Everything we know about the huge private party that has sparked outrage in Ibiza

The large private party held at sa Pedrera de Can Coix, in Sant Antoni, has become one of the most controversial and talked-about events of the summer in Ibiza.

What began as a secretive gathering eventually triggered a political, local and environmental controversy over the use of municipal land, the amount paid by the organisers, the scale of the production and the consumption of water at a time when the island was under a drought pre-alert.

The event, held on 13 August, was organised by Van Wyck & Van Wyck, a New York-based international company specialising in large private celebrations and high-end events. The party had municipal authorisation to run from 6pm to 3am, with a maximum capacity of 350 people.

The origins: a secret party with a pharaonic theme

The first public clues appeared on social media, particularly on the Instagram account @pharaohsball, where images and messages linked to ancient Egypt, pyramids, Cleopatra and the eclipse were shared.

Among them was the phrase “when the moon across the sun”, a reference to the moment when the Moon passes in front of the Sun.

A large private party organized by a famous international agency brings together more than 300 guests at Sa Pedrera in Sant Antoni.

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The theme was no coincidence. Work to transform sa Pedrera into a setting inspired by pharaonic Egypt began on 26 July and continued for more than two weeks.

The production included a large pyramid, an artificial lake, a temple, a sphinx, obelisks, walls decorated with Egyptian motifs, lighting towers and powerful lighting, sound and video-mapping equipment.

The old Can Coix quarry, which is municipally owned, was occupied throughout the preparation, celebration and subsequent dismantling of the event, for a minimum of three weeks.

Municipal land for €199

One of the details that caused the greatest controversy was the amount paid by the organisers to use sa Pedrera.

Sant Antoni Town Council told Diario de Ibiza, after being asked about the matter, that the promoters had paid €199 as an activity fee.

The council explained that it does not have a specific tax ordinance regulating charges for the occupation of this type of public space.

It also pointed out that the event had “a significant charitable nature”, as the organisers had planned a donation of €40,000 to Cáritas Sant Antoni and €10,000 to the Motoclub Formentera y Eivissa.

The comparison between the scale of the event and the amount paid to use the municipal site quickly opened up a public debate.

Political criticism and concern among residents

Sant Antoni’s PSOE accused mayor Marcos Serra of being “in thrall” to private events for allowing a municipal space to be used for a party of this kind.

The Socialists criticised both the celebration at sa Pedrera and the authorisation of the Eclipse Festival at s’Arenal on the afternoon of the eclipse, when the town was expected to be overwhelmed by the arrival of thousands of people.

They described it as “very serious” that a private event had been facilitated on public land for an amount they called “derisory”.

Residents in the area also expressed concern.

In the days leading up to the party, they complained about the movement of lorries and heavy vehicles around Can Coix, affecting access to nearby sports and educational facilities.

Concern increased when generators and butane gas cylinders were seen in a rugged area bordering land classified as a High-Risk Zone, at a time when Ibiza was at the highest level of wildfire risk.

An artificial lake during a drought alert

After the event, another element intensified the controversy: the installation of an artificial lake as a central part of the set.

The pool covered around 850 square metres and was approximately 20 centimetres deep, meaning that filling it required at least 170 tonnes of water, according to information obtained by Diario de Ibiza.

On Saturday night, the organisers issued a statement putting the amount of water at 60 tonnes, although they did not dispute the dimensions of the lake published by this newspaper.

The figure was particularly striking because Sant Antoni Town Council itself runs awareness campaigns encouraging responsible water use.

In addition, Facsa, the company operating the municipal water service, maintains a 'Drought Alert' notice on its website advising residents to minimise consumption.

Sant Antoni responds by criticising the organisers

Following the controversy over what was seen as such a frivolous use of water, and the anger expressed by residents, environmental groups and the Water Alliance, Sant Antoni Town Council issued a statement on Sunday afternoon distancing itself from the party and claiming it had no knowledge of the lake, as the organisers had not informed the council about it.

However, Diario de Ibiza had reported four days before the party that the spectacular set would include a lake.

Ibiza is currently under a drought pre-alert, a situation that includes a range of water-saving measures introduced by both the council and the Balearic Government.

Sant Antoni’s own document states that people should “avoid filling swimming pools” and “avoid irrigation between 8am and 8pm”.

The council acknowledges that it is “difficult to justify” installing an artificial lake while the island is under a drought pre-alert, and says it “strongly rejects” the creation of an ornamental pool for this purpose.

A production ‘fit for a pharaoh’

Videos shared by guests show a large-scale production, with visual effects projected onto the walls of the former quarry, monumental structures, theatrical lighting and meticulous attention to detail.

The organisers themselves promoted the event on social media as a party “fit for a pharaoh”.

The irony lies in the location chosen.

Sa Pedrera de Can Coix was originally acquired by Sant Antoni Town Council to build the new municipal cemetery and, until relatively recently, the site was used to store rubbish containers.