Festivals in Andalucía
Festivals
There is no better way to get to know Andalucia than through its myriad of fascinating traditional festivals. The local fiesta is the moment when every town and village strives to put on a splendid show, not only for themselves but also for those who come from afar to admire and enjoy. Over 3,000 fiestas are celebrated every year in Andalucia, including fairs, pilgrimages, carnivals, mock battles between Moors and Christians and religious processions. Each town and village has at least one patron saint and the processions in their name. In fact, there is scarcely a day in the year without its fiesta.
Below is our descriptive guide to the more popular festivals taking place each year. They are listed more or less in the order that they take place in the year. Alternatively consult a larger listing of the Festivals and Fiestas in Andalucia in a month by month format. Also consult our list of the summer ferias and this extensive guide to the main modern music and dance festivals.
Traditional Festivals in Andalucia
Theatre Festivals in Andalucia
Music and Dance contemporary Festivals
Festivals in Andalucia
Here is our long list of hundreds of pages of Festivals in Andalucia in the towns and villages of Andalucia.
Benalmadena is known for its full calendar of all-year-round festivities and cultural celebrations, from organized art and sporting events to traditional and religious processions - all of which… More →
Andalucia is filled with fascinating cultural events throughout the year. Whilst many of these festivals take place on the date indicated each year, others move slightly in relation to the day of… More →
In November the Andres Segovia International Classical Guitar Competition takes place in La Heredura's beautiful San José Church. This annual event attracts leading classical guitarists under 35… More →
In 2026, Dreambeach will celebrate its 12th edition at a new location - Velez-Malaga. It has been renamed Dreambeach Costa del Sol and shortened from three to two music days.
Sanlúcar is also noted for its horse racing which dates back to 1845 and takes place along a 2,000 stretch of beach at the mouth of the Río Guadalquivir during the month of August, daily from 6.00… More →
Every year on July 16th Virgin del Carmen Day is celebrated in Nerja in honour of the town’s maritime tradition. Whereas some towns hold a draw to choose the boat that will carry the image of… More →
Like many large cities, Málaga has absorbed what once were nearby villages. Therefore, some of Málaga’s seaside neighbourhoods continue to carry on the customs handed down to them by the fishermen… More →
Every year, Estepona celebrates its long fishing tradition with its own Virgen del Carmen festival on July 16. The event comprises several days of magnificent Catholic display and civic… More →
The El Rocío pilgrimage is the most famous in the region, attracting nearly a million people from across Andalucia and the entire country, and beyond. Every Andalucian city, town and village has… More →
Ronda is an ancient mountain town of scenic vistas, romantic plazas, and historic treasures. Once a year, the town also sees a return to tradition with its annual Feria Goyesca. A fairly recent… More →
In Andalucia, there's a party every day - whether it's to celebrate a harvest (mostly in the autumn - grapes, olives, chestnuts, mushrooms) - a saint's day, or the town's own annual feria, when… More →
In most wine-growing districts of Andalucia and Spain, the vintage or grape harves begins on the feast of St Matthew (21st September). In Jerez it starts officially on 8th September, the feast of… More →
Andalucia is famous for its pilgrimages or "romerías" - so called because pilgrims traditionally walked to Rome, and therefore became known as "romeros" - to popular shrines, around which fiestas… More →
Each town has one or two patron saints. There will be a local bank holiday and celebrations on the day of the patron saint of the town according to the catholic calendar. Check for dates in the… More →
Theatre Festivals. Sevilla, Málaga, Cadiz, Jerez and other cities offer theatre and opera festivals and programmes.
This festival is more popular in the east of Andalucia in the mainly provinces of Granada and Almeria, It takes place on different many days through out the year depending on the locality.
The May Crosses Festival (Cruces de Mayo) is celebrated in many parts of the world, especially in Latin America and Spain. And in Spain, the festival holds special importance in many parts of… More →
The Jerez Horse Fair, known as the Feria del Caballo, is traditionally held during the first or second week in May. It is an exciting and lively event that brings the entire city to the González… More →
Festivals in Almeria: La Virgen del Mar, La Virgen del Carmen, Cabalgata de Reyes Magos, Romería a Torregarcía, Carnaval, Día de Andalucía, Semana Santa, Cruces de Mayo, Noche de San Juan, Virgen… More →
Spain is known world-wide as a country of many fiestas - festivals of religious fervour like Semana Santa (Easter Holy Week) and festivals of a more secular nature like winter carnivals. You can… More →
Fiesta de Interés Turístico Internacional (Festival of International Tourism interest) is a honorary title awarded to about 56 festivals in Spain by the Secretario General de Turismo del… More →
Corpus Christi feast is the Catholic solemnity in honour of the presence of the body of Christ in the holy water. It is celebrated throughout Spain and is held in either May or June depending on… More →
Christmas brings great cheer across Spain as families prepare to spend the Season together over one elaborate meal after another. Every year Andalucia.com brings you a special look at Christmas… More →
The Festival de la Cereza usually thakes place on the third Saturday in June. It is a well-organised event with several stalls set up in the town’s “polideportivo” sports centre where you can buy… More →
Spain is a country with a well known Catholic tradition. The carnival is, therefore, celebrated before the 40 days of Lent as a way to let loose before the prohibitions of the upcoming religious… More →
There is no better way to get to know Andalucia than through its myriad of fascinating traditional festivals. The local fiesta is the moment when every town and village strives to put on a… More →
Spring in Seville has a special atmosphere, garlanded with the sweet scent of orange blossom and jasmine, and a frisson of excited anticipation, as the city's two most important events take place… More →
A guide to Whats on in Andalucia. Actually there is no fully comprehensive guide to every event, concert, exhibition held in Andalucia. There are so many events it is not posible to keep it up to… More →
Festivals in Gaucín: Carnival, Semana Santa, Toro de Cuerda, la Noche de San Juan, Feria and Romeria.
Festivals in Nijar: Cabalgata Reyes Magos, Los Chisperos, Día de San Sebastián, Carnavales, Fiesta de San José, Semana Santa, Romería de San Isidro, San Juan and Feria de Otoño.
Festivals in Orce: San Antón & San Sebastián, Lardero Fiesta, Día de la Cruz, Virgen de los Dolores and Los Inocentes.
Like many of the white villages of Andalucía, Guaro dates back to the Arabic occupation of Spain. The small community of some 2,500 people keeps its Moorish history very much alive with the annual… More →
The first is Semana Santa (Easter Week) which is truly spectacular with extraordinary processions of masked penitents and carnival-style floats. People travel from across the country and around… More →
Here is a guide to the traditional festival that take place in Malaga city each year. We also link to a monthly What's On! guide for Malaga city.
For more than half a century this amazing festival of international music and dance has brought some of the world’s best musicians and dance performers to Granada bringing the city’s top venues to… More →
May is a month of endless festivities in Cordoba, with a feast for the senses on offer, as flowers fill patios and balconies, and adorn crosses throughout the city, music is played, food and drink… More →
The Patio contests is sponsored by the Córdoba City Hall and began in 1918. But to really understand why a contest of this type was created in Córdoba you must know something about the local… More →
These are the main annual festivals celebrated in Antequera: Semana Santa, Señor de la Salud y de las Aguas, Spring Fair, Royal Fair of August and Nuestra Señora de los Remedios.
For as long as can be remembered, the beginning of February has been reserved for a special bonfire night, when villagers, neighbours and visitors are invited to taste all sorts of local food and… More →
The 18 th to 20 th January sees the celebration of San Sebastian Day. It is popularly called ' El Robo del sant ' (the stealing of the Saint), during Semana Santa (Easter Holy Week), the villagers… More →
More information
Hopefully this overall guide has been a help in planning your trip or in understanding the many varied festivals of the the region. For more dates try our events home page or look up an individual town in our destinations section.