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Spanish Fiestas
The Spanish are well known for the many
fiestas they celebrate each year, some are unique to
individual towns and others celebrated nationwide. The
diary below lists these popular fiestas.
January
"Los Reyes" / "The 3 Kings" / Reyes Magos / Epiphany
This fiesta is celebrated all over Spain on January 6th.
Parades and floats can be seen in the town centres and gifts are
exchanged to celebrate Christmas.
March
Fallas de Jose
This fiesta has been traditionally celebrated since the
Middle Ages in Valencia, however, it is now a more enjoyable
entertainment. The fiesta includes a night time parade, a procession of
all the towns in Valencia and the 'Nit del Foc' known as the 'Night of
the Fire' takes place, where unusual cardboard figures are cut out and
burned.
Semana Santa / Easter Holy Week
This is one of the most important festival-weeks in Spain and parades
and concerts are held throughout the whole of the country.
April
Feria De Abril / April Fair
After the Easter Holy Week this festival is held, when a
huge feast of entertainment happens. There are a cavalcade of riders,
flamenco dancers etc.
Fiesta de Moros y Cristianos / Moors and Christians
This fiesta is very important religiously in Spain and is celebrated
between the beginning of December and the end of January. The "Moors
and Christians" celebrations take place in different parts of the
country. Alicante is host to most of these festivals which end with
explosions of fireworks. This fiesta started to be celebrated in the
17th century and always ending with the
Christians beating the Moors.
June
Hogueras de San Juan
This ancient ritual of light is celebrated on the shortest night of the
year in Alicante, These rituals include celebrating the sun, fire and
water, and throughout the streets of San Juan, there are lots of
decorated branches and leaves placed, in particular, on the balconies of
young girls who are in love.
July
Dia de Santiago
The 25th of July is to celebrate the patron Saint of Spain. This is a
national holiday and is enjoyed with parades and firework displays.
August
La Tomatina / Tomato Fight Festival
The Tomato Fight is well known, as it's a 'wacky'
festival. 30,000 people go to the Spanish town of Bunol in Valencia, to
take part in the throwing of more than 240,000 pounds of tomatoes, in a
food fight.
September
Fiestas Patronales de la Virgen de Gracia
In Albacete, the virgin of Gracia is honoured with flower offerings
during firework displays, music playing and parades.
Come on, live the dream.
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