Property Sales & Consultants in Costa del Sol, Spain
SPANISH FIESTAS
List of Spanish Festivals
THREE KINGS
The first festival of the year is the Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day) on 6th January, which is a public holiday. Traditionally, Spanish children’s Christmas gifts are brought by the Kings on the night of the 5th and, beforehand, amid much excitement, their Majesties take part in processions in almost every city, town and village in the country.
CARNIVAL
The city of Cadiz is best-known for its amazing ‘Carnaval’ festivities, but many other places also celebrate the event with processions and satirical songs. These normally take place between mid-February and early March.
HOLY WEEK
Andalucía is famous for its Semana Santa processions, which are especially spectacular in major cities such as Malaga, Seville, Granada, Almería and Cadiz. The processions in smaller towns and villages are also lovely.
MAY CROSSES
The Cruces de Mayo festival is held during the first half of May, and flower-decked crosses adorn the streets of many towns of villages. Cordoba puts on an excellent display, and follows it up with a competition for the prettiest patio.
CORPUS CHRISTI
Normally held in June, this religious festival is celebrated by many towns and villages. The event has been declared of National Tourist Interest in villages such as El Gastor and Zahara de la Sierra, both in Cadiz province.
SAN JUAN
On the evening of June 23rd, to celebrate the summer solstice, people flock to the beaches, light bonfires, and party until dawn.
FIESTAS DEL CARMEN
July 16th is the day of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of fishermen, and this festival is particularly lovely. It is celebrated in many coastal towns. The statue of the Virgin is taken in procession to the beach, where gaily decorated boats await her arrival.
TODOS SANTOS
1st November is All Saints’ Day. It is a public holiday in Spain, and most people take the opportunity to visit the graves of deceased relatives
MOORS AND CHRISTIANS FESTIVALS
In remembrance of the reconquest of Moorish Andalucía by the Catholic Monarchs in the 15th century, many villages re-enact battles between Moors and Christians. Among the best-known Moros y Cristianos celebrations are those in Trevelez (Granada), which takes place in June, Benalauría (Malaga) and Benamahoma (Cadiz), both of which are held in August.
List of Local Ferias in Andalusian Cities and Towns
ALMERÍA
The Feria de Almería is held in August every year.
GRANADA
The city celebrates its Fair in the second half of May each year.
JAÉN
Jaén’s annual Feria is always held in the second week of October
CÓRDOBA
The most important Fair in Cordoba – the Feria de Nuestra Señora de la Salud, takes place in mid to late May each year.
MÁLAGA
The annual week-long Feria takes place in August, around the 19th. The streets of the city centre are filled with revellers every afternoon during the Daytime Fair, and at night the party moves to the huge fairground on the outskirts of the city.
RONDA
The lovely town of Ronda is famous for its Goyesque fair which is held in early September each year. It is so called because bullfighters and ladies of the town (the ‘damas’) dress in 18th century costume at the traditional bullfight on the Saturday.
SEVILLE
The Seville Fair is the first one of the year, and is the biggest in Spain. It is normally held two weeks after Easter.
CÁDIZ
After the excitement of February’s Carnaval, for which the city is famous, the people of Cadiz take to the streets in late June to celebrate their fun-packed annual Feria.
JEREZ
The city celebrates two Ferias, one called the Horse Fair (Feria del Caballo) in late April or early May, and then the Autumn Fair in September.
SANLÚCAR
Sanlúcar pays tribute to its most famous product, manzanilla sherry, at the Feria de la Manzanilla every May or June, and then holds its internationally-renowned horse races on the beach in August each year. The race dates depend on the tides.
HUELVA
The annual Fair in Huelva city takes place in early August.
EL ROCÍO
This is probably Andalucía’s most famous pilgrimage, when thousands of people from all over the region put on traditional costume and make their way to the shrine in the hamlet of El Rocío. The climax to the festival is in May or June each year, the weekend before Pentecost Monday.
