The municipal government team in Orihuela faces a race against time to arrange its traditional Christmas nativity scene after the contract tender attracted no bids. The procedure offered a budget of €29,040, allocating €25,410 to the urban centre and €3,630 to the coast, similar to figures used in previous years.
Contract timing and venue choices have generated complications for three consecutive years. In 2022, assembly and lighting took place on December 3rd. The following year, the contract award occurred just two weeks prior to Christmas Eve, leaving the winning contractor only 72 hours to start work. That delay prompted the Department of Festivities to relocate the display from La Lonja to the former tourist office in Plaza Teniente Linares to avoid conflict with scheduled cultural events.
The same venue hosted the display again in 2024. Although Mayor Pepe Vegara had indicated the former tourist office structure would be dismantled in spring 2025, the nativity scene returned there for the following festive period while officials promised extra setup time and structural improvements for future iterations. For the current year, the contract specification identified the Museum of Sacred Art as the selected setting, but the lack of commercial interest forces the local authority to initiate a fresh tender process under tight deadlines.
Concurrently, Orihuela City Council is managing €1.8 million in total festive tenders covering Christmas and Halloween. Out of this budget, 67% (€1,225,105) serves the city centre, 19% (€357,469) goes to outlying districts, and 14% (€252,687) funds coastal activities. Coastal residents have voiced disapproval regarding this balance, highlighting that the coastal zone counts 32,542 registered residents compared to 33,955 in the urban core.
The spending structure allocates €207,624 to the city centre Three Kings Parade compared to €46,343 for the coastal parade. Out of more than €375,000 intended for municipal festive lighting, the coastal area receives €61,867 (16%), while outlying districts receive €67,772 (18%). Coastal property tax and waste collection fees provide around 30 million euro annually, accounting for roughly 50% of total municipal revenues. Although the government team has emphasised ongoing efforts to improve coastal infrastructure following historical gaps, some residents view administrative separation as a option to secure proportionate resources. Festive light switch-ons along the coast have routinely drawn public protests.
Additional festive plans for Orihuela include Santa’s Village, running from December 21 to 23 in the city centre with an outlay of €20,691 (68%), and on December 19 and 20 on the coast costing €9,801 (32%). A New Year’s Eve event staged at Glorieta Gabriel Miró carries a budget of €41,675.
A separate €150,000 contract awaiting award covers a 21-day Christmas market, provisionally scheduled between December 4 and 24 at Plaza de la Centuria Romana, featuring 20 stalls and family entertainment. Meanwhile, a €39,804 proposal named Night of the Souls is under tender evaluation for October 31, offering a guided cultural tour featuring theatrical performances, lighting, and sound across historic sites such as Calle Mayor, Santa Justa, López Pozas, Plaza de Ramón Sijé, Plaza de la Soledad, the cathedral, and City Hall.
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