Since 1971, the Jódar Flamenco Festival has been one of the province's main summer flamenco events. It usually alternates established artists with promising young talents in singing, guitar playing or dance. It stands out, however, for its commitment to pure flamenco art, leaving no room for other kinds of music. 

Fair and Festivities in Honour of the Patron Saint, the Virgen de los Remedios: riders and decorated carriages travel to the Sanctuary of Cánava (one kilometre from Jimena) to take part in a competition and spend a joyful day in the countryside, ending with the image of the Virgin being brought down to the parish church.

The Patron Saint remains in the town for four days: on the 8th, she is carried in procession throughout the neighbourhood, and on the 10th the image of the Virgin is returned to her sanctuary, in whose surroundings, on the 8th and 9th, the glamorous "verbenas de Cánava" are held, guaranteeing a good time for all visitors — provided men wear a jacket and tie, and ladies an evening gown, Andalusian dress with ruffles, and/or a Manila shawl. Miss and Mister Jimena y Turismo are chosen, along with the best festival dress, the best "Gitana" costume, and the most elegant "Lady" or mature woman.

The Fiesta de la Cruz includes a religious element: a procession out to the fields with Nuestro Padre Jesús, cross on his shoulder, sponsored by his brotherhood, who hold a communal meal after the procession that grows larger every year, as each successive Hermano Mayor tries to outdo the previous year's celebration.

Alongside this, there is another, pagan festival known as "Los Tíos de Ricia", both held on 3 May. This second festival involves decorating the streets of Jimena with straw figures made by residents by stuffing clothing with straw, topped with a ceramic pot for a head and a pepper or chilli, depending on what's to hand, placed at the crotch. These figures, it is said, represent the "straw men" that tax collectors found when they came to collect tithes, and, as the popular saying goes, they had to leave "like Morón's rooster": without feathers and still crowing. A competition is held in which the prize goes not to the most beautiful cross but to the most convincing "tío de ricia" — not for the pepper or chilli, but for the scene it depicts. This festival has grown considerably in recent years.

At the Lumbres de Santa Lucía, the Town Hall invites everyone to sample local produce (pumpkin, corn, sweets...) around the bonfires lit during the early hours of 13 December, with the image of the patron saint of the blind never missing from the celebration.

Its venue has changed over time according to need, being held in places such as the Plazuela de Santa Lucía, the spot known as "El Molino del Pan", next to the Municipal Library, or even next to the "Fuente del Buñuelo" (former site of the Trade Union) in the Barrio Bajo.

Also known as the Feast of San Agustín. During the festivities, the Expohuelma Trade Fair takes place, along with the “La Serranilla de Mágina” competition.

Hugely popular. Since 1989, a competition for comic and carnival troupes has been held, along with dances. The festivities close with the “Rellená del Carnaval”.

On the first Sunday of May, the Virgen de la Fuensanta and Santa Lucía are moved from the sanctuary to the parish church, with an ever-growing number of floats and pilgrims taking part each year. On the first Sunday of September the pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Fuensanta is held. Since the 16th century, the Brotherhood of Nuestra Señora de la Fuensanta y Santa Lucía has organised this pilgrimage, held every year on the first Sunday of September. Proceedings begin with the reception of the affiliated brotherhoods from Cambil, Solera and Torres and the walk to the sanctuary. After the Eucharist, the carving of the Virgin is carried in procession, accompanied on her platform by the image of Santa Lucía. In a typical pilgrimage atmosphere, a day is spent in the countryside, during which it is customary to drink water from the sanctuary's well, to which numerous miracles have been attributed.

Throughout the festival, several processions carry the image of the patron saint through the town's streets; the first of these includes the opening skirmishes between Moors and Christians. Bull runs are also held ("la vaquilla del aguardiente").

On the first night, an event is held in the main square to choose the festival queen and her maids of honour.

Sack races, essay and drawing competitions, dance contests, ribbon races on horseback, donkey races, log-cutting, tug of war, greasy poles, a swimming competition and a marathon from Carchelejo to Cárchel are all held.
A floral offering is made to the patron saint, using bouquets provided by the town hall.

A parade of giants and big-heads takes place.

The Moors and Christians performance re-enacts the following scene:

After several unsuccessful attempts, the image of the Virgin is captured by the Moorish army during the procession on the afternoon of the 14th and taken to the castle, built of wood for the occasion in the square. In the morning, the Christians attempt to storm the castle, but fail; it is then that the Christian king sends an embassy that argues with the Moor over the Christian religion and the Virgin, ending in a fresh skirmish and victory for the Christians. The costumes are brightly coloured, with those of the Christian army particularly striking, adorned with bunches of flowers on their hats.

The mock battles between the armies are also curious, featuring movements reminiscent of old stick-dance traditions.

During the performance, numerous shotgun shots are fired, and at the end, the couples pass by the Virgin's platform, still inside the castle, and once at the top, with shotguns in both their hands, they fire a few rounds into the air.

Where does the origin of the Moors and Christians Festivities lie, and its connection with the Virgen del Rosario in Carchelejo? 

The feast of the Virgen del Rosario was established at the request of Pope Gregory XIII, to commemorate the naval victory won over the Turks by the Christian fleet at the Battle of Lepanto on 7 October 1571. That Christian fleet sailed under the patronage of the Virgen del Rosario, as shown on the standard preserved in the National Naval Museum.
Several theories can be put forward regarding the origin of these Moors and Christians festivities. On one hand, there is the deep-seated warlike sentiment reflecting the historical vicissitudes of border towns that lived for 250 years alongside the Muslims of Granada (as in the case of Carchelejo, Campillo de Arenas and Bélmez de la Moraleda).

On the other hand, we must consider the basic association made by ordinary people between victory and supernatural intervention, aligning the Moors and Christians re-enactments with the patron saint's festivities. This coincidence may stem from the periodic training that local militias had to carry out, which over time came to coincide with the patron saint festivities, days on which farm work was set aside and used instead for military drills. 

The earliest documentary records of the Brotherhood of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Carchelejo date back to 1751 and are recorded in the Cadastre of the Marqués de la Ensenada. The brotherhood was obliged each year to hold 4 plain festivals, 16 festivals with procession, and “one festival with procession, priest, sacristan and sermon”. This last one was likely the brotherhood's main festival.

The text of Las Embajadas, full of familiar tropes, doctrinal references and historical allusions, blends together various events being commemorated, such as the aforementioned Battle of Lepanto, the struggles against Protestants and Jews, and above all the struggle of Catholic Christianity, deeply embedded in the social mindset and popular tradition, combined with religious doctrine, reflected in the act of affirming faith in the mysteries of the Trinity and the Virgin's virginity. The rest consists of updates and additions that oral tradition itself has continued to incorporate as Spanish history has unfolded — such as references to Ferdinand VII, once the War of Independence had ended, or to nationalist Christians. I cannot determine the exact origin of these Moors and Christians festivities in Carchelejo, but it is likely that the combination of devotion to the Virgen del Rosario, the brotherhood's obligation to hold annual festivals, and the aforementioned military references gave rise to today's festival. This leads us to reflect that traditions are, and should always be, ever-changing — otherwise, a moment may come when the reason or basis behind the festivities is no longer understood, and the dialogues and texts become fossilised to the point of becoming incomprehensible.

This change shows that the tradition remains alive and fresh, carried forward by the people who create and live it, and will therefore never die.

Held on 17 January, this is one of the few festivals that has not moved to summer, perhaps because that season already features the festival of the Virgen del Rosario, the town's other patron saint. There's a saying in the region reflecting this devotion: “San Antón en Cárcel, llueva o rabie” ("San Antón in Cárcel, come rain or shine"). Bonfires are lit the night before, in the streets, around which residents gather until the early hours of the morning. Today, the tradition of the “Cochinillo de San Antón” has been revived, a piglet raised collectively by all the town's residents.