Famous Festivals and Celebrations in Spain longer and detailed

 

Festivals and celebrations in Spain are renowned for being very colorful, musical, and filled with a lot of activity, with most of them given a historical and religious base. 

Some of the most iconic ones include:

#1 La Tomatina (Buñol):

La Tomatina is a very lively food fight where participants throw overripe tomatoes at each other, held every last Wednesday of August in the town of Buñol. 

Originally, this festival began in the 1940s, possibly as an impromptu food fight, and has grown into a massive internationally recognized event. 

The town starts to put up protective tarps, while thousands of tourists come from all over the world to participate in this unique celebration.

#2 Running of the Bulls (San Fermín):

Running of the Bulls: This event is part of the annual San Fermín festival in Pamplona from July 6-14 and features hundreds of participants running through the streets alongside bulls. 

The history of this event dates back many centuries, as part of the festivities to honor Saint Fermín, patron saint of the city. 

This thrilling yet dangerous event involves runners navigating through the narrow streets to the bullring, under the watch of thousands of spectators around the globe.

#3 Las Fallas (Valencia):

Coming in mid-March, Las Fallas is a fiesta in which giant, colorful sculptures called "fallas" are made and then burnt. 

It started out as a spring cleaning ritual by carpenters and grew to become a great festival with fireworks, parades, typical dresses, and the "Mascletà," a powerful daytime fireworks show. 

The last night is simply incredible, La Cremà, where all of the fallas are set alight and the entire city is lit up.

#4 Semana Santa (Holy Week):

Semana Santa is one of Spain's most somber and religious celebrations, held during the week before Easter and observed throughout the country. 

The way it is celebrated differs from region to region, but generally, it involves processions where the participants often hooded carry religious statues and candles through town streets. 

Seville and Málaga are particularly well known for their spectacular processions, during which float-bearers carry giant, ornate platforms adorned with statues of Jesus or the Virgin Mary.

#5 Carnaval (Tenerife and Cádiz):

Carnival celebrations are done in Spain most particularly in Tenerife and Cádiz the ones that involve processions, kaleidoscopic dressing, and live performances bring about a real carnival. 

Tenerife's celebration is similar to Rio Carnival, with big floats and costumes, while Cádiz is noted for its wit and humor, with street performances and satirical groups, called chiringotas, using music to make fun of politics and social problems.

#6 Feria de Abril (Seville):

Starting two weeks after Semana Santa, Seville's April Fair is a grand week of traditional Andalusian culture. 

The event involves flamenco dancing and bullfighting, with rows upon rows of casetas minutes from the locals, dressed in traditional garb, filled with celebration. 

Women are in colorful flamenco dresses; horse-drawn carriages parade through the fairground. 

The whole festival is filled with music, dancing, and the sound of "sevillanas," a type of folk music characteristic of the region.

#7 La Mercè (Barcelona):

La Mercè is a festival in honor of the city's patron saint, celebrated in late September. 

The festivals include human towers, called castellers, whereby groups of people build human pyramids several stories high. 

Other activities include fire runs (correfocs), where people dressed as devils run through the streets setting off fireworks, live concerts, and parades of giant puppets called gegants.

#8 El Colacho (Castrillo de Murcia):

Known as the "Baby Jumping Festival," El Colacho is an unusual festival in the village of Castrillo de Murcia near Burgos, where men dressed as devils (El Colacho) jump over the babies lying on mattresses placed in the street. 

This tradition, dating back to the 1600s, is believed to cleanse babies of original sin and evil spirits.

#9 Christmas and Three Kings' Day (Día de los Reyes):

Christmas in Spain is beloved, but the big celebration is held on January 6 to celebrate Día de los Reyes or Three Kings' Day. 

Towns and cities hold parades, or Cabalgatas, where the Three Wise Men shower children with sweets. 

On this day, families traditionally give gifts, and it is also traditional to eat a "Roscón de Reyes," which is a ring-shaped pastry with hidden surprises inside.

#10 La Tamborrada (San Sebastián):

On January 20, La Tamborrada in San Sebastián features 24 hours of continuous drumming. 

People dressed as cooks and soldiers march through the city, drumming in honor of San Sebastián, their patron saint. 

The event is both a tradition and a celebration of the city's culinary culture, with the cook outfits representing San Sebastián's famous food scene.

#11 Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians):

Celebrated in various towns, notably Valencia and Alicante, this is a festival where historical battles between the Moors and Christians are reenacted. 

Parades include representatives dressed in elaborate Moorish and Christian costumes, fighting the battles and showing how Spain has a history marked by reconquest. 

The festival boasts music, mock battles, and large-scale reenactments.

#12 Jerez Horse Fair (Feria del Caballo):

Held in May in Jerez de la Frontera, this festival celebrates the city's equestrian culture by holding horse parades, displays of dressage, and competitions. 

The visitor can also enjoy flamenco performances, Andalusian food, and wine from Jerez, which is famous for the production of sherry. 

Each of these festivals brings to life Spain's rich cultural heritage, celebrating everything from religious devotion to historical events and regional traditions. 

All of them, be it somber or very energetic, reflect the singular Spanish identity and centuries-old traditions.