Possibly you thought the Christmas season was over on New Year’s Eve, but in Spain this is just the mid-point of all the celebrating. In this country, the tradition is to have a rather late dinner with your family – just one more rich, elaborate dinner, of course, complete with all the pastries, dried fruits and nuts and mountains of turrón that finish every meal at this time of year.
On 11th November, is the occasion for the slaughtering of pigs, in preparation for the winter-time drying of hams and sausages, at a fiesta called la matanza - literally, the killing - in all the towns and villages of the mountain areas of Andalucia.
There is quite a debate across Spain regarding whether Santa Claus is displacing the traditional Three Kings at Christmastime in Spain. The truth is that Santa Claus is becoming more and more common, but even families that sign up with “Papa Noel” usually keep their accounts open with the Kings.
The summer feria in San Pedro de Alcantara, Marbella 2022 took place from 17th to 23rd October 202, it is traditionally held on the third week of October from a Monday or Tuesday to a Sunday to coincide with the Saint’s feast day which is 19th October
The most important traditional festivals celebrated in Fuensanta de Martos are:
Cascamorras festival in the towns of Guadix and Baza has been declared Festival of International Tourism interest due to its intriguing history. Although the festival is relatively little-known outside Granada province, by latest estimates up to 20,000 people take part, running through the streets and covering each other in black olive oil in Baza and coloured paste in Guadix.
The May Crosses Festival (Cruces de Mayo) is celebrated in many parts of the world, especially in Latin America and Spain. In Cordoba festival holds special importance and is the best known of the festival locations in Andalucia.
One of Andalucia’s most picturesque “romerías” traditionally took place every year in Ronda on a Sunday late in May or early in June. However in late 2016 it was decided to change the date to the first Sunday in May. This is the Virgen de la Cabeza pilgrimage and it fills Ronda with bright colours and festive music with a procession that brings the “Virgin of the Head” statue from the la Merced Church, across the famous “Puente Nuevo” with its dizzying views and out of town to the hermitage.
The Cordoba Spring Fair, or Feria de Nuestra Señora de la Salud (Our Lady of the Health), takes place during the last week of May. Its venue is the municipal fairground on the north bank of the River Guadalquivir, a few kilometres to the south-east of the city. The recinto is called El Real de Arenal, which means the sandy area. This Feria dates from 1284, as a livestock market on Pentecost Sunday.
On the 15th May Estepona celebrates the day of its patron saint, San Isidro Labrador (the Farmer), with a procession starting at San José church in the old town and making its way around the centre before returning back to the church.
As you can imagine, after the harvest there’s a celebration. The villages of Igualeja and Cartajima celebrate their Tostón on 1st November with roasted chestnuts and anis. However, the place to celebrate the chestnut in style is Pujerra. Pujerra holds its festival from 1st to the 3rd of November dedicated to the Virgin Fatima, the village’s saint.
