When it comes to festivals, Spain plays in a league of its own. We're talking about some wonderfully wacky traditions, many of which have been celebrated for centuries. These unique festivals in Spain are deeply rooted in proud regional culture, and honestly, you won’t find anything quite like them anywhere else. They're the perfect showcase of just how varied this country is and prove just how much the Spanish love to celebrate their unique heritage and have a brilliant time.
- Weird and wonderful festivals found only in Spain
- San Fermín: the running of the bulls in Pamplona
- Human tower building competition in Tarragona
- La Tomatina: the messy tomato fight in Valencia
- El Colacho: baby-jumping festival in Burgos
- Las Fallas in Valencia: a fiery and satirical Spanish tradition
- Los Enharinados: the flour fight festival in Alicante
- Haro wine fight: booze battle in La Rioja
- Tamborrada Drum Festival in San Sebastián
- Traditional religious festivals in Spain
- Modern celebrations and music festivals
Weird and wonderful festivals found only in Spain
Get stuck in and explore Spain's unique festivals for a real taste of the country's colourful and diverse culture.
San Fermín: the running of the bulls in Pamplona
One of Spain's most famous and intense festivals is San Fermín in Pamplona, known worldwide for its controversial bull running. Each morning, a handful of brave (or foolish) souls run for their lives ahead of six fighting bulls through the narrow streets of the old town.
The daily bull run, or encierro, is just one part of a week-long party that takes place for a whole week in July, honouring the patron saint of Navarre. While the run itself is the main event, the city is filled with parades, music and general revelry 24/7. However, it is important to remember that the festival is a subject of much debate due to the significant risks to participants and concerns for animal welfare.
Human tower building competition in Tarragona
Witness one of the country's most awe-inspiring traditions: the building of human towers, or castells. The main event is the Concurs de Castells, a competition held in the city of Tarragona, where teams (colles) from across the region compete to create the tallest and most complex human structures imaginable.
This incredible display of teamwork, balance, and courage is a cornerstone of Catalan culture and has been recognised by UNESCO. The main competition happens every two years in early October, where you can see towers reaching up to ten stories high, completed only when a small child, the enxaneta, scrambles to the very top and raises their hand.
La Tomatina: the messy tomato fight in Valencia
In the small town of Buñol, near Valencia, you'll find what must be the world's biggest food fight. La Tomatina is a gloriously messy affair where thousands of people gather in the town square for one purpose: to pelt each other with overripe tomatoes. For one hour, the streets run red with pulp in a chaotic but good-natured battle.
This bizarre tradition happens on the last Wednesday of August and started from a spontaneous scrap between locals in 1945. It has since become a ticketed event to manage the crowds, but the rules are simple: squash your tomatoes before throwing them and stop as soon as the final horn sounds.
El Colacho: baby-jumping festival in Burgos
Of all the unusual festivals in Spain, this one might just take the prize. In the village of Castrillo de Murcia, near Burgos, you can witness El Colacho, a tradition where men dressed as the devil leap over rows of babies lying on mattresses in the street. It’s a strange sight, but one that is taken very seriously by the local community.
Dating back to the 1620s, this unique custom is meant to cleanse the infants of original sin and protect them from illness and evil spirits. The festival takes place annually on the feast day of Corpus Christi and is a fascinating example of how folk traditions blend with religious beliefs in rural Spain.
Las Fallas in Valencia: a fiery and satirical Spanish tradition
Each March, the city of Valencia transforms into an open-air art gallery for Las Fallas. Enormous and intricate papier-mâché sculptures, known as fallas, are erected on almost every street corner. These towering figures are often satirical, poking fun at political events and celebrities from the past year, and are the result of a full year's work by local artists.
The festival runs for the whole month of March and culminates in La Cremà (the burning), when all the sculptures are set ablaze in massive bonfires. The week also involves explosive firework displays, known as mascletàs, and elegant parades, making it a feast for the senses.
Los Enharinados: the flour fight festival in Alicante
In the town of Ibi, Alicante, residents celebrate the Day of the Holy Innocents with a brilliantly absurd mock coup d'état. The festival of Els Enfarinats (the floured ones) sees a group of married men stage a takeover of the town, enforcing nonsensical laws and engaging in a chaotic battle with flour, eggs, and firecrackers against an opposition group trying to restore order.
This 200-year-old tradition takes place on December 28th and is a riot of noise and mess. Any 'fines' collected by the Enfarinats throughout the day are donated to local charities, adding a dose of goodwill to the mayhem.
Haro wine fight: booze battle in La Rioja
In the heart of Spain's most famous wine region, La Rioja, the town of Haro hosts a festival where the drink isn't just for tasting. The Batalla del Vino (Wine Battle) is exactly what it sounds like: a massive fight where thousands of participants drench each other in red wine. Armed with buckets, water pistols, and wineskins, revellers clad in white turn the hills purple.
This messy celebration takes place on the morning of June 29th, the feast day of San Pedro. It all started from an old land dispute with a neighbouring town and has since evolved into a full-blown party. After the 'battle' is over, everyone heads back to town for more traditional celebrations with food and, of course, more wine.
Tamborrada Drum Festival in San Sebastián
On January 20th, the city of San Sebastián in the Basque Country erupts in a 24-hour, non-stop drumming marathon. The Tamborrada sees thousands of locals, dressed as either Napoleonic-era soldiers or cooks, march in companies through the city, beating drums and barrels with relentless enthusiasm.
The festival begins at the stroke of midnight in the main square and doesn't stop until the same time the next day. It's held in honour of the city's patron saint, and the different drumming groups represent the famous gastronomic societies of San Sebastián, adding a unique culinary twist to this incredibly loud and fun tradition.
Traditional religious festivals in Spain
Beyond the famously weird and wonderful, Spain's cultural calendar is built on a foundation of deeply-rooted religious festivals. These events are a huge part of the national identity, celebrated with a seriousness and passion that can be incredibly moving to witness.
The Three Kings' Day Parades
While many parts of the world focus on Father Christmas, in Spain, the main Christmas tradition is the arrival of the Three Wise Men. On the evening of January 5th, every city and town holds a Cabalgata de Reyes Magos, a massive parade where the three kings ride on elaborate floats and throw handfuls of sweets to the crowds of children below.
It’s a truly magical night that marks the end of the Christmas season. The following morning, on January 6th, is when children wake up to find the presents that the kings have left for them.
Semana Santa (Holy Week)
Semana Santa is arguably the most important religious event in Spain, marking the week leading up to Easter with incredible displays of public devotion. The main features are the solemn processions (procesiones) that fill the streets, where large, ornate floats (pasos) depicting religious scenes are carried by robed penitents (nazarenos).
The atmosphere during Holy Week is powerful and sombre, especially in Andalusia, with the celebrations in Seville and Málaga being particularly famous. The processions are often accompanied by mournful music and the scent of incense, creating an experience that is far removed from chocolate eggs and Easter bunnies.
La Danza de la Muerte: the Dance of the Dead in Verges
In the small medieval town of Verges in Catalonia, Holy Thursday takes a turn for the macabre. As part of the Easter processions, the town performs La Danza de la Muerte, or the Danza Macabre. This unique custom sees locals dressed in skeleton costumes parading through the narrow streets and performing a chilling dance to the beat of a drum.
This tradition has its roots in the medieval period and served as a stark reminder of mortality during times of plague. The dance takes place at night and is lit only by torches, giving the whole affair a genuinely spooky and theatrical atmosphere.
Modern celebrations and music festivals
It's not all ancient history, though. Spain has firmly established itself as a top European destination for summer music festivals, drawing huge international crowds and the biggest names in music. The festival scene is a massive part of the Spanish summer, with world-renowned events like Primavera Sound in Barcelona, Bilbao BBK Live, and Mad Cool in Madrid leading the charge.
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