Mallorca in Autumn: Events and Festivals From September to November

When the last package tourists leave and the beaches empty out, the finest time of year begins for many residents. Autumn on Mallorca means grape harvest, fishing season, and harvest thanksgiving, celebrated in almost every village. If you want to experience the islands real events and festivals, the stretch from September to November brings the densest festival season of the whole year, and without the tourist crowds. This post walks you through the key dates and how to make the most of them as a resident.

Why autumn is the best season for residents

Autumn on Mallorca covers the months of September to November and counts as the islands festival season: once the peak tourist season ends, the villages celebrate the grape harvest, the fishing season, and the harvest with traditional fires, multi-day village festivals with a market, music, and processions.

For residents, this is the chance to get to know authentic island life. Temperatures stay mild well into November, the sea is still warm, and you can get a table in a restaurant without waiting. For how the individual autumn months feel weather-wise, see our month-by-month comparison of the best time to visit. Anyone who lives here year-round quickly notices that these festivals are not a programme laid on for tourists, but the social glue of the villages.

September: grape harvest and the Festa des Vermar in Binissalem

The wine village of Binissalem in the centre of the island celebrates the Festa des Vermar in September, one of the best-known wine festivals in the Balearics. The celebration runs for almost the whole month and ends on the last weekend of September with the big finale.

The highlight is the Festa dels Trepitjadors around 20 and 21 September: a parade, the famous grape battle (Batalla de Raim), and the traditional grape-stomping contest. There is also the shared Sopar a la Fresca, where half the village eats at long tables in the open air, plus the Fira del Vi with tastings of local wines.

For all the details on the programme, getting there, and the wineries, see our in-depth guide to the Binissalem wine festival.

October: the dorado festival in Cala Ratjada and autumn markets

In October, the festivities move to the coast. In Cala Ratjada in the northeast, the municipality of Capdepera celebrates the Mostra de la Llampuga, the dorado (mahi-mahi) fishing festival. It usually takes place on the second weekend of October in the harbour. The llampuga is a migratory fish that moves through Balearic waters between September and November and only reaches the table fresh during this window.

The centrepiece is a tapas competition: local restaurants go head to head with their best dorado creations. For a few euros you can eat your way around the stalls. At the same time, the autumn markets and smaller fires run all across the island interior, for example in Sineu, where Mallorcas oldest weekly market swells into a large fair in autumn.

For what lies behind the many village festivals and how a typical one unfolds, see the post on the fiestas patronales on Mallorca.

November: the Dijous Bo in Inca, the biggest festival in the Balearics

November belongs to Inca. The leather town in the centre of the island holds several fires in autumn that peak on the third Thursday of the month with the Dijous Bo, the good Thursday. The Dijous Bo in Inca takes place in 2026 on Thursday, 19 November, and draws around 200,000 visitors every year, making it the biggest single-day festival in the Balearics.

On this day the entire town centre turns into a huge market with hundreds of stalls: agriculture, livestock, crafts, machinery, leather goods, and Mallorcan specialities. For 2026, the town of Inca has additionally declared the Friday after the festival, 20 November, a local public holiday.

For a detailed account of the history and how the day plays out, see our guide to the Dijous Bo in Inca.

Practical tips for visiting a festival

To keep a festival visit relaxed, a few simple rules help:

• Come early or use public transport, especially for the Dijous Bo and the Festa des Vermar
• Wear sturdy shoes, as many festivals take place on cobblestones or dirt tracks
• Bring cash, since small stalls and food trucks often do not take cards
• Do not plan around fixed times, as Mallorcan festivals rarely start on the dot
• Check the official programme of the relevant municipality in advance, as dates can shift at short notice

The official sources for the exact programmes:

When is the best time for festivals on Mallorca in autumn? September and November are the busiest: in September, Binissalem celebrates the grape harvest, and in November comes the Dijous Bo in Inca. October is quieter, but with the Mostra de la Llampuga and many village markets it still offers worthwhile dates.

Do I have to pay admission for the autumn festivals on Mallorca? No, most village festivals such as the Dijous Bo, the Festa des Vermar, and the Mostra de la Llampuga are free to attend. You only pay for food, drinks, tastings, or individual concerts.

How do I get to the festivals without a car? Inca and Binissalem are on the rail line from Palma and can be reached in about 30 to 40 minutes. A bus runs to Cala Ratjada. On big festival days, the transport operators add extra services.

For a complete overview of the whole festival year, see the events calendar for Mallorca.

Conclusion

Autumn is the most honest time on Mallorca for residents: the island celebrates itself, not tourism. From the grape harvest in Binissalem in September, through the dorado festival in Cala Ratjada in October, to the Dijous Bo in Inca on 19 November 2026, one festival follows the next. If you live here, you should take in at least one of them, ideally by train, in sturdy shoes, and without a fixed schedule. For more background on the traditions, see our guide to culture and tradition on Mallorca.