Summer is fast approaching and the Costa del Sol is gearing up for another fabulous season! 2018 has been a great year so far, from the property market turn around to the continuing record breaking tourism in Andalucia. This summer season, the province of Malaga is expecting even more tourists to descend on our shores.
In honour of summer 2018, we’ve chosen a few of the exciting events set to take place, including fiestas and festivals, but not only on the Costa del Sol. We’ve put together a great list of some of the best festivals taking place across the entire country. Spain is famous for its ferias and festivals, and of course, the number of national holidays.
You will see that every village no matter how big or small, hosts their own unique celebration.
The Wine Battle of Haro
Takes place in the Rioja region
When: June 29th, 2018
In the main square of Haro, La Rioja, more than 10,000 people gather for one of the coolest events of the town – the wine battle!
Your uniform for the battle consist of typical La Rioja clothes; white shirt and trousers with a red bandana tied around your neck. As you and thousands assemble, you must wait for the rocket to sound off, singling the start of the battle. This is when the fun begins and your uniform changes colour.
As you can well imagine, wine is thrown everywhere and the entire town is coloured red. There are 40,000 litres of wine reserved for this festival and until every single last drop has been thrown, the band won’t stop playing.
This wine battle event is incredibly fun and guaranteed to be messy. This one you definitely should miss during your visit to the south of Spain.
Saint John’s Eve – San Juan in June
Takes place everywhere
When: June 23rd
San Juan is by far the most special when it comes to celebrations in Spain. This is a country wide event that celebrates the start of summer. The event is celebrated at the beach with bonfires and fireworks.
San Juan can only be described as magical because it is filled with old customs and superstitions. Many people jump over the bonfires believing it will bring them good fortune. Then, many will walk into the sea backwards, then dip in to wash away all sins – something that allows you to start fresh so to speak.
In some parts of Spain like Galicia for example, food is another important element of the celebrations. Sardines cooked in the ashes of the bonfire is what you can expect.
In San Pedro de Alcantara and on all beaches along the coast the parties continue long into the night! If you are in Spain at this time do not miss this!
La Tomatina – The Tomato Festival
Takes place in Buñol
When: Last Wednesday of August
You’ve likely heard of the tomato festival that takes place in Buñol, in the region of Valencia. Not so much a festival but maybe better described as the biggest tomato fight in the world. Literally thousands of people from across Spain and the world throw tomatoes at each other during one of the funniest events in the country.
What you might not know is La Tomatina is actually part of a largest celebration that marks the end of an entire week of parades, parties, fairs and street markets. This event is so original and fun that people will visit Spain from across the globe just to participate in it. This why the number of participants is limited to 20,000, which might seem like a lot but the tickets for this event are sold out within a few days.
Another crazy tradition in Buñol taking place during the festivals is the smoked ham event. A smoked ham is placed on top of a very slipper pole, right in main square. Whoever gets to the top first wins the ham. This event isn’t for the faint hearted!
The Semana Grande of Bilbao
Takes place in Bilbao, northern Spain, Biscay region
When: Saturday August 18th
Bilbao in the north of Spain is a city that is constantly thriving, changing and becoming more appealing each and every year. The Academy of Urbanism just awarded Bilbao the 2018 European City of the Year.
On August 18th, Bilbao celebrates the most important event of the year, the Aste Nagusis or Semana Grande. This festival lasts for 9 days, with concerts, fairs, theatre performances and plenty of other entertainment taking place all over the city. One of the highlights are the fireworks competitions that illuminate the sky every night.
The last day of the festival is the closing ceremony, when la Marijaia (the mascot of the Semana Grande) floats downriver on a boat and is set on fire, only to return when the next event takes place.
Semana Grande of Bilbao Festival
The August Fair in Malaga
Takes place in Malaga, South of Spain
When: August 11th to 18th
One of the most popular ferias taking place on the Costa del Sol is the Malaga Feria. The feria takes place in the old city and features flamenco dancing and more open bars than you can count! The feria de noche (night fair) takes place just outside the city, with loads of attractions, food stalls and dance tents.
Malaga’s feria literally starts off with a bang, with an impressive display of fireworks. We highly recommend watching the amazing display from the port, the best location! Even better, if you can charter a boat, watch from the sea.
The next day, people take to the streets to dance, drink, eat and just be merry. The women dress in traditional flamenco dresses, with some joining in the traditional dance of Andalucia called Sevillanas. This presents four distinct dances with finger clicking, foot stomping and feeling.
This Malaga feria is an entire week full of fun and activities that is suited for the entire family.
The August Feria in Malaga, Spain
The Fiesta Mayor de Gracia in Barcelona
Takes place in Barcelona
When: August 11th to the 18th
During summer, every neighbourhood of Barcelona celebrates its own typical parties, but none are as special, fun and creative as the Fiestas de Gracia in August.
You are in for a treat as the Gracia neighbourhood is transformed into a place like out of a picture book. The streets are filled with art and colour, a splendour that must be seen to be believed. The streets compete with each other to win first prize for the best and most spectacular decorations.
Visitors will feel like they are being transported to an entirely different world. At the Fiestas de Gracia you can also enjoy the street acrobats, fireworks display, parades, street markets and of course the abundance of amazing food and drink.
Mayor de Gracia in Barcelona, Fiesta
Boloencierro in Mataelpino, Madrid
Takes place in Madrid
When: August
Get ready to run, and not from the bulls, but from a giant ball of 3 metres in diameter, with a weight of more than 150kg! This is what you can expect in August in Mataelpino, a village in the Sierra de Guadarrama, Madrid.
There was a time this village “ran with the bulls”, but with many regarding the treatment of the bulls as inhumane, this village took a step in the right direction by replacing the bulls with a giant ball. Even children can get in on the action with smaller lighter balls that are painted bright colours to make them more visible.
Get ready for summer 2018
As you can see, Spain has some unique festivals and ferias, and the list above is just tip of the iceberg! Every village, town and white washed pueblo across this fabulous country hosts some sort of event. No matter your preference, there is guaranteed to be a feria just for you. Of course, there are also several religious events that take place every year in Spain including Easter or Semana Santa, another spectacle that must be seen to be believed.
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