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
2018
May: Bullfights and zarzuelas all month long, Madrid
May 1–13: Córdoba Courtyards Festival (Los Patios de Córdoba; courtyard-decorating competition)
May 2: Madrid Day (closures in the city, street parties centered on Plaza 2 de Mayo, fireworks on evening prior)
May 5–12: Feria del Caballo, Jerez de la Frontera (horse pageantry)
May 10: Ascension
May 10–13: WOMAD, Cáceres (Extremadura; world music festival, free) as well as Ibiza Medieval Fair
May 10–15: Titirimundi International Puppet Theatre Festival, Segovia (performances, street theatre)
May 11–15: Fiestas de San Isidro, Madrid (traditional dancing in squares)
May 13: Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona
May 15: San Isidro Day, Nerja (religious festival)
May 17: Galicia Literature Day (closures in Galicia)
May 20–21: Pentecost and Whit Monday (closures in Barcelona)
May 21: El Rocío pilgrimage (Romería de El Rocío), Andalucía
May 30: Canary Islands Day (closures in the islands)
May 30–June 3: La Patum de Berga, near Barcelona (religious festival with lively parades)
May 30–June 3: Primavera Sound, Barcelona (indie rock festival)
May 31: Castile–La Mancha Day (closures in Castile and León and Castile–La Mancha)
May 31: Corpus Christi (closures in Madrid and Castile–La Mancha)
June 9: Murcia/La Rioja Day (closures in Murcia and La Rioja)
June 14–16: Sónar Festival, Barcelona (electronic music)
June 20–23: Bonfires of San Juan, Alicante
June 24: Festival of St. John the Baptist (bonfires and fireworks, closures in Catalunya)
June 26–July 8: Granada International Festival of Music and Dance
June 28–July 7: World Pride, Madrid (big parade on last day)
June 29: Battle of Wine, La Rioja (La Batalla del Vino, literally wine-drenched celebration of Feast of San Pedro)
July 6–14: Running of the Bulls (Fiesta de San Fermín), Pamplona
July 17–21: Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country
July 19–22: Festival Internacional de Benicàssim (huge rock concert near Valencia)
July 25: Feast Day of St. James (Santiago de Compostela, also big in Basque Country and Galicia; some closures across Spain)
July 28: Institution Day (closures in Cantabria)
August 15: Assumption Day (religious festival; closures); also Verbena de la Paloma (folk festival), Madrid
August 15–20 (likely): Gràcia Festival, Barcelona
August 23–24: Festival of St. Bartholomew, Sitges, with more festivities third weekend in August
August 29: Tomatina Festival, Buñol, near Valencia (tomato-throwing melee/party)
First week of September: Festival of Pedro Romero (music, dance, traditional costumes, parade), Ronda
September 1: Autumn Sherry Festival (flamenco, bullfights), Jerez
September 8: Asturias/Extremadura Day (street parties; closures in Asturias and Extremadura)
September 11: Catalunya National Day (closures in Barcelona)
September 15: Cantabria Day (closures in Cantabria)
September 21–24: La Mercè, Barcelona (street theater, music, parades, light shows)
September 23: Festival of St. Tecla, Sitges
September 25: Little San Fermín, Pamplona (concerts, parades)
September 28–30: Feria de San Miguel, Sevilla (bullfights)
October 9: Valencia Day (parades, closures in Valencia)
October 12: Spanish National Day (closures)
October 26–November 4 (likely): Fires de Sant Narcis, Girona (procession, human-tower building, fireworks)
November 1: All Saints' Day (closures)
November weekends: Cartagena Jazz Festival
November 3–11 (likely): Sevilla European Film Festival
November 9: Virgen de la Almudena, Madrid
November 9–16: Zinebi International Documentary Film Festival, Bilbao
November 20–December 16 (likely): Madrid Dance Festival
December 3: Navarre Day (religious parades and closures in Navarre)
December 6: Constitution Day (closures)
December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (closures)
December 13: Feast of Santa Lucía
December 25: Christmas (closures)
December 26: St. Stephen's Day (some closures)
December 31: New Year's Eve
2019
January 1: New Year's Day (closures)
January 6: Dia de los Reyes Magos (Epiphany/Thee Kings Day parades; closures)
February 2: La Candelaria, Madrid (food festival)
February–March: Carnival celebrations across Spain; particularly big in Cádiz, Sitges (with an LGBT focus), Madrid, Barcelona, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife
February 17: 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: St. Joseph's Day (closures in Madrid and Extremadura)
April 14–20: Holy Week (Semana Santa; processions and passion plays, especially in Andalucía; some closures on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday)
April 21–22: Easter (Pascua) Sunday and Monday (some closures)
April 23: St. George's Day (special flower markets in Barcelona; other events across Catalunya), Aragón Day, and Castile and León Day (closures in each region)
Early May (5 days): Festival of the Crosses, especially in Andalucía, particularly in Córdoba (processions and parties)
May: Bullfights and zarzuelas all month long, Madrid
May 1: May Day/Labor Day (closures)
May 7–12: Feria de Abril (April Fair), Sevilla