By Laura Kemp • Updated: 07 Feb 2023 • 10:03
Image: Twitter
The Spanish are known for putting on a party. With socialising, family and friends such an important part of Spanish life, there are tons of celebrations you can immerse yourself in throughout the year. Be it the Three Kings in January, Easter events, carnivals, the many summer ferias throughout the towns, cities and villages, beach parties like San Juan or the tens of beer and wine festivals – there’s usually something going on.
There are endless parties and fiestas taking place throughout the year, but we have put together our top picks to get you involved in the fun. So, what are the best ferias and fiestas in Spain, when and where are they celebrated and what can you expect to be happening?
First things first, what exactly is a feria or fiesta?
Bullfights, bull running, bodegas (outside bars with celebratory music), and bandas are all hallmarks of the yearly local event known as a feria (fair in English) in Spain and southern France. Every town, village and city will hold its own feria and the whole area will be filled with stalls, rides, food, pop-up bars and more. Many ferias take place over a few days or over a whole weekend, giving you plenty of opportunities to experience these amazing events.
Fiestas are parties or occasions for celebration, and they typically refer to religious holidays. Throughout Spain, fiestas are observed in a variety of ways, but they always include music, dancing, costumes, fireworks, regional cuisine, and a lot of noise!
People often like to dress in traditional Spanish clothing, such as flamenco dresses, and there are usually processions throughout the streets that you can join. Ferias and fiestas usually run well into the night, with all members of the family – no matter what age – getting involved in the party!
Before the San Isidro celebrations, carnivals take place across Spain in anticipation of Easter and Lent. The country is taken over by celebrations, where a week of parades, costumes, drinking, and dancing is to be expected. The carnivals usually take place in February, 45 days before Easter.
The most anticipated fiesta in Spain is typically San Isidro, however, this is up for debate depending on where you live in Spain and the type of party you enjoy. The celebration, which honours San Isidro, the patron saint of Madrid, is a much-anticipated way to welcome spring following the cold of winter and the upcoming hot weather in summer. It’s well worth visiting the capital to experience these celebrations, where the city will be packed full of traditional and exciting events, which typically occur around May 15.
Another huge fiesta you will have heard of is San Fermin – or the running of the bulls – where the animals are used in daily bullfights and run through the streets to the bullring (this has been causing quite a lot of controversy in recent years). The annual San Fermin festival is a week-long celebration with deep historical roots that takes place in Pamplona, Navarre, in northern Spain. The festivities begin on July 6 at noon and last until July 14 at midnight. The festivities begin with a firework, and they conclude with the well-known song Pobre de Mi.
Semana Santa follows Las Fallas and is maybe Spain’s most well-known fiesta after San Fermin. Everywhere celebrates Semana Santa, or Easter Holy Week, but the south of Spain puts on the most extravagant celebrations. Semana Santa, a week-long festival, has daily processions that portray Christ’s death and resurrection. This is a religious celebration that both believers and non-believers can enjoy for its breathtaking visual splendour.
Locals build exquisite alfombras, or flower carpets, for Semana Santa, only to have them destroyed by thousands of feet during the following day’s parade. If you have a few Spanish friends whose families have cabanas (where much of the party, music, drinking, and dancing take place), you’ll have a lot of fun, especially in Sevilla.
The Noche de San Juan on June 23 is one of the most enchanting nights in Andalucia. The old pagan festival commemorates the longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice, commonly known as Midsummer’s Eve in Northern Europe. This beachfront ritual is linked to the elements of fire, water, and light. Massive bonfires are lit along the beaches of Marbella and the Costa del Sol to represent the purifying of the spirit, and many people camp out on the beaches for the night.
Out of all of the Spanish festivals, La Tomatina is arguably the most well-known, and the most photographed! Famous across the world, La Tomatina takes place each year at the end of August in Buñol, Valencia. The festival is part of a week-long celebration in honour of the town’s patron saints, Luis Bertran and the Mare de Deu dels Desemparats (Mother of God of the Defenseless), the Virgin Mary. In short, the streets are filled with people who throw tomatoes at each other during huge food fights purely for fun and entertainment purposes!
Now that you know a bit more about ferias and fiestas in Spain, including the biggest and most popular, we have also put together a month-by-month list of the most popular celebrations throughout the year.
The Three Kings Parade and Three Kings Day – January 5 and January 6
This is the main Christmas celebration in Spain. Every town and city has a Three Kings procession on January 5, where participants throw sweets to the children from the floats. The Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day on January 6, occurs on the last day of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The three wise men give presents to the newborn Jesus at this festival, which commemorates the event.
Jarramplas Turnip throwing – January 19
The selection of a male from the village to represent the Jarramplas is a great honour every year. The Jarramplas wears a devilish outfit with horns, a horse’s mane, and colourful ribbons. The Jarramplas plays 12 drumbeats at the stroke of midnight on January 19. As the chase begins, the locals pelt him with turnips as he gallops through the street. When he can no longer tolerate the turnips being thrown at him, he takes off his mask and the turnip throwing stops – his pride depends on how long he managed to endure the turnips!
The Santa Agueda festival – February 5
Men predominantly organise and participate in Spain’s festivals and events. However, women celebrate the Santa Agueda Festival. The women of Zamarramala in Segovia bring the town to life with their singing and dancing. The Zamarramala event honours the battle of Segovia, which took place in 1227 and saw the Moors attack and take control of the region. While the Moors fought to seize control of the town’s stronghold, the women entertained them.
Andalucia Day – February 28
February 28 is a significant day for Andalucia, where many people will observe a holiday the day before to extend their long weekend (Puente). Andalucians paint their homes with the Andalucian colours of white and green for the Dia de Andalucia celebrations. They also plan numerous parades and street parties around the area. This holiday honours the referendum on the Statute of Autonomy of Andalucia that took place on February 28, 1980, in which the Andalucian people approved the law creating Andalucia as a Spanish autonomous community.
Festival de Jerez – February 24 until March 11
Every day of this festival is jam-packed with entertainment and events, and it is celebrated all over Spain. The most authentic flamenco dancing and outfits can be found here, and there is something for everyone throughout the course of 15 days. Flamenco fans from all around the world are welcomed to the Festival de Jerez. This is a location where flamenco lovers from the public and the arts community come together, and it welcomes you not just to observe but also to take part in an authentic and one-of-a-kind experience.
The end of February also sees many carnivals across cities in Spain, including Cadiz Carnival between February 16 and 23, Barcelona Carnival between February 16 and 22, Madrid Carnival on February 17 until 22, and Gran Canaria Carnival On February 10 until March 5.
Balearic Day – March 1
In the Balearic Islands, there is a celebration and a public holiday known as Dia de les Illes Balears. The creation of the Balearic Statute of Autonomy under the Spanish Constitution, which took effect on 1 March 1983, is commemorated every year on March 1.
Malaga Film Festival – March 10 until March 19
The best documentaries and short films from Spain are shown at the Malaga Film Festival, or Festival Cine Malaga. The event supports the growth of Spanish-language movies and is a gathering for all audiences.
Las Fallas de Valencia – March 14 until 19
Valencia illuminates its streets for a whole week of festivities. The entire community participates in Las Fallas by making enormous paper mâché representations of well-known figures. Before setting the statues on fire, they show them in the city for the entire week of the holiday, and the town selects a winner for the best creation each year. These fallacies can occasionally take a whole year to create!
San Jose Day – March 19
The day honouring Saint Joseph is “Da de San José,” which falls on March 19. According to the Bible, Mary and Saint Joseph were engaged when she fell pregnant with Jesus. San José Day is celebrated as Father’s Day in Spain and many other Catholic nations.
Entierro de la sardina
This festival usually takes place straight after the carnivals have ended, and it’s a pretty strange one. Its real roots are unknown, but there are numerous theories, as with many customs in Spain. According to one version of the story, in the 18th century, King Carlos III received some rotten sardines. As a result, he promptly ordered that they be buried. However, the event is mostly used to mark the beginning of Lent after the Carnival celebrations have concluded.
Locals dress in black, some as priests, some as nuns. They parade the sardines through town for everybody to witness, much like a funeral procession, which end up at a bonfire. A symbolic sardine is then burned. The ashes signify happiness, peace, and harmony, and are meant to drive away evil and negative energy. It is thought that burying the sardines cleanses the past and allows society to be resurrected and transformed with fresh energy and life.
One of the most famous Sardine Festivals is in Murcia on April 15, which involves lots of celebrations and large parade floats in the streets.
Semana Santa
Semana Santa (Holy Week) runs from Sunday, April 2 to Monday, April 9. Every village and town in Spain has its own Easter processions. It is one of the most important national holidays where thousands of people participate in processions to bring giant floats to the church during this week. These floats are massive, detailed, and elaborate works of art.
Each procession begins with an image of Christ’s anguish and concludes with an image of the Virgin. Some of the procession participants can appear menacing and intimidating because they wear mostly white or purple silken costumes with pointed hoods that cover their heads and faces.
Feria de Abril in Sevilla – April 23 until 29
The Feria de Abril in Sevilla Fair begins on Sunday, April 23 and ends with a fireworks show on Saturday, April 29 at midnight. This is one of the largest and most important fairs in Spain. The holiday is normally held two weeks after Easter week (Semana Santa), but the exact dates vary from year to year. Despite the fact that the feria is held in Sevilla, visitors come from all across Andalucia. Flamenco outfits are worn, and the men on horseback wear the customary “traje de corto”. Horses and carriages can be found everywhere. The mood is unlike anything else you will experience!
Battle of the flowers – April 30
Cordoba hosts the ‘Batalla de las Flores’ on the final Sunday of April. This is a really colourful sight to welcome the arrival of spring. Floats adorned with flowers travel through the streets, with individuals on board throwing carnations to the onlookers. The flowers are subsequently thrown back by the masses, hence the name. There are approximately 140,000 carnations involved. After the fighting, this festival gives place to the Festival de Los Patios Cordobeses in early May.
Festival de Los Patios Cordobeses – May 2 until 14
From May 3 to 15, the people of Cordoba open their colourful courtyards and patios to visitors. Although the primary sites to visit are the Alcazar Viejo district, they can also be seen in the Santa Maria areas near the Church of San Lorenzo, La Magdalena, the Mosque-Cathedral, and the old Jewish district. The Palace of Viana contains one of the most beautiful courtyards in the world and, since 1921, the town hall has held competitions for the best courtyards.
Cruces de Mayo fiestas – May 3
Cruces de Mayo, or the Festival of Crosses, is celebrated on May 3 in many parts of Spain but has special significance in Andalucia. It is an event that pays tribute to the cross on which Jesus was crucified.
The festival has been celebrated for centuries (despite a break in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s) by villages, who create crosses and decorate them with flowers or embroidered shawls before placing them in streets and squares. This is also visible as part of Los Patios.
San Isidro – May 13 until 15
Every year, Madrid honours its patron saint, San Isidro, with a calendar full of events and activities between May 13 and 15.
El Rocio pilgrimage – May 28 until 29
The famous Romeria del Rocio is held 50 days after Easter during the weekend of Pentecost, on around May 28. The pilgrimage, however, begins in the weeks before and is one of the largest religious events in Andalucia. Hundreds of brotherhoods from adjacent villages, as well as from all throughout Andalucia, Spain, and Europe, participate.
The pilgrims travel in brightly painted horses and carriages. The pilgrims wear traditional gypsy flamenco clothes, while the males wear “traje de corto” (short jackets and wide-brimmed bolero hats). Every pilgrim’s goal is to touch the Virgin Mary, who is paraded through the village and around the massive sandy square for more than 12 hours.
Romeria de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza
The procession to the Sanctuary of the Virgin de la Cabeza is another well-known pilgrimage in Andalusia. This holy site is situated in a unique location atop Sierra Morena’s highest summit. Thousands of pilgrims visit the region on the third day of the fiestas, after congregating in Andjar the previous day.
The procession of the Virgin image takes place on the last day of the fiestas.
Pride Sitges
This major LGBT pride festival takes place in Sitges, Catalonia and is one of the most extravagant in Spain, with a big feast of local cuisine and, of course, a plethora of wild parties, night shows, and tribute acts. There is also a spectacular drag queen parade that goes through town. The parades are held on the last day. According to CNN and Lonely Planet, Gay Pride Sitges is one of the top five Pride events in the world.
San Juan – June 23
The Festival Noche de San Juan is one of Spain’s top June events, particularly if you enjoy beach parties. The festivities commence on June 23 around sunset. It is the eve of the celebration preceding Saint John the Baptist’s Feast Day and a few days following the summer solstice. This ancient pagan holiday is legendary because many believe that the pagan gods are closer to humans on this night.
San Fermin Pamplona – July 6 until 14
Arguably one of the most well-known festivals in Spain is the running of the bulls, or the San Fermin Pamplona, with people from all over the world visiting to watch. Throughout the celebration, bulls chase a group of locals and visitors through the city streets leading up to the Pamplona bull ring.
The festival takes place from July 6 through July 14. If you’re feeling courageous, you can run with the bulls, but if you’re not, you can always watch from the sidelines of the tiny streets. Aside from the daily bull runs, there is a complete schedule of activities during the event.
Virgin del Carmen – July 16
The Virgen del Carmen is also known as the ‘Estrella del Mar.’ (the star of the sea). She is especially important to Catholic seafarers who prayed for her protection and it is a day when the virgin blesses sailors and fishermen and remembers those who have died at sea.
Legend has it that the Virgin del Carmen is in charge of keeping the waters near the shore clean and safe. As a result, many will not swim until after July 16th!
Sanlucar de Barrameda horse races
Every year, the legendary horse races take over the beaches of Sanlucar de Barrameda in the province of Cadiz. The races are traditionally held in the second and fourth weeks of August, from Friday to Sunday.
Malaga Feria – August 12 until 19
The Malaga Fair is one of Spain’s largest, commemorating the city’s reconquest by the Catholic Monarchs in August 1487. Music, entertainment, dancing, horses, pyrotechnics, bullfights, and daily processions through the city centre are all part of this amazing celebration. By night, the feria takes centre stage in the Real del Cortijo de Torres and carries on until the early hours of the morning.
Assumption Day – August 15
This event is not limited to Spain and is celebrated all over the world, however, it is celebrated on August 15 as a national holiday in Spain. Several localities will celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with colourful processions and fireworks displays, as well as a huge feast.
Verbena de la Paloma – August 12 until 15
Celebrated in Madrid’s Barrio Latina between August 11 and 15, the Verbena de la Paloma is an excellent opportunity to witness people dressed in traditional Spanish flamenco costumes. The streets around Plaza de la Paja, Calle Toledo, Plaza de las Visitillas, and Virgen de la Paloma parish come alive with tapas routes, musical performances, and numerous activities like the Parade of the Virgin.
Mystery of Elche – August 11 until 15
The Misteri d’Elx is a musical drama that UNESCO has classified as Intangible Human Heritage of Humanity. This musical theatre with mediaeval origins is free to witness and is based on many Apocryphal Gospels texts. Aside from a psalm and a few lyrics in Latin, the material is written entirely in Valencian. The most notable features are found in the musical section and the melodies are from various eras that have been enhanced by various composers. This celebration is known as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Cascamorras in Guadix and Baza – September 6 until 9
Guadix and Baza are neighbouring towns in the province of Granada, Andalucia, and this celebration takes place between September 6 and 9. This unique event takes place between both cities and dates back to the Middle Ages when a worker from Guadix uncovered a statue of Our Lady of Mercy (Virgen de la Piedad) while working in Baza.
Catalunya Day – September 11
September 11 commemorates the fall of Barcelona in 1714 during the War of the Spanish Succession, and the subsequent loss of Catalan institutions and laws. On this day, there are processions and demonstrations in Catalonia’s towns and villages.
Rioja Wine Festival – September 21
The Rioja Wine Festival takes place over a few days around September 21 to commemorate the feast of San Mateo of Logroño. The Festival began in the 12th century and increased in popularity over time by bringing merchants from all around Spain.
On this day, hundreds of children carry grapes from local vineyards and pour them into wine barrels. They are then moved into enormous wooden tubs and pounded by barefoot men dressed in traditional attire. The first jug filled is offered to the Virgin de la Valvanera monument (the patron of La Rioja).
La Merce Festival Barcelona – September 22 until 25
The closing festivities begin in September, with La Merce festival being one of the most well-known. The celebration bids farewell to summer and welcomes autumn. It is a street event in Barcelona that takes place in September at the end of the summer season and features various live concerts, parades, and fireworks displays. It is also well-known for its human towers (Castellers). The festival, which dates back to 1871, is celebrated in honour of Mare de Deu de la Merce (patron saint of Barcelona).
National Day of Spain – October 12
This is Spain’s national holiday, which is observed on October 12 every year. During this ‘Dia de la Hispanidad,’ Spaniards remember the first time Christopher Columbus sailed from the Canary Islands and discovered the Americas in 1492. A military forces parade is held in Madrid, and it usually includes members of the Spanish royal family as well as a wide spectrum of foreign dignitaries.
Halloween – October 31
Halloween, All Saints Eve, or “Noche de Brujas” is celebrated on October 31 in Spain in much the same way that it is in the UK where people dress up as ghoulish personas and spend the evening partying. However, in this case, it is closely related to the next two days. November 1 is All Saints Day, and November 2 is the Day of the Dead.
All Saints Day – November 1
November 1 is All Saints Day in Spain and an important national holiday where people reflect on life and remember family members who have passed. Morning services are held at local cemeteries and churches, however, once the remembrance portion is completed, it is a day to celebrate the departed.
Dia de Muertos or Dia de Difuntos, or All Souls’ Day, is observed on November 2. However, other Spanish-speaking countries, such as Mexico, place more importance on this day than Spain. All Souls’ Day, unlike All Saints’ Day, is not an official holiday in Spain.
Dia de la Constitucion – December 6
This Spanish holiday is observed on December 6th and commemorates the Spanish people’s acceptance of the Spanish Constitution in 1978. It comes after the demise of dictator Franco in 1975, and hence the transition to democracy.
Dia de la Immaculada Concepcion – December 8
December 8 is the day of Immaculate Conception of Mary (La Inmaculada Concepción de la Virgen María). Often, the day between December 6 and 8 is taken as a holiday (Puente).
St Stephen´s Day – December 26
St Stephen’s Day, or Boxing Day in the UK, is traditionally observed as a family holiday in Spain on December 26. On this day, everyone gathers and enjoys the food and atmosphere.
Of course, there are many fiestas and celebrations that vary from region to region, so if you are heading over to Spain for a holiday or moving here permanently, be sure to check out the events and activities that are taking place!
Thank you for taking the time to read this article about ferias and fiestas in Spain. Do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories. Remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
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Originally from UK, Laura is based in Axarquia and is a writer for the Euro Weekly News covering news and features. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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