Spanish Festivals > Contents
Calendar of Spanish Festivals
Here is a 12 month account of all the main festivals in Spain.
All Saints Day
Todos Los Santos takes place on November
1st. It is an important national holiday when people from all over the
country return to their birthplace to lay flowers on the graves of deceased
relatives.
Carnival in Spain
There are wild festivities in Tenerife
and Cadiz during the Carnival celebrations
in February and more controlled fiestas elsewhere.
Castellers de Vilafranca
Not a festival in itself but a group of Catalans who create human towers at
festivals all over Catalonia, especially during the summer months.
Moros y Cristianos
Mock battles between Moors and
Christians in Alcoy, Alicante on 22-24th April.
Holy Week in Seville
Semana Santa is Holy Week in Seville which is the full week leading up to Easter
Sunday. Along with the April Fair it is one of the city's main two annual
festivals.
Seville April Fair
Seville's and Spain's biggest
annual party, La Feria de Abril, takes place two weeks after Easter.
Feria de Malaga
The annual Feria de Malaga is comparable with Seville's Feria de Abril yet
remains more of a local affair.
Hogueras de San Juan
The 'Bonfires of St John' are celebrated in many places on Spain's coastline,
but nowhere more so than in Alicante.
Feast of Saint James
On 25th July thousands of pilgrims who have walked
the Camino de Santiago congregate in Santiago de Compostela where the Saint's
tomb lies in the Cathedral.
Elx Mystery Play
The Mystery Play of Elx, or Elche, is one of Spain’s oldest and greatest
cultural events and is truly a never-to-be-forgotten experience
San
Fermin Running of the Bulls
Pamplona's famous running of
the bulls with runs at 8am each morning beginning on 7th July.
La
Tomatina Tomato Festival
The world's biggest tomato fight takes place on the last Wednesday of August at
Bunyol near Valencia. Sanlucar Horse Races
The Sanlucar Horse Races or "Carreras de Caballos" take place in August on the beach at Sanlúcar de Barrameda near Jerez de la Frontera Trujillo International Music Festival
Every July the city of Trujillo transforms into an international platform for the finest classical musicians in the world
Feria de Pedro Romero
During the first week of September in Ronda the whole town dresses in typical
18th century costumes and the town's bullfight attracts the top matadors who
also dress in Goyesque fashion in tribute to Pedro Romero, the so-called father
of modern bullfighting.
Fiestas del Pilar
The Pilar Festival on 12th October is the biggest annual event in Zaragoza which
also coincides with Columbus's discovery of the Americas.
Fallas Festival in Valencia
The Fallas is one of Spain's biggest national festivals which takes place every
March in Valencia to celebrate the feast of San José, the patron saint of
carpenters. It consists of huge papier maché figure which are burnt during the
course of the week along with an enormous amount of fireworks and plenty
partying.
Festes de la Merce
Barcelona's biggest annual festival takes place on 24th September with giants
parading around the streets, human pyramid competitions and heavy Cava
consumption with fireworks and music of course!
Barcelona Summer Festival - El Grec
Originally purely a theatrical event, and confined solely to the Greek Theatre,
El Grec now encompasses theatre, music, dance, flamenco, film and even circus.
Sonar Festival Barcelona
The annual Sonar Festival takes place every June in Barcelona attracting crowds
of around 80,000 to this electronic music and digital arts event.
San Isidro in Madrid
Madrid's main annual festival is San Isidro on May 15th which includes nine days
of celebrations as well as the start of the capital's bullfighting season.
Cruces de Mayo
This festival is also known as the May Crosses which is celebrated mainly in
Cordoba and Granada at the start of May each year.
Granada
International Festival of Music & Dance
Every summer the city of Granada plays host to the international
festival of music and dance which attracts performers from around the globe.
Spain Wine Festivals
Throughout the country there are Fiestas de la Vendimia which celebrate the
grape harvest. September is the best month for these.
Cava
week
A celebration of Catalunya's
very own version of champagne.
Seville Tapas Fair
Lovers of Spanish food will enjoy this tapas fair in February when the city's
top bars and restaurants compete with one another to produce the best tapas.
Fiesta del Orujo
Another alcohol fuelled festival is this festival in the village of Potes in the
Cantabrian mountains where villagers pay tribute to their local firewater.
Jerez Sherry
festival
The blessing of the grapes, sherry tasting, flamenco and horse shows in
September.
Christmas in Spain
A chronological description of how Spain celebrates Christmas.
Spanish Lottery - El Gordo
The national lottery on December 22nd engages the whole nation as people hope
for a prize in the world's biggest lottery.
Baby Jumping Festival
This is one of Spain's more weird annual festivals which has taken place in the
Province of Burgos since 1621. |
