| January |
| 1st |
National |
New Year's Day |
| 2nd |
Granada |
Reconquest Festival - celebrating the Christian conquest of the Moors in 1492 |
| 6th |
National |
Epiphany - Three Kings Day - children receive Christmas presents and candy. |
| 17th |
Mallorca and mainland |
San Anton - patron saint of domestic animals. Bonfires are lit and demon figures are used. Also celebrated in much of the mainland with bonfires and mounted processions. In Ciudad Real bread rolls are blessed and cockerels auctioned off. |
| 17th |
Alicante |
Porrat de San Anton. A traditional market selling local producs. An animal show and the blessing of the animals in the bullring. Held in the quarter of the city named after the saint. |
| 17th |
La Puebla, Majorca |
St. Anthony - bonfires, dancing and riotous events |
| 29th |
Zaragoza, Aragon |
St.Valerus |
| 20th |
National |
San Sebastian (Saint Stephen) |
| February |
| 28th |
Andalucia |
Dia de Andalucia |
| 2nd-5th |
Bocairente, Valencia |
Reenactment of struggle between Christians and Moors - parades and fireworks, colourful costumes |
| 11th-Mar21st |
Cadiz |
Festival de Cadiz - Oldest festival in Spain - parades and colourful costumes |
| Various |
Madrid |
Madrid Carnival - masked ball, fancy dress and the burrial of a sardine followed by a concert in Plaza Mayor |
| 1st-2nd |
Antequera |
Candelaria (night) |
| March |
| 31st |
Pais Vasco (Basque Country) |
Dia de Patria Vasco |
| 3rd |
Islas Baleares |
Dia de Baleares |
| 12th-19th |
Valencia |
Fallas de Valencia - fiesta centering around the burning of effigies of winter demons - bullfights and fireworks |
| 12th |
Gibraltar (UK) |
Commonwealth Day |
| April |
| 9th-16th |
National |
Semana Santa (Easter week) |
| 14th |
National |
Good Friday ***These Easter dates vary from year to year |
| 17th |
National |
Easter Monday |
| 27th |
Barcelona |
Virgin of Montserrat |
| 23rd |
Catalonia |
St.George, patron saint of Catalonia |
| 25th |
Saucejo, Seville |
St.Barbara, patroness of miners |
| 25th |
Aragon |
San Jorge |
| 20th-25th |
Seville |
Feria de Sevilla - all night Flamenco dancing, bullfights, dancing in the streets and horse riding - the most celebrated event in Spain |
| Various |
Alcoy near Alicante |
Moros y Christians - battle re-enactment with circus-like atmosphere |
| 26th-29th |
Andujar (Jaen) |
Romeria - the oldest festival in Spain and of National interest |
| Thursday following Easter week |
Alicante |
Pilgrimage of the Holy Visage. A very important and popular event when 200,000 people holding pilgrimage canes walk to the Monastery of Santa Faz to worship at the shrine. They have picnic lunches and a large arts and crafts market is held. |
| May |
| 11th |
Barcelona |
Day of Sant Ponc, patron saint of herbalists |
| 1st |
National |
Labour Day |
| 2nd |
Madrid |
Dia de Comunidad de Madrid |
| 31st |
Castilla-La-Mancha |
Dia de Comunidad de Castilla-La-Mancha |
| 30th |
Canarias |
Dia de Canarias |
| First 2 weeks |
Cordoba |
Festival de los Patios - residents decorate their patios with cascades of flowers and visitors wander from patio to patio |
| 12th-21st |
Madrid |
Fiesta de San Isidro - 10 day celebration of the patron saint - parties, parades, bullfights and dances |
| 9th-16th |
Jerez de la frontera |
Horse Fair - greatest horses in the world on parade |
| 15th |
Estepona, Malaga |
San Isidro's Day |
| 2nd Sunday |
Antequera |
Romeria day |
| 1st-3rd |
Alicante |
May Crosses (Cruces de Mayo). The Santa Cruz quarter dresses with sweet smelling crosses made from flowers. The finest win awards and dances and games are organised |
| June |
| 24th |
National |
Saint John (San Juan) |
| 23rd |
Catalonia |
Dia de Sant Joan |
| |
Carrion de los Cespedes, Seville |
Corpus Christi fiesta |
| 9th |
La Rioja |
Dia de La Rioja |
| 9th |
Murcia |
Dia de la Region |
| All |
Madrid |
Veranos de la Villa - dancing, music and concerts, often free of charge - all summer long |
| 6th |
National |
Corpus Christi - big parades especially in Toledo, Malaga, Granada and Seville |
| 20th |
Alicante |
St.John's Bonfires - bonfires through the night signal 5 days of festivities - business in Alicante comes to a standstill |
| 24th |
National |
San Juan - Celebrated with bonfires on the beach, lasting all night through the night of the 23rd. At midnight everyone rushes into the sea to symbloise the baptisms by John the Baptist. The theory is that you wash your feet in the sea to cleanse your sins. There is also the tradition of jumping the bonfire, to burn away your sins (or something like that). |
| July |
| 29th |
Los Morales, Seville |
St.Marta, local patron saint |
| 28th |
Cantabria |
Dia de Cantabria |
| First weekend |
San Lorenzo, Galicia |
A Rapa das Bestas - capture and branding of wild horses from the hills attracts equestrian lovers from all over Europe |
| Early July |
Pamplona |
Running of the bulls - most popular event in Spain where bulls are released into the streets - also features other events - known as Fiesta de San Fermin |
| 22nd-25th |
Antequera, Malaga |
Feria de Santiago |
| |
Benidorm |
Song Festival |
| 13th-22nd |
La Linea |
Annual feria week based on Virgen del Carmen. Town's anniversary on the 20th |
| 16th |
Sotogrande |
Virgen del Carmen: Annual feast of the fishermen when the waters are blessed and the Virgen is carried to sea in a procession. See more about it here |
| 14th |
Sotogrande |
Polo season begins (approx.) |
| 3rd-8th |
Estepona |
Annual feria with large fun fair. See more about it here |
| 13th |
Fuengirola |
Annual feria at the Sohail Castle |
| 16th |
Alicante |
Virgen del Carmen: Annual celebration when the fishing port comes alive to mark their patron saint. Events spread to the Island of Tabarca |
| August |
| 15th |
National |
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Middle |
Malaga, Andalucia |
Feria de Malaga - 10 day long fair - fireworks, horses and gallons of wine |
| Last Wednesday |
Bunol, Valencia |
La Tomatina (Battle of the Tomatoes). Tons of fruit thrown between warring towns and villages - followed by music and dancing |
| 18-25th |
Antequera, Andalucia |
Fiesta de la Recoleccion - bullfights, shows, parties and cattle market |
| 11-15th |
Benahavis, Andalucia |
Virgen del Rosario - Sevillian mass and procession |
| 4th-5th |
Benalauria |
Moors and Christians - Bonfires are lit and a castle is built |
| All |
Ojen, Andalucia |
Festival of Flamenco singing |
| July & August |
Antequera, Andalucia |
Flamenco |
| 16th |
Calatayud, Aragon |
San Roque |
| 27th |
Tarazona |
San Atilano |
| 10th-12th |
Colmenar, Andalucia |
Annual Feria |
| September |
| 17th |
Melilla |
Dia de Malilla |
| 2nd |
Ceuta |
Dia de Ceuta |
| 11th |
Catalonia |
Dia Nacional de Cataluna - flagwaving and demonstrations celebrating the region's independence |
| 3rd |
Navarra |
Dia de Navarra |
| 8th |
Asturias |
Dia de Asturias |
| 8th |
Extremadura |
Dia de Extremadura |
| 24th |
Barcelona |
Festival Setmana Cran - patron saint's day - evening mass followed by a procession to the cathedral then finishing at the harbour |
| 8th |
Antequera |
Feria de la Patrona Ntra.Sra. de las Virtudes |
| 5th-8th |
Alicante |
Virgen del Socorro. The Ravel quarter organises a feast in honour of its patron saint. The fiesta includes cooking competitions, a procession, games and dances |
| 15th-17th |
Velez-Malaga |
Annual feria |
| October |
| 9th |
Valencia |
Dia de Comunidad Valenciana |
| 12th |
Zaragoza |
Day of El Pilar, procession of giant figures |
| |
Zaragoza |
Samples fair |
| November |
| 1st |
National |
All Saints Day - relatives lay flowers on graves of the dead |
| December |
| 25th |
National |
Christmas Day |
| 26th |
National |
Saint Stephen |
| 6th |
National |
Constitution Day |
| 8th |
National |
Immaculate Conception |
| 28th |
National |
Dia de los Santos Inocentes - similar to Fools Day which is just an excuse to do silly things |
