Pilgrimages are social and religious phenomena about an image or invocation of popular character that is at the rural hermitages. The majority of these hermitages were constructed in the 8th century, next to rural farmhouses.
The people's protection and that of harvests are expected in these religious acts in exchange for rituals and promises of the gathered. The majority of these pilgrimages are celebrated from the December 8th, the day of the Immaculate Conception, to the February 2nd, festivity of Candlemas.
In pilgrimages, together with the religious acts, the dances of bid or ‘subastaos’ take place. These dances are realized in honour of the patron or the patroness of the place. These dances are organized by the persons in charge of the party that take care of getting alms through the bids of these dances, where it is paid for dancing 'parrandas' and electing couple. They dedicate these benefits to the improvement of the hermitages. And, some of them to defray the expenses of the organization.
In pilgrimages, the congregated people worship to their relatives by means of the songs of ‘Pascua’. They are allusive ballads to a relative that they order the dash to the 'cuadrilla', during the procession's journey:

Your father will be feeling
It is your consolation that to pray,
And he follows you protecting
From the kingdom of heaven.

During the pilgrimage another popular manifestations take place: The auction of the bier of the thrones where the virgins and saints are carried in procession for the surroundings the hermitages. We can also notice the shot of salvos of gunpowder, the songs of Christmas Carols in front of the images, the dances of 'parrandas' and 'seguidillas', 'jotas' and 'fandangos' or the traditional games and the raffles of pies.

We can stand out the following pilgrimages:
The January 17th San Anton’s festivity, at 'El Pradico', Parrilla Deputation. The villagers announce the beginning of the party pilgrim firing shots of old blunderbusses from the hermitage's atrium. The Eucharistic celebration is brightened up with the 'tonadas of mass' or ballads with which each of the events are initiated.

The day February 2nd take place at 'La Hoya' a pilgrimage by reason of the festivity of Candlemas and in honour of this deputation's patroness, the Virgin of Health. It has to do with a party charged of activities, but the one related to the climb in pilgrimage of the virgin to her hermitage highlights. They celebrate the traditional dances of 'parrandas' and 'Malagueñas' by means of bids that they interpret in front of the throne of the Virgin, in the stops that are sold off on the way over between the parish church and the hermitage placed at the place of Health. The 'Cuadrillas' songs, the holy mass, the trovo's soiree, the raffle of pies and of basket or the food at the field are also interesting to mention.

This day is also celebrated a pilgrimage in Santa Gertrudis, at Marchena Deputation. The day before, the 'Tortada de la Virgen’, a region's sweet typical cake, is taken from the city. The public carry it in a journey previously established previous petition and donation of the neighbours that desire that you drive by your house's door on the eve of this celebration. The pie is raffled after the procession.

The January 6th in the festivity of Epiphany, The Three Wise Men's play is celebrated. It has to do with a staging with reminiscences of the classical theatre and influences of the sacred medieval one. Formerly it was represented in the deputations of Torrealvilla, Puntarrón, Campillo, la Culebrina, Marchena and Zarzadilla de Totana, but at present it is only celebrated in the last one.

The texts of the performances belong to the libretto Jesucristo's infancy, by Gaspar Fernández and Ávila , 1894. It is a book of poems divided in twelve scenes, with verses of different metrics. The argument is based on Epiphany Magicians to baby Jesus and the whole village takes part in this staging.

They completed these performances with the folkloric musical legacy like the parades, the Christmas bonuses and the ballads of popular dances interpreted by the 'Cuadrillas of souls or ‘Pascua’.

Before going into Lent, during the month of February, the Carnival is celebrated with the participation of associations of neighbours and other groups.

Activities:
- presentation of the program of events and nomination of the Queen of the Carnival, of the Muse and of the Momo.
- Great Carnaval's parade through the streets of the city.
- Infantile parade, infantile contest of disguises and nomination of the Infantile Queen of the Carnival.
- Performance of Masquerades and jokes at the Theatre Guerra and Dinner of Carnival.

During the Holy Week the processions and the biblical passional parades are celebrated. Characters from the Old and New Testament parade on foot, on horseback or on allegorical carriages, attired with dresses and tunics embroidered in silk and gold.

The Holy Week of Lorca was declared National Tourist Interest Feast in 1980. The Biblical Festivals started in 1855, when a group of 30 people paraded for the first time in order to celebrate the day when Jesus entered Jerusalem. This scene is also known as ‘the Hebrew People’. This festival was organised by the Honourable society of our Lady of the Rosary, known as White Brotherhood. One year later, the society of Farm workers, also known as the Blue Brotherhood, set the first group base in the Old Testament called ‘Street of Bitterness’.

This cultural and religious phenomenon has evolutioned in the course of time, but it is during the 20th century when a great transformation takes place: Groups become more numerous, the horses and carriages are incorporated, and the suits are manufactured with satins and velvets embroidered in silk, gold and precious stones.

During these days Lorca splits into white and blue people. But there are other brotherhoods participating to give contents and symbolism to this Holy Week: Purples, Red, black and Resuscitated brotherhoods.

It is a religious feast that is celebrated from the Middle Ages and in which the Town Council and the ecclesiastic officer took place. In the 16th century, songs and dances were carried out in front of the altars and triumphal arches in the procession of the Corpus.

It is celebrated with a High Mass and a so-called 'the Procession of the Corpus'. We carry a throne with custody which is accompanied by the municipal corporation, that take the Real banner, and by all the children and the girls who that year have received the first communion. This procession's journey starts up at San Patricio's Ex-Abbacy, and it goes through the streets of Selgas, Alfonso X, Corredera and Alamo to finish at Spain Square.

In the vigil of Saint John on the 23rd of June, the bonfires are suspended at streets and squares of the rural zones. Formerly, these bonfires were a cult to the fire to drive away evil spirits and an exorcism to preserve harvests. This party that was agreeing with summer solstice was at a later time Christianized.

From this festival the traditions of the quest of treasures at the Castle, the jump of the bonfire of weeds, the story of legends, the exorcism to the ruptured, and the washed of the face in the disappeared Gold fountain have gone away. But, some legends like the one belonging to the Raft of The Moorish Queen have kept in good conditions.

The 8th of September we commemorate the patroness saint day ‘Santa María the Real of the Orchards' festivity, patroness of the city from the 19th century. Its dedication remounts to 1244 when the prince Alfonso brought her. Its celebration focuses on its sanctuary, agreeing with the fair of its name than from the 18th century takes place in this place.

It is important to mention the different events that are celebrated such as the Folklore's International Festivity, the holy mass, the procession, the serenade highlight the Virgin, the contest of crumbs, the sports acts, the board games, the concerts, the movies of summer or the fireworks.

It is celebrated during the last fifteen days of September, at the fair enclosure Huerto de la Rueda and it lingers on during 10 days.

The attractions of fair and the popular open air drinks stalls are installed at this enclosure. In this space, the musical concerts also take place and the fair in the daytime offers to you as a gift tasting of typical food. We also highlight the cultural, sports and folkloric activities like the theatre of street, the marathon of tales, Folklore's International Festivity, and so on.

The 23rd November we commemorate Saint Cemente's festivity, the patron of the city. As the story goes, the reconquest of the city is commemorated and for this reason we go up to the castle. It is also a tradition to buy chestnuts and walnuts.

This party is also named Festivity of Moors and Christians and it has been named Regional Interest Tourist Feast. It is celebrated the Lorca's reconquest with the creation of Moorish Kabyles and Christian crews that parade and simulate the epic legends of the Middle Ages.

From all the acts that take place we would like to mention the Medieval souk, the medieval infantile games, the parade of ambassadors, Moors and Christians, the proclamation, the medieval dinner, a great parade of Moors and Christians, the act of capitulation, the mass for peace, the climbing with torches and awake night at the camp or the 'battle' at the castle.

At Christmas time, the 'Cuadrillas movement' has a great force and tradition in Lorca and its district. On Sunday before Christmas' Day, they fill the streets and squares of the municipality of Lorca with their songs and classical instruments, and with the traditional ' Pascuas lorquinas'.

Activities:
- Christmas concerts
- library on the street
- encounter of 'cuadrillas'
- infantile theatre
- carols on the streets
- route of the nativity scenes
- great infantile party
- performance of 'Auto of Reyes Magos'
- Twelfth Night procession