Sagunto Medieval Market 2026: 8 to 11 October, with a tribute to King James I
The Sagunto Medieval Market opens on 8 October at 18:00 and runs until Sunday 11, with King James I (Jaume I) at its centre on the 750th anniversary of his death.
From 8 to 12 October Sagunto has one of its busiest long weekends of the year: the Medieval Market, 9 d'Octubre (Valencian Community Day) and Pilar Day. The market takes up four of those days, and the 9th and the 12th add their own events. The culture councillor, Ana María Quesada, went through the programme on the podcast Líderes de Aquí, from El Periódico de Aquí, and said she expects similar or higher attendance than in 2024.
The market opens on the 8th at 18:00 and runs until Sunday 11. It starts at the Glorieta, in Cronista Chabret square, with children's games, theatre and cultural activities and food stalls. For two years now, the arcaded courtyard of the Municipal Market has hosted the local fallas groups (neighbourhood festival associations), which also serve meals, dinners and drinks. The market then enters the Plaza Mayor and the stalls continue up to the climb to the Roman Theatre. For reference, in 2025 the market opened from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 23:00 in Cronista Chabret square and nearby streets, with theatre, historical re-enactments, medieval dances and workshops; the full 2026 timetable is not given in the interview.
The market contract is renewed every two years. The last two editions were run by the company Balconet, and this year La Fragua de Vulcano takes over, a firm well known in themed markets.
This year the focus is King James I (Jaume I), because it is 750 years since his death, which took place in Valencia on 27 July 1276. The king himself will walk the streets, there will be short performances, constant music and demonstrations of medieval trades, with a cultural and educational programme for all ages. The councillor did not rule out a dragon showing up. The choice ties in with 9 d'Octubre: the conquest of the city of Valencia began on 21 April 1238 and the king entered it on 9 October, the date being commemorated.
Attendance explains why organisers stress planning. At the 2024 market there were peaks of up to 40,000 people, especially on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, and at times traffic had to be cut in Cronista Chabret, which normally does not happen. In 2025 rain affected the market for two days. According to the City Council on 8 October 2025, the rain alert then delayed the opening to 17:00 and cancelled the 14:00 mascletà (daytime firecracker show) and the communal meal. Quesada hopes it will not happen again this year. It helps to look at the calendar: in 2026 the market runs from Thursday to Sunday, and 9 d'Octubre falls on a Friday and Pilar Day on a Monday. The time slots that overwhelmed the streets in 2024 therefore correspond to 10 and 11 October.
Much of the programme falls on 9 October. There will be an official ceremony to award the city's medals and, from there, activities throughout the day: a general bell-ringing in the Plaza Mayor by Campaners de Morvedre, a mascletà and a communal meal. In the afternoon there is traditional dancing in Puerto de Sagunto (coastal district) and in Sagunto, and the day closes with the Panorama orchestra at the Internúcleos space. On the 12th, for Pilar Day and because of the city's large Aragonese community, there will be Aragonese folklore at the Teatro de Begoña and in Cronista Chabret square.
Quesada reminds visitors that behind the stalls are small businesses and traders, and that their continued presence depends on visitors buying. To get there, she recommends the train. Those who drive have a large car park across the river, which can fill up on very busy days; her advice is to leave the car as soon as you find a space and continue on foot.
To complete the visit, the councillor highlights the Grau Vell defensive site, where a museum and interpretation space has opened covering the history of the old port from the Iberian-Roman era to the 18th century. According to elperiodic.com in June 2026, the space has five rooms and two areas on the city's evolution and was funded through the Tourism Sustainability in Destination Plan, with Next Generation EU funds. She also suggests the beach, where in these dates you can still stroll along the promenade, Canet d'en Berenguer and the Sierra Calderona.
According to El Periódico de Aquí, with additional data from Wikipedia on James I, from Sagunto City Council on the 2025 editions and from elperiodic.com on the Grau Vell.