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- Identity: the
building blocks of
2. Literature
and philosophy
3. Art and
architecture
4. Performing
arts
5. Cinema
and fashion
6. Media and
communications
7. Food and drink 8. Living culture:
the details of
Time off for raucous behaviour:fiestas
Every country has its celebrations, its expressions of
group joy, but the Spanish love for thefiestais something
else. In tune with a liking for close quarters city living and
a love of family, they’re at their happiest when gathered
in a large group. Every village, town or city has an annual
festival; many have a whole series.The Semana Santa at
Easter, with its solemn processions, is the big universal
one. However, local variations give Spanish festivals
their vibrancy. In Alicante they play with fire to celebrate
San Juan in June, young men leaping over flaming pyres,
while the Basques try and decapitate a dead goose
by hand while jumping into the harbour at Lekeitio
each September. Elsewhere, notably Pamplona, the
unfortunate festival animal is usually a bull. Not allfiestas
have religious roots: many celebrate a harvest, a local
hero or music. And not all have ancient origins, indeed
many have only gathered pace in the last few decades.
Above all, they’re about having fun – any excuse for a
party seems to be the general rule.
Año Nuevo
(New Year’s Day)
1 stJanuary
Día de Reyes
(Epiphany)
6 thJanuary (not a
‘national’ holiday but
taken everywhere)
Viernes Santo
(Good Friday)
March/April
Día del Trabajo
(Labour Day)
1 stMay
Asunción
(Assumption of
the Virgin Mary)
15 thAugust
Día de la Hispanidad
(National Day)
12 thOctober
Todos los Santos
(All Saints)
1 stNovember
Día de la Constitución
(Constitution Day)
6 thDecember
Inmaculada
Concepción
(Immaculate Conception)
8 thDecember
Navidad
(Christmas Day)
25 thDecember
The main holidays
celebrated
throughout Spain
