Sant Martí Festival (Es Mercadal Patron Saint Fiesta)
Es Mercadal's biggest annual fiesta honouring patron saint Sant Martí, centred on the famous Menorcan 'jaleo' where horses and riders rear up through crowds in the main square. Expect traditional ceremonies, processions, music and a charged street atmosphere across the eve (July 18) and main day (July 19).
The thing everyone comes for is the jaleo. Glossy black Menorcan horses, ridden by the caixers in their formal dress, rear straight up on their hind legs while the crowd presses in close and reaches up to touch them. It is loud, a little mad, and not for the faint-hearted, though the locals make space if you'd rather watch from the edge. A traditional flute kicks things off and the town band keeps the evening going.
Around the horses there's plenty else to wander through. Giants parade for the children, there's a solemn late-night mass on the eve, and you'll likely be handed a pastisset, the soft Menorcan pastry, somewhere along the way. The action sticks to Plaça Constitució and the streets nearby, under Monte Toro. Wear sensible shoes and go easy on the pomada.