Every year in January is the Artichoke Festival which has been declared a Festival of Regional Tourist Interest. The artichoke, which has held a designation of origin since 1998, is the star of a wide range of activities in January. Among these, feature the Special Benicarló Artichoke Brochette Celebration when all the bars and restaurants in the town take part in a competition to choose the best, tastiest brochettes in Benicarló.
There is also the popular artichoke “Torrà” barbecue, one of the biggest events, where up to 2000 kilos of artichokes are roasted over wood fires. Another event worth mentioning is the Gastronomic Demonstration, where all the restaurants in Benicarló delight both locals and visitors with hundreds of dishes made with the star product from Benicarló’s own lands, the artichoke. During the following weeks, the Gastronomic Days of the Artichoke take place, and restaurants offer their clients succulent, creative dishes based on the delicious artichoke.
In recent years, the choice of activities has increased considerably, with different kinds of events like guided visits, the Art&Xoc reggae music and culture festival, the Benicarló Artichoke sailing regatta, ‘Aljibes’ Cisterns Walk, Local Produce Fair and the Artichoke Half-Marathon, among others.
