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Moros y Cristianos
The province of Alicante participates in the reenactments of the battle of the Moros and Christians. The festivals are four days long, starting on March 21st and going to the 24th.
They march along the border of Spain and mock what really happened on the day of the battle of the Moros and Christians. They prance up and down the streets in a colorful array of costumes. They use fake gunpowder to make the fight come alive. These festivals consist of color, noise and a booming firework display. -
La fería de abril
Girls dress up in flamenco dresses and are pulled in glorious carriages through the streets of Seville usually around the 20th of April and go until the 24th. Enormous fairgrounds are also set up for people’s enjoyment. The theme of these parties are horses and bullfighting, vary appropriate for the Spanish heritage. They celebrate this holiday because a very famous poet once said that Seville was famous for it’s women and oranges. Also, it just a day to relax and have fun! -
Pamplona
Thousands of people flock to the balconies in Pamplona on the 6th of July and watch the “bullrunners” take their place. When the rocket is fired, bulls are released from their pens. It’s scary, but many do this stunt for religious reasons. The “bullrunners” run through the streets until finally they reach the end where the bulls are brought back in. Back in the 13th century, this was just bullfights and fiestas but it has grown a ceremony with dancing, bullruns, fireworks and more. -
Castellers de Vilagranca
Over 400 active people are involved in these events of all ages, races and religions. It is celebrated by people building human towers as high as ten stories! Also, one can expect concerts, dancing, great food and wonderful firework displays at the festival. Typically, they happen sometime at the end of November and in August but they perform year round in Catalonia, Spain. The tradition started out as a ballroom dance in the 1700’s but over time it developed into an adrenaline pumping sport. -
La Tomatina
Some 30,000 people participate in this event. It occurs on the Last Wednesday of August in the streets of a small village named Bunyol. No one is positive on the origin of this holiday but most believe that around 1945 when the parade of figures with big heads came by, a few kids wanted to be in the parade too. The knocked over one of the giants who then got up and started trying to hit everyone around him. The kids grabbed some tomatoes on a nearby cart and threw them. The tradition started on.
