Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Spain
- Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the festival dates on the festival's website or with a local tourist information office. For more information about these and other events, visit the official tourism site for Spain.
- This list includes major festivals in major cities, plus national holidays observed throughout Spain. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays — keep it in mind when planning your itinerary. Note that this isn't a complete list; holidays can strike without warning.
- See upcoming holidays and festivals across Europe
2023
January 1: New Year's Day (closures)
January 2: Reconquest Day, Granada (closures in Granada)
January 6: Dia de los Reyes Magos (Epiphany/Three Kings Day parades on night before; closures on January 6)
February 2: La Candelaria (Candlemas), across Spain but particularly big in Madrid (processions, pageantry, mock bull fights)
February–March: Carnival celebrations across Spain; particularly big in Cádiz, Sitges (with an LGBT focus), Madrid, Barcelona, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife
February 19: Seville Marathon
February 28: Day of Andalucía (some closures in Andalucía)
March 1: Balearic Day (closures in the islands)
March 15–19: Las Fallas, Valencia (parades, fireworks)
March 19: San José (St. Joseph's Day), Madrid, Valencia, Extremadura (closures in several regions)
April 2–8: Semana Santa (Holy Week; passion plays and grand processions; some closures on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday)
April 9–10: Easter (Pascua) Sunday and Monday (some closures)
April 23: Diada de Sant Jordi (St. George's Day), Catalunya (special flower markets in Barcelona, other events across the region); Aragón Day; and Castile and León Day (closures in each region)
April 23–29: Feria de Abril (April Fair), Sevilla
April 30: Battle of the Flowers, Córdoba (major parade with flower-bedecked floats)
May: Bullfights and zarzuelas all month long, Madrid
May 1: May Day/Labor Day (closures)
May 2: Dos de Mayo/Madrid Day (closures in the city, street parties centered on Plaza 2 de Mayo, fireworks on evening prior)
May 2–14: Los Patios de Córdoba (courtyard-decorating competition)
May 3, and/or surrounding days: Cruces de Mayo, primarily in Andalucía (towns decorated with crosses made of flowers, particularly big and accompanied by flamenco dancing in Córdoba and Granada)
May 4–7 (likely): WOMAD, Cáceres (Extremadura; world music festival, free)
May 6–13: Feria del Caballo, Jerez de la Frontera (horse pageantry)
May 10–15: Titirimundi International Puppet Theatre Festival, Segovia (performances, street theatre)
May 11–14 (likely): Ibiza Medieval Fair
May 15 and surrounding days: Fiestas de San Isidro Labrador, Madrid (music, traditional dancing, closures on May 15 in Madrid)
May 17: Galicia Literature Day (closures in Galicia)
May 20–27: Spring Fair, Cordóba (smaller version of Sevilla's April Fair; kicks off with midnight fireworks)
May 28 & 29: Pentecost and Whit Monday (some closures)
May 29: El Rocío pilgrimage (Romería de El Rocío), Andalucía
May 30: Canary Islands Day (closures in the islands)
June 1–3: Primavera Sound, Barcelona (indie rock festival)
June 2–4: Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona
June 7–11: La Patum, Berga (religious festival with lively parades)
June 8: Corpus Christi (colorful, often flower-centric festivities — especially big in Toledo and Valencia; many festivities take place before and/or after the holiday; closures in Madrid and Castile–La Mancha)
June 8–10: Primavera Sound, Madrid (indie rock festival)
June 9: Murcia/La Rioja Day (closures in Murcia and La Rioja)
June 12–July 9 (likely): Granada International Festival of Music and Dance
June 15–17: Sónar Festival, Barcelona (electronic music)
June 15–17: Azkena Rock Festival, Basque Country
June 23–24: Nit de Sant Joan/Hogueras de San Juan (Festival of St. John the Baptist), primarily in Alicante, Valencia, and across Catalunya (bonfires and fireworks on June 23, closures in Catalunya and Valencia on June 24)
June 23–July 2: Madrid Orgullo pride festival (big parade on Saturday)
June 29: La Batalla del Vino, Haro (between Pamplona and Burgos; "wine battle" celebrating Feast of San Pedro)
July 3–9: Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country
July 5–15: Running of the Bulls (Fiesta de San Fermín), Pamplona
July 13–16: Festival Internacional de Benicàssim (huge rock concert near Valencia)
Last two weeks of July: Festas do Apóstolo (St. James Festival), Santiago de Compostela (arts, free concerts, street theater, fireworks on July 24 and 31, culminates with carnival on July 25 — St. James Day / Diá de Santiago and Galicia Day; closures on July 25 in Galicia)
July 28: Institution Day (closures in Cantabria)
July 29: Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme, Las Nieves (a.k.a. As Neves, on Portuguese border in Galicia; coffin parade celebrating those who had brush with death in previous year)
August 10–12 & 25–27: Sanlúcar de Barrameda horse races, Andalucía (English-style races along the beach)
August 12–15: Assumption (fairs, parades, general revelry throughout Spain, most notably Madrid's Verbena de la Paloma festival; closures)
August 15–21: Gràcia Festival, Barcelona (colorful street festival)
August 23–24: Festival of St. Bartholomew, Sitges (part of Sitges' Festa Major)
August 30: Tomatina Festival, Buñol, near Valencia (tomato-throwing melee/party)
First week of September: Festival of Pedro Romero, Ronda (music, dance, traditional costumes, parade)
First two weeks of September: Fiestas de la Vendimia, Jerez (sherry/harvest festival with flamenco, bullfights; festivities peak on weekend closest to September 8)
September 6 & 9: Fiesta de Cascamorras, Guadix, then Baza (both near Granada; "battle" between rival towns involving liberal throwing of paint)
September 8: Asturias/Extremadura Day (street parties; closures in Asturias and Extremadura)
September 11: Catalunya National Day (closures in Barcelona)
September 15: Nuestra Señora de la Bien Aparecida (closures in Cantabria)
September 16–21: Fiesta de San Mateo, Logroño (between Pamplona and Burgos; grape-harvest festival with free-flowing sangria, food fights, traditional cuisine, parades, bullfights, fireworks; smaller festivities across Spain around September 21 — St. Matthew's Day)
September 20–24 (likely): La Mercè, Barcelona (street theater, music, parades, light shows)
September 22–23: Festes de Santa Tecla, Sitges (processions featuring costumed kids; "Nit de Foc" street fireworks and revelry held weekend prior)
September 25: San Fermín Txikito ("little San Fermín"), Pamplona (concerts, parades)
September 28–Oct 1: Feria de San Miguel, Sevilla (bullfights)
October 9: Valencia Day (parades, closures in Valencia)
October 12: Spanish National Day (closures)
October 26–November 5 (likely): Fires de Sant Narcis, Girona (procession, human-tower building, fireworks)
November 1: All Saints' Day (Todos Los Santos; closures)
November weekends: Cartagena Jazz Festival
November 3–11 (likely): Sevilla European Film Festival
November 9: Feast of the Almudena, Madrid (processions, music)
November 10–17 (likely): Zinebi International Documentary Film Festival, Bilbao
December 3: Navarre Day (religious parades and closures in Navarre)
December 6: Constitution Day (closures)
December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (closures)
December 24: Christmas Eve (big family meal and midnight Mass; evening closures)
December 25: Christmas (closures)
December 26: St. Stephen's Day (some closures, especially in Catalunya)
December 31: New Year's Eve