Famous Spanish Fiestas and Traditions

Spain is well known for many things; history, ancient monuments, beaches and certainly its fiestas and folklore. With the numerous provinces, there is a myriad of fiestas and folklore from each location.

Fiestas across Spain

There are many fiestas that are celebrated in Spain from January to December. New Year in Spain can commence in Barcelona with a Carnival party and masked partygoers who attempt to eat twelve grapes at the last twelve seconds of the ending year for good luck.January 5th sees the Three Magi procession fiesta in Barcelona where 3 representatives act like Santa Claus bringing presents to children.

Sanfermines fiesta

One of the most popular Spanish folkloristic traditions is the bullfights. The Sanfermines Fiesta in Pamplona is an exciting event that is watched by the whole world. Bullfights and bull runs are very popular as a fiesta in Spain.

Flamenco fiesta

Flamenco is another popular Spanish tradition that is widely accepted and appreciated although its exact origins are unclear. This musical tradition is vibrant in the south especially in Andalusia. There are songs, dancing, music and guitar playing.

Seville fiesta

April is an active month of fiestas in Seville; there is a full week of celebration with singing and dancing as the locals celebrate the Semana Santa fiesta with beautifully decorated processions. The solemn processions at the start of the festival would turn festive at the end with singing, dancing and wine tasting. Tapas are plentiful to go with the sherry.

El Rocio fiesta

One of the famous religious festivals celebrated here is El Rocio pilgrimage festival. This is a traditional pilgrimage that happens in May to reach El Rocio village in Huelva. But this is not a solemn pilgrimage; Flamenco and wine are part and parcel of this fiesta. Pilgrims come in the thousands to follow the rituals of this pilgrimage tour every year.

San Jose fiesta

Valencia enjoys an outstanding Las Fallas in San Jose during March. The city becomes vibrant and alive with a lot of partying where food and wine are in abundance. There are also a lot of fireworks at night to color the night sky.

Tomato fight fiesta

Next the little town of Buñol in Valencia hosts the annual La Tomatina fiesta which is the largest tomato fight in the world. This is a Spanish tradition for more than 5 decades where participants throw ripe tomatoes at one another. Thousands of people worldwide witness this event every year.