Fiestas & Festivals

Fiestas and festivals are also a very important part of the culture in Spain and play a big role in the social life of the locals. There are more than 3,000 festivals and fiestas celebrated every year. The Spaniards are fun loving people and are accustomed to these fests, and almost every town and village has its very own annual fair that lasts anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Village festivals involve the locals going on a pilgrimage to a certain shrine either in horse drawn wagons or on horseback. Foreigners are always welcomed to join in the fun and laughter.

The first national celebration in the month of February is the Martes de Carnaval (the Mardi Gras of Span). Holy Week is another famous festival and attracts tourists from all over the world. Other famous festivals include the Corpus Christi, the Feast Day of Spain’s patron saint, the Assumption of the Virgin (la Asunciуn). There are many local fiestas for safe return from the sea, deliverance from the Moors, and harvests – the Spaniards use any excuse to Party!

From costumes and processions to music and dancing and feasting, you can see now why Spain’s culture is considered to be the most colorful. Larger festivals include flamenco, bullfights, circuses, funfair's, fireworks, concerts, fairs, music competitions and recitals.

The most famous however would have to be the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, which takes place during the Fiesta de San Fermin.