The festival of San Fermin is by far the best known event taking place in Pamplona. TV-spectators in all the world are surprised, impressed or shocked each year when they watch the spectacle of bulls running through the streets of the town and hundreds of young men, usually dressed in traditional white shirts and red belts, ahead of them. Taking this challenge frequently ends in blood and tears. Hemingway was deeply impressed by Pamplona's Sanfermines, as by the tradition of bullfighting in general, and reports on it in several of his books. The way through the town leads to the bullring, where in the evening of the same day are celebrated some of the most important bullfights of all the season, with the very best toreros.
The spectacle as described above takes place on the first day of the festival, on July, 7^th. During the following week all Pamplona is the scenery of an enormous party, with dancing and singing and drinking - it is certainly the most exciting week of all the year.

Although the Sanfermines of Pamplona are the best known event of that kind, there are similar festivals in several of the villages around: in Tudela from July, 24^th to 28^th, in Estella from the first Saturday in August, in Tafalla from August, 15^th to 20^th, and in Sanguesa from September, 11^th to 17^th.

Another very interesting tradition in the province is the "Ceremonia del Tributo de las tres Vacas", in Roncal valley, on July, 13^th. A contract from 1375 obligates the inhabitants of the french Baretous valley to pay an annual tribute in form of three cows to the people of Piedra San Martín. The ceremony is executed by the town-mayors, in medieval gowns.

On May, 25^th takes place a festival of traditional regional dances, called Baile de la Era, in Estella.

On June, 24^th, pilgrims of all the region come together in a cave close to the Hermitage of San Juan de Xar, in Yanci, to wash themselves in the water of its three springs. Illnesses are said to be cured by that in a miraculous way.

Sevilla: Semana Santa and Feria de Abril

If you would like to discover the popular customs of this region, you should visit Seville in springtime, when within only two weeks take place the two most important festivities of this city: Semana Santa, Easter Week, with its world-famous processions, and Feria de Sevilla, the Flamenco-event in the land.

The traditions of Semana Santa go back to 16^th century, when the Catholic Church decided to present the Passion of Christ to the population in an easily understandable way: they had made huge wooden figures of Saints by the greatest artists of that time and those figures were carried with the processions. The realism of this representation impressed people deeply indeed., and still today the Sevillanos are cheering the Holy Virgin of their parish church in a way that is often hard to understand for spectators.
Ahead of the procession comes a group of so-called Nazarenos, in long gowns with hoods, behind them Penitents, with crosses on their shoulders, then the figures of the Saints carried by Costaleros, each of whom has to carry a weight of up to 100 kg. All those men are members of a Cofradia, a brotherhood dedicating to organize one of those processions. There are 52 Cofradias in Seville.
Those processions are deeply impressing for the spectator, and thousands of tourists come to Seville each year in Easter week.

All but different is Feria de Abril, taking place two weeks later. Originally it was just a cattle-market, but through the years it turned out to be one of the greatest popular festivities in Spain. You will have the opportunity to see the typical flamenco dresses, which almost all women, never mind their age, wear. Innumerable casetas, provisional houses, are built on the terrain and decorated with colorful lamps. In the morning arrive the landowners on horses or in horse-coaches. In the afternoon starts a great party of Flamenco  and sherry-wine in each Caseta that will take all the night long . That is repeated day by day during an entire week.
During this same week take place as well the most important bullfights in town.

In the following weeks there are similar but of course much smaller Ferias in many of the villages and towns around.

Another certainly attractive event for visitors is the Day of Inmaculada. In the night from 7^th to 8^th of December come together all the Tunas (student's fraternities in traditional medieval dresses) of the city - and many of all the country - at the statue of the Virgin Inmaculada, between cathedral and Alcazar, to perform their traditional songs.
The next morning takes place the Danza de los Seises in the cathedral, a dance performance of children as well in traditional dresses.

At the evening of January, 5^th there is the colorful Procession of the three Magi, who pass on horse-coaches and give small presents and sweets to the children.

Zaragoza: El Pilar

Zaragoza's most famous festival is Fiestas del Pilar in October, a celebration in the honour of the town's patroness "Virgen del Pilar". This festival showcases the folkloristic customs of the region Aragón, and is very attractive for the visitor.

"Fiestas de Primavera" in May celebrate the beginning of springtime. Directly after this festival takes place a nationally important exposition of paintings and sculptures.

Among the most attractive folkloristical events in the province are: Corpus Christi in Daroca, La Vendimia (Thanksgiving) in Cariñena, Festival de la Fruta in Calatayud and Festival de la Aceituna in Caspe.

But perhaps most impressive are the Batallas de Moros y Cristianos, the "Fights between Christians and Moors": those are theaters that have as a subject the reconquest of Spain and feature popular dances and poetry. Such performances take place in Zaragoza, Cetina, Ateca, Longares, Ambel and Tauste.

Madrid: San Isidro

La Villa, the "village", is how the inhabitants of Madrid call their city, and in many quarters there are still alive traditions of a time before all those villages have melted together into Spain's capital.

The celebrations of New Year, anyhow, are spectacular. Thousands of people flock together at Puerta del Sol. In the rhythm of the beats of the big clock at midnight, everybody tries to eat twelve grapes. That shall bring good luck for the coming year, and all the Spaniards who are not there, watch the event on TV. After midnight, all the city becomes the scenery of a great party.
On 5^th of January takes place, as in many Spanish towns, the procession of the three Magi.
On May 15^th there is the Fiesta de San Isidro to the honour of Madrid's patron, one of the most spectacular events in all the year with numerous concerts and other kinds of public performances, and the the best bullfights of all the season.
During July and August the town-hall organizes a series of cultural events for what they call Veranos de la Villa, "Summer in the Village".
The festival Verbena de la Paloma, from 6^th to 15^th of August, shows best the popular traditions of Madrid, with regional costumes and dances, the so-called Chotis.
During September the concert-houses and theaters have their best performances, while in November you may visit Madrid's International Jazz-Festival. At the same time there are also the traditional Fiestas de la Almudena.
In December there is an exposition of Christmas cribs at Plaza Mayor.

Suggest: Spain fest, Spain fests, El Pilar Zaragoza, Las Fallas Valencia, San Isidro Madrid, San Fermines Pamplona, El Rocío Sevilla, Feria de Abril Sevilla, Carnaval Cádiz Tenerife,  ...