Calendar of Events

The dates given below may not be precise. Sometimes the exact days are not announced until 6 weeks before the actual festival. Check with the Tourist Office of Spain if you plan to attend a specific event.

January

Granada Reconquest Festival, Granada. The whole city celebrates the Christians' victory over the Moors in 1492. The highest tower at the Alhambra is open to the public on January 2. For information, contact the Tourist Office of Granada (tel. 95-822-59-90). January 2.

Día de los Reyes (Three Kings Day), throughout Spain. Parades are held around the country on the eve of the Festival of the Epiphany. Various "kings" dispense candy to all the kids. January 6.

Día de San Antonio (St. Anthony's Day), La Puebla, Majorca. Bonfires, dancing, revelers dressed as devils, and other riotous events honor St. Anthony on the eve of his day. January 17.

February

Bocairente Festival of Christians and Moors, Bocairente (Valencia). Fireworks, colorful costumes, parades, and a reenactment of the struggle between Christians and Moors mark this exuberant festival. A stuffed effigy of Mohammed is blown to bits. Call tel. 96-290-50-62 for more information. First week of February.

ARCO (Madrid's International Contemporary Art Fair), Madrid. One of the biggest draws on Spain's cultural calendar, this exhibit showcases the best in contemporary art from Europe and America. At the Nuevo Recinto Ferial Juan Carlos I, the exhibition draws galleries from throughout Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Asia, who bring with them the works of regional and internationally known artists. To buy tickets, contact Parque Ferial Juan Carlos I at tel. 90-222-15-15. The cost is 32€ to 63€ ($46-$91). You can get schedules from the tourist office closer to the event's date. For more information, call tel. 91-722-30-00 or go to www.arco.ifema.es. Dates vary, but the event usually takes place mid-February.

Madrid Carnaval. The carnival kicks off with a big parade along Paseo de la Castellana, culminating in a masked ball at the Círculo de Bellas Artes on the following night. Fancy-dress competitions last until Ash Wednesday, when the festivities end with a tear-jerking "burial of a sardine" at the Fuente de los Pajaritos in the Casa de Campo. This is followed that evening by a concert in the Plaza Mayor. Call tel. 91-588-16-36 or visit www.gospain.org for more information. Dates vary. Normally 40 days before Easter.

Carnavales de Cádiz, Cádiz. The oldest and best-attended carnival in Spain is a freewheeling event full of costumes, parades, strolling troubadours, and drum beating. Call tel. 95-622-71-11 or go to www.carnavaldecadiz.com for more information. Early February or early March.

March

Fallas de Valencia, Valencia. Dating from the 1400s, this fiesta centers around the burning of papier-mâché effigies of winter demons. Burnings are preceded by bullfights, fireworks, and parades. For more information, contact tel. 96-352-17-30 or go to www.fallasfromvalencia.com. Early to mid-March.

Semana Santa (Holy Week), Seville. Although many of the country's smaller towns stage similar celebrations (especially notable in Zamora), the festivities in Seville are by far the most elaborate. From Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday, processions of hooded penitents move to the piercing wail of the saeta, a love song to the Virgin or Christ. Pasos (heavy floats) bear images of the Virgin or Christ. Make hotel reservations way in advance. Call the Seville Office of Tourism for details (tel. 95-422-17-14). The week before Easter.

April

Feria de Sevilla (Seville Fair). This is the most celebrated week of revelry in all of Spain, with all-night flamenco dancing, entertainment booths, bullfights, horseback riding, flower-decked coaches, and dancing in the streets. You'll need to reserve a hotel early for this one. For general information and exact festival dates, contact the Office of Tourism in Seville (tel. 95-422-17-14; www.turismo.sevilla.org). Second week after Easter.

Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians), Alcoy, near Alicante. During 3 days every April, the centuries-old battle between the Moors and the Christians is restaged with soldiers in period costumes. Naturally, the Christians who drove the Moors from Spain always win. The simulated fighting takes on almost a circuslike flair, and the costumes worn by the Moors are always absurd and anachronistic. Call tel. 96-514-34-52 or visit www.alicantecongresos.com for more information. Late April.

May

Feria del Caballo, Jerez de la Frontera. The major wine festival in Andalusia honors the famous sherry of Jerez, with 5 days of processions, flamenco dancing, livestock on parade and, of course, sherry drinking. For information, call tel. 95-633-11-50. Mid-May.

Festival de los Patios, Córdoba. At this famous fair, residents decorate their patios with cascades of flowers. Visitors wander from patio to patio. Call tel. 95-749-16-77 for more information. First 2 weeks of May.

Fiesta de San Isidro, Madrid. Madrileños run wild with a 10-day celebration honoring their city's patron saint. Food fairs, Castilian folkloric events, street parades, parties, music, dances, bullfights, and other festivities mark the occasion. Make hotel reservations early. Expect crowds and traffic (and beware of pickpockets). For information, write to Oficina Municipal de Información y Turismo, Plaza Mayor 3, 28014 Madrid; or call tel. 91-366-54-77. May 15.

Romería del Rocío (Pilgrimage of the Virgin of the Dew), El Rocío (Huelva). The most famous pilgrimage in Andalusia attracts a million people. Fifty men carry the statue of the Virgin 15km (9 miles) to Almonte for consecration. Third week of May.

June

Corpus Christi, all over Spain. A major holiday on the Spanish calendar, this event is marked by big processions, especially in Toledo, Málaga, Seville, and Granada. June 2.

Veranos de la Villa, Madrid. This program presents folkloric dancing, pop music, classical music, zarzuelas, and flamenco at venues throughout the city. Open-air cinema is a feature in the Parque del Retiro. Ask at the tourist office for complete details. (The program changes every summer.) Sometimes admission is charged, but often these events are free. Mid-June until the end of August.

International Music and Dance Festival, Granada. Since 1952,[FB1] Granada's prestigious program of dance and music has attracted international artists who perform at the Alhambra and other venues. It's a major event on Europe's cultural calendar. Reserve well in advance. For a complete schedule and tickets, contact El Festival Internacional de Música y Danza de Granada (tel. 95-822-18-44; www.granadafestival.org). Last week of June to first week of July.

Las Hogueras de San Juan (St. John's Bonfires), Alicante. Bonfires blaze through the night to honor the summer solstice, just as they did in Celtic and Roman times. The bonfire signals the launching of 5 days of gala celebrations with fireworks and parades. Business in Alicante comes to a standstill. Call tel. 98-120-24-06 or go to www.hoguerassanjuan.com for more information. June 20 to June 24.

Verbena de Sant Joan, Barcelona. This traditional festival occupies all Catalans. Barcelona literally lights up -- with fireworks, bonfires, and dances until dawn. The highlight of the festival is the fireworks show at Montjuïc. Late June.

July

La Rapa das Bestas (The Capture of the Beasts), San Lorenzo de Sabucedo, Galicia. Spain's greatest horse roundup attracts equestrian lovers from throughout Europe. Horses in the verdant hills of northwestern Spain are rounded up, branded, and medically checked before their release into the wild again. For more information, phone tel. 98-154-63-51 or go to www.galinor.es. First weekend in July.

Festival of St. James, Santiago de Compostela. Pomp and ceremony mark this annual pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James the Apostle in Galicia. Galician folklore shows, concerts, parades, and the swinging of the botafumeiro (a mammoth incense burner) mark the event. July 15 to July 30.

Fiesta de San Fermín, Pamplona. Vividly described in Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises, the running of the bulls through the streets of Pamplona is the most popular celebration in Spain. It includes wine tasting, fireworks and, of course, bullfights. Reserve many months in advance. For more information, such as a list of accommodations, contact the Office of Tourism, Calle Eslava 1, 31002 Pamplona (tel. 84-842-04-20; www.sanfermin.com). July 6 to July 14.

San Sebastián Jazz Festival, San Sebastián. Celebrating its 40th year in 2005, this festival brings the jazz greats of the world together in the Kursaal. Other programs take place alfresco at the Plaza de Trinidad in the Old Quarter. The Office of the San Sebastián Jazz Festival (tel. 94-348-19-00; www.jazzaldia.com) can provide schedules and tickets. Late July.

August

Santander International Festival of Music and Dance, Santander. The repertoire includes classical music, ballet, contemporary dance, chamber music, and recitals. Most performances are staged in the Palacio de Festivales, a centrally located auditorium custom-built for this event. For further information, contact Festival Internacional de Santander (tel. 94-221-05-08; www.festivalsantander.com). Throughout August.

Fiestas of Lavapiés and La Paloma, Madrid. These two fiestas begin with the Lavapiés on August 1 and continue through the hectic La Paloma celebration on August 15, the Day of the Virgen de la Paloma. During the fiestas, thousands of people race through the narrow streets. Apartment dwellers hurl buckets of cold water onto the crowds below to cool them off. There are children's games, floats, music, flamenco, and zarzuelas, along with street fairs. For more information, call tel. 91-366-54-77 or go to www.gospain.org. Two weeks in early August.

Misteri d'Elx (Mystery of Elche). This sacred drama is reenacted in the 17th-century Basilica of Santa María in Elche (near Alicante). It represents the Assumption and the Crowning of the Virgin. For tickets, call the Office of Tourism in Elche (tel. 96-741-11-00). August 11 to August 15.

Feria de Málaga (Málaga Fair). One of the longest summer fairs in southern Europe (generally lasting 10 days), this celebration kicks off with fireworks displays and is highlighted by a parade of Arabian horses pulling brightly decorated carriages. Participants are dressed in colorful Andalusian garb. Plazas rattle with castanets, and wine is dispensed by the gallon. For information, call tel. 95-289-78-65 or visit www.andalucia.com. Always the weekend before August 19.

La Tomatina (Battle of the Tomatoes), Buñol (Valencia). This is one of the most photographed festivals in Spain, growing in popularity every year. Truckloads of tomatoes are shipped into Buñol, where they become vegetable missiles between warring towns and villages. Portable showers are brought in for the cleanup, followed by music for dancing and singing. For information, call tel. 96-250-01-51. Last Wednesday in August.

September

Diada de Catalunya, Barcelona. This is the most significant festival in Catalonia. It celebrates the region's autonomy from the rest of Spain, following years of repression under the dictator Franco. Demonstrations and other flag-waving events take place. The senyera, the flag of Catalonia, is everywhere. Not your typical tourist fare, but interesting. September 11.

San Sebastián International Film Festival, San Sebastián. The premier film festival of Spain takes place in the Basque capital, often at several different theaters. Retrospectives are frequently featured, and weeklong screenings are held. For more information, call tel. 94-348-12-12 or go to www.sansebastianfestival.com. Second week in September.

Fiestas de la Merced, Barcelona. This celebration honors Nostra Senyora de la Merced, the city's patron saint, known for her compassion for animals. Beginning after dark, and after a Mass in the Iglesia de la Merced, a procession of as many as 50 "animals" (humans dressed like tigers, lions, and horses) proceeds with lots of firecrackers and sparklers to the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, then on to Plaza de Sant Jaume, and eventually into Les Rambles, Plaza de Catalunya, and the harborfront. For more information, call tel. 93-486-00-98 or go to www.bcn.es. Mid-September.

October

St. Teresa Week, Avila. Verbenas (carnivals), parades, singing, and dancing honor the patron saint of this walled city. October 8 to October 15.

Autumn Festival, Madrid. Both Spanish and international artists participate in this cultural program, with a series of operatic, ballet, dance, music, and theatrical performances from Strasbourg to Tokyo. This event is a premier attraction, yet tickets are reasonable. Make hotel reservations early. For tickets, contact Festival de Otoño, c/o Teatro de Madrid, Avenida de la Ilustración, 28013 Madrid (tel. 91-720-81-83; www.madrid.org). Late October to late November.

November

All Saints' Day, all over Spain. This public holiday is reverently celebrated, as relatives and friends lay flowers on the graves of the dead. November 1.

December

Día de los Santos Inocentes, all over Spain. This equivalent of April Fools' Day gives people an excuse to do loco things. December 28.