Traditional festivals folklore and fairs Spain

The fair, which takes place over three days at the beginning of September, celebrates the close relationship between Cuba and Begur in the 19th century. On this occasion, the streets and squares of the city centre host a market of overseas products, exhibitions and musical performances. The Caribbean rhythms of the habaneras, street performances and recompositions of the Indiana era are also on display. The whole event is completed by conferences and round tables analyzing this heritage. Program to be consulted on the site of the city.

This emblematic festival has been celebrated every year in Buñol, in the province of Valencia, since 1945. Every year it attracts thousands of participants from all over Europe to take part in its giant tomato battle. The principle: trucks loaded with tons of ripe tomatoes are stormed by participants, who have exactly 1 hour to throw their tomato stock at whoever they want... before the big clean-up with a water jet! For the youngest, a tomatina infantil is celebrated in the village square.

On October 20, the streets filled with young people who had come to celebrate this old tradition. During the Revetla de les Verges, the contenders courted the young girls by singing them the serenade. In return, they offered them muscatel and doughnuts. Today, this tradition has lost some of its romanticism (!), but it is a good excuse to celebrate and eat doughnuts.

During the winter cycle the feast of the old saints took place. On this occasion, the town hall buys a pig, the San Antón pig, which is fed by locals on the streets of Alamagro. He is then drawn by lot among the inhabitants of the city.

It is one of the most popular romerías in Tenerife and the Canary Islands. The festivities begin with the election of the queen. Several sports competitions are organized, including Canarian wrestling. The procession consists of decorated carts, boats, folk groups and cattle, which is blessed at the end of the procession. The end point of these festivities is marked by the "lazy man's burn". A mannequin made of straw and dressed in old clothes who represents a public figure is burned between shouts, criticism and insults.

They take place in different towns in Tenerife: Puerto de la Cruz, Santa Cruz, Los Realejos and Guía de Isora (Playa Alcala and Playa San Juan). During these fishermen's festivals, the statue of the Virgin, preceded by a dance of ribbons, marches in procession from her hermitage to the beach where boats decorated with colourful flags await her. The fishermen take the statue aboard one of the boats, accompanied by the dancers, the standard and the priest.

Catalonia's patron saint is celebrated throughout the region. Traditionally, it's also the festival of love and roses, like Valentine's Day in other parts of the world. Sant Jordi also coincides with the deaths of Cervantes and Shakespeare, making it both a festival of lovers and a festival of books. On this day, it's customary for a man to give his beloved a rose, while she reciprocates with a book. So you'll find book stalls in every town.

Since 1991, the town of Castelló d'Empúries has also returned to the Middle Ages, becoming the former capital of the County of Empúries for a weekend. During this festival of the troubadours, you will have the opportunity to attend a medieval tournament or supper held in the Palace of the Counts and to enjoy numerous street performances (musicians, jugglers, troubadours, jesters....). A large market, exhibitions and guided tours are also on the programme.

They take place on the occasion of the Feria de Pedro Romero, a bullfighter born in Ronda and inventor of contemporary bullfighting, and are the highlight of the event, the first of which took place in 1954, on the occasion of the bicentenary of the Real Maestranza de Ronda. On this occasion, the bullfighters wear traditional costumes similar to those worn in Goya's time, amply decorated with embroidery. The fair also includes a competition for carriages of old 19th century carriages.

On the occasion of this festival of the Cruzes, crosses, which would date from the 16th century, the whole city, streets, squares, patios, shop windows are covered with flower crosses. The most beautiful ones are rewarded and it is often the Albaicín and Realejo districts that win, notably the Plaza Larga and the Corrala de Santiago. In these districts, people dress in flamenco, sing, dance and share salaíllas (salted bread), beans, cod and many drinks. Very appreciated by young people, it is often shared on Instagram.