The streets of this beautiful town in the Sierra Mágina are covered with floral carpets, and balconies are dressed with Manila shawls and embroidered bedspreads to welcome the Blessed Sacrament.

Manuel Urbano Pérez Ortega describes the Corpus procession as follows, in his book “Campanas y cohetes”, a calendar of popular festivals of Jaén: A procession that today is carried out in ways identical to those reproduced from medieval or more recent times, decorating the streets with sedge, lavender and other herbs, or, in the case of Cabra del Santo Cristo, carpeting the processional route with flowers, along which Manila shawls, bedspreads and other richly embroidered fabrics are also hung from balconies and windows — elements that likewise appear on the altars built by local hands along the route.

As we can see from the most recent photographs, everything is still done just as described, and just as it was in the early years of the last century, as shown in Dr. Cerdá's photograph — from one of the balconies of his house, petals are thrown down onto the Monstrance — although the route has changed; and one detail we can also make out in that photograph is that all the banners and flags of the town's brotherhoods used to process ahead of the Monstrance.

The festival of the patron saint, San Ginés de la Jara, is Benatae's main festival, held from 22 to 25 August. The patron saint is regarded as the protector who cured hernias. The bull runs, in which cows are run through the town's streets, are a traditional feature. The young bulls used to be brought from Orcera to the now-vanished Hermitage of San Ginés, located at the entrance to the town, preceded by the brotherhood's standard, carried ahead of them.

Held on 25 April, the town's local festival. On this day, the traditional hornazos are eaten, and people usually head out to the countryside to “scare away the devil”. The people of Navas spend the day at the spot known as “Fuentemarcos” (the Fountain of San Marcos).

On 15 May, the farmers' guild honours its patron saint by drinking "cuerva", a traditional punch made from wine with water, sugar and fruit. “Luminarias”, bonfires made with rosemary branches, are also usually lit on the eve of certain celebrations such as San Antón, La Candelaria and San Blas.

In August, the Sierra Mágina Natural Park becomes an unrivalled, distinctive green backdrop for the Moors and Christians festivities. These events have their origins in the 13th century, when the region was a frontier land between the Kingdom of Castile and the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada.

Three towns hold this celebration: Campillo de Arenas, Cárcheles and Bélmez de la Moraleda. In all three, the festivities unfold in a very similar way: they begin with the procession of the image of the patron saint, which leaves the parish church guarded by “the Christians”, only to be ambushed along the way by “the Moors”, who seize the image. A day later, the Christian troops manage to recover the precious platform, bringing to a close, for another year, festivities that have been held for centuries.

On the morning of the first Sunday of May, a pilgrimage sets out from Bélmez de la Moraleda towards the hamlet of Bélmez, in honour of Nuestro Señor de la Vida. During the pilgrimage, the so-called “Relaciones” take place, a re-enactment in seven scenes of battles between Moors and Christians, in which the latter rescue the image of the Señor de la Vida from the Muslim troops and proclaim him patron saint of the hamlet of Bélmez. Tradition tells how a shepherd named Eufrasio, while tending his sheep, was told in a dream by an angel that in a dungeon of Bélmez Castle there was an image depicting Christ tied to a column to be scourged. The shepherd tried to recover the image, but was refused by the Moorish king who ruled the castle. Eufrasio sought help from the Christian troops camped near the fortress, and after a fierce battle between the two sides, the image was recovered and proclaimed patron saint of both the hamlet of Bélmez and Bélmez de la Moraleda. This re-enactment dates back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, with the distinctive feature that the Christian troops are dressed in modern soldier's uniforms and carry shotguns, while the Moorish troops wear attire more in keeping with the period in which the events are said to have taken place.

On San Marcos's day — 25 April — the saint has traditionally been carried in procession through the town, following the route of the fountains, to ask for water for the fields. It was customary to sing litanies imploring the saint for rain. The image of San Marcos has a bull at his feet which, being of small size, is popularly known as “el perrillo de San Marcos” (San Marcos's little dog/bull), and which is thrown into the waters of a well located at the spot known as El Nacimiento when the procession passes by. It was also customary for the town's dogs, at the hands of the young men, to share the same fate as the Evangelist's little bull, ending up thrown into the waters of the fountains of Bélmez de la Moraleda. With the feast of San Marcos falling close to the month of May, it was customary, though now largely forgotten, for the young men to serenade the girls they courted, known as the “mayos”. Following this custom, which usually lasted until Cross Day — 3 May — rounds were made, serenades were sung, and floral “enramadas” were placed at the doors of the girls being courted.

The festivities held in honour of Santiago Apóstol are the town's patron saint celebrations. During the festival day, held on 25 July, the saint's feast day, morning competitions are organised with strong participation from young people, and at night, a popular open-air dance is held.

The Pilgrimage of the Virgen de Fátima takes place on the Saturday of the week of 13 May. The image of the Virgin is moved from the church of Posadas Ricas, later returning to her hermitage, accompanied by townspeople who travel there on floats and horseback.