers and whistlers - followed by jewel races. 5.30pm: Parade of floats. 7pm: Procession with the band of music and pipers. 9pm: La Beata procession. 11pm: The Beatles Tribute. Plaça Vila.

It's referred to as "sa processó més típica de Mallorca". Most representative might perhaps be the best translation for a procession that is unlike any other, it being La Beata in Santa Margalida.

There is no certainty as to when this procession started, but it probably dates from the year that Saint Catalina Thomàs was beatified - 1792. There is also no direct reason for it being in Santa Margalida - Catalina Thomàs was from Valldemossa and spent most of her short life (she died aged 40) at the Santa Magdalena Convent in Palma. It is believed to have been based on a folk rhyme about her encounter with the devil that was popular in the Santa Margalida area.

A bishop of Mallorca once sought to outlaw the procession. It was ungodly in its representation of the devil and created too much mirth. Defiance of this does maybe explain how it has come to be known as the "most typical". The demons of the procession, as they now are, are also unlike any others, and they specialise in the smashing of jars (a reference to the folk rhyme).

Santa Ponsa, Rei en Jaume Fiestas - 8pm: Delivery of the standards and presentation of the kings of the fiestas; Calvia Band of Music and Calvia Horse Riders; 9.30pm: Concert - Cil-lia. Plaça Pinada.

S'Arracó, Summer Fiestas - 10pm: Cinema, 'Uncharted'. Plaça Weyler.

Valldemossa - 7.30pm: Lorena Bonnin (soprano), Carlos Bonnin (piano); interpretations of Maria Callas. Fundació Cultural Coll Bardolet, Via Blanquerna 4. 14 euros.

Vilafranca, Melon Fair and Fiestas - 9am: Opening of the melon fair, plus animals, local products, classic cars and bikes, children's activities, circus procession, pipers procession. Parc Josep Maria Llompart and other locations. 11.30am: Melon weighing competition. Plaça Major.