Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Spain

Festival dancer, Barcelona
Spain's festivals are particularly colorful.
  • 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

2024

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 18:  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)

March 24–30:  Semana Santa (Holy Week; passion plays and grand processions; some closures on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday)

March 31 & April 1:  Easter (Pascua) Sunday and Monday (some closures)

April 14–20:  Feria de Abril (April Fair), Sevilla

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)

May:  Bullfights and zarzuelas all month long, Madrid

May 1:  May Day/Labor Day (closures)

May 1:  Battle of the Flowers, Córdoba (major parade with flower-bedecked floats)

May 2:  Dos de Mayo/Madrid Day (closures in the city, street parties centered on Plaza 2 de Mayo, fireworks on evening prior)

May 2–12:  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 4–11:  Feria del Caballo, Jerez de la Frontera (horse pageantry)

May 10–15:  Titirimundi International Puppet Theatre Festival, Segovia (performances, street theatre)

May 9–12 (likely):  WOMAD, Cáceres (Extremadura; world music festival)

May 9–12:  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 18–25:  Spring Fair, Cordóba (smaller version of Sevilla's April Fair; kicks off with midnight fireworks)

May 19 & 20:  Pentecost and Whit Monday (some closures); also El Rocío pilgrimage (Romería de El Rocío), Andalucía

May 29–June 2:  La Patum, Berga (religious festival with lively parades)

May 30:  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)

May 30:  Canary Islands Day (closures in the islands)

May 29–June 2:  Primavera Sound, Barcelona (indie rock festival)

June 7–July 14:  Granada International Festival of Music and Dance

June 9:  Murcia/La Rioja Day (closures in Murcia and La Rioja)

June 13–15:  Sónar Festival, Barcelona (electronic music)

June 20–22:  Azkena Rock Festival, Basque Country

June 21–23:  Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona

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 28–July 7:  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 6–14:  Running of the Bulls (Fiesta de San Fermín), Pamplona

July 15–20:  Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country

July 18–20:  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 14–17 & 28–30:  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 (likely):  Gràcia Festival, Barcelona (colorful street festival)

August 23–24:  Festival of St. Bartholomew, Sitges (part of Sitges' Festa Major)

August 28:  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 (likely):  Fiesta de Cascamorras, Guadix, then Baza (both near Granada; "battle" between rival towns involving liberal throwing of paint)

September 9:  Asturias/Extremadura Day observance (closures in Asturias and Extremadura)

September 11:  Catalunya National Day (closures in Barcelona)

September 15:  Nuestra Señora de la Bien Aparecida (closures in Cantabria; possible closures on September 16 as well)

September 14–21 (likely):  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 22–23:  Festes de Santa Tecla, Sitges (processions featuring costumed kids; "Nit de Foc" street fireworks and revelry held weekend prior)

September 20–23 (likely):  La Mercè, Barcelona (street theater, music, parades, light shows)

September 25:  San Fermín Txikito ("little San Fermín"), Pamplona (concerts, parades)

September 27–29:  Feria de San Miguel, Sevilla (bullfights)

October 9:  Valencia Day (parades, closures in Valencia)

October 12:  Spanish National Day (closures)

October 25–November 3 (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 8–15 (likely):  Zinebi International Documentary Film Festival, Bilbao

November 9:  Feast of the Almudena, Madrid (processions, music)

November 21–27 (likely):  Sevilla European Film Festival

December 3:  Navarre Day (religious parades and closures in Navarre)

December 6:  Constitution Day (closures)

December 8:  Feast of the Immaculate Conception

December 9:  Feast of the Immaculate Conception observance (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