 World
Famous Festivals of Spain
Each fiesta is different in Spain and
Portugal and most have origens in the middle ages, Iberian
Roman period or ancient Celtic or Mediterranean pagan rituals.
In Pamplona, they celebrate the 'running of the bulls' in
July made famous by Hemmingway; in Andalucia , horses, flamenco
and guitars are integral to the celebrations; at the fiesta
of Las Fallas in March in Valencia, huge bonfires and firework
displays form the basis of the party. The fiestas can also
get very original indeed, with parades of giant heads, monsters
or full blown water and tomato fights!
Semana Santa
in Andalucia: Year after year, each and every
village proudly enjoys the beauty and mystery of "Semana
Santa" or Holy Week although there are variances and
some towns for instance, will preserve certain traditions
more than others.
The International Theater Festival of Sevilla:
September (music, flamenco dance & open air theater)
The International Music Festival
of Barcelona: September-October. (Orchestral
music, choirs, bands and soloists.)
The International Festival of
Santander: Second half of July-first half
of August. (Music dance and theatre.)
The Merida Theatre Festival;
Staged at the Roman theatre in Merida. End of July-beginning
of August. (Greco-Roman and Mediterranean classical theatre
exclusively.)
The National Classical Theatre
Festival of Almagro: Three weeks in September.
(National and international classical theatre).
The Madrid Autumn Festival:
Mid-September to early October. (Concerts, opera, theatre,
classical and modern dance.)
 The
construction of human towers is not exclusive to the inhabitants
of our region, they have already been made reference to in
various countries and continents. From Morocco to India, from
Italy to Germany, historically as well as currently. These
constructions themselves might be considered ancestors of
our modern Castells.
The clearest and most accepted hypothesis of the origin of
Castells is that they evolved from centuries old folk dances.
Those dances known as Balls de Valecians, and the Moixigangues
or Muixerangues, are of a religious inspiration and have been
practiced since the XVI century. These dances have always
included the mounting of a small tower or pyramid by the dancers
themselves. The little tower may represent a religious painting
or sculpture. It’s not strange then that little by little
with the competition between dance groups the tower evolved
until one day it was constructed without the need of the dance.
• Fiestas
and Ferias in Andalucia:
January
1-2 La Toma celebration of the
entry of the Reyes Catolicos into the city - at Granada.
6 LRomeria de la Virgen del Mar
pilgrimage procession from Almeria.
17 Romeria del Ermita del Santo.
Similar event at Guadix.
February
1 San Cecilio fiesta in Granada's
traditionally gypsy quarter of Sacromonte.
Week before Lent Carnival is an extravagent week-long event
in all the Andalucian cities. Cadiz, above all, celebrates,
with uproarious street parades, fancy dress and satirical
music competitions.
March/April
Holy Week (Semana Santa) has its
most elaborate and dramtic celebrations in Andalucia. You'll
find memorable processions of floats and penitents at Sevilla,
Malaga, Granada and Cordoba and to a lesser extent in smaller
towns such as Jerez, Arcos, Baeza and Ubeda. All culminate
with  dramatic
candlelight processions at dawn on Good Friday, with Easter
Day itself more of a family occasion.
Last week of April (approximately
2 weeks after Easter) Week-long feria de Abril at Sevilla:
the largest fair in Spain. A Small April fair - featuring
bull runing - is held in Vejer.
May
First week Cruces de Mayo in Cordoba
celebrates the Holy Cross and includes a "prettiest patio"
competition in a town full of prize examples.
Early May (usually the week after
Sevilla's fair). Somewhat aristocratic Horse Fair at Jerez
de la Frontera.
3 Moros y Cristianos ("Moors
and Christians") carnival at Pampaneira (Alpujarras).
17 San Isidro Romeria at Setenil
(Cadiz).
Pentecost (7 weeks after Easter)
Romeria del Rocio, when horse drawn carriages and processions
converge from all over the south on El Rocio (Huelva)
Corpus Christi (variable - Thursday
after Trinity) Bullfights and festivities at Granada, Sevilla,
Ronda, Vejer and Zahara de la Sierra.
Last week Feria de la Manzanilla,
Sanlucar de Barrameda. Prolonged binge to celebrate the town's
major product, with flamenco and sporting events on the river
beach.
June
Second week Feria de San Bernabe
at Marbella, often spectacular since this is the richest town
in Andalucia.
13 San Antonio fiesta at Trevelez
(Alpujarras) with mock battles between Moors and Christians.
Third week The Algeviras fair
and fiesta, another major event of the south.
23-24 Candelas de San Juan - bonfires
and effigies at Vejer and elsewhere.
30 Conil Feria.
End of June/early July International
Festival of Music and Dance - major dance/flamenco groups
and chamber orchestras perform in Granada's Alhambra palace,
Generalife and Carlos V palace.
July
Early July The International Guitar
Festival at Cordoba brings together top international acts
from classical, flamenco and Latin American music.
16 La Virgen del Carmen - At the
end of day on July 16th the towns and fishing villages of
the coast parade their statues of her by the water, and set
sail in gaily adorned boats, accompanied by the blowing of
horns and bursts of fireworks in the night sky. A good place
to see this fiesta is Estepona, where the Virgen del Carmen
is one of the town´s most beloved saints.
End of month Virgen de Mar - Almeria's
major annual shindig, with parades, horse riding events, concerts
and lots of drinking.
August
5 Trevelez observes a midnight
romeria to Mulhacen.
13-21 Feria de Malaga - one of
Andalucia's most enjoyable fiestas for visitors, who are heartily
welcomed by the ebullient malagueños.
15 Ascension of the Virgin Fair
with casetas (dance tents) at Vejer and elsewhere. Riotous
Noche de Vino wine festival at Competa (Malaga).
Third week The first cycle of
horse races along Sanlucar de Barrameda's beach, with heavy
official and unofficial betting the second tournament takes
place a week later.
23-25 Guadalquivir festival at
Sanlucar de Barrameda with bullfights and an important flamenco
competition.
September
First two weeks Ronda's annual
feria with flamenco contests and Corrida Goyesca - bullfights
in eighteenth-century dress.
1-3 Celebration of the Virgen
de la Luz in Tarifa: prcessions and horeback riding.
First/second week Vendimia (celebration
of the vintage) at Jerez.
29-Oct 2 Feria in Orgiva (Alpujarras).
October
15-23 Feria de San Lucas- Jaen's
Major fiesta, dating back to the fifteenth century.
6-13 Fiestas del Pilar. Zaragoza
10-13 Moros y Cristianos en Honor
de la Virgen de las Injurias. Callosa D’En Sarriá
(Alicante)
17-19 As San Lucas. Mondoñedo
(Lugo).
18 Romería de Nuestra Señora
de Valme. Dos Hermanas (Sevilla)
23-25 Fiesta de la Rosa del Azafrán.
Consuegra (Toledo).
November
1 Todas las ciudades. Día
de Todos los Santos.
11 Orense. Magostos.
11 Moreda de Aller. Los Humanitarios.
11 Bueu. Fiesta de San Martín.
17 Villarrubia de los Ojos. Romería
de la Virgen de la Sierra.
17-25 Lorca. Fiestas hispano-árabes.
30 Castro Urdiales. Día
de San Andrés.
December
5-8 Fiestas Patronales de la Virgen
del Castillo. Yecla (Murcia). 7. Los Escobazos. Cáceres
7-8 La Encamisá. Torrejoncillo
(Cáceres).
13 Fiesta de Santa Lucía.
Santa Lucía (Las Palmas).
25 Navidad. Toda España.
31 Fiesta del Estandarte. Palma
de Mallorca
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