Top 5 Fiestas in Andalucia

If you’re planning a trip to Andalucia then you may want to join in one of their many fiestas that run throughout the year and that have very different focuses. Believe it or not there are well over 3,000 fiestas thrown in the region every single year, including fairs, pilgrimages, carnivals, mock battles between Moors and Christians and religious processions, throughout the some 800 communities of the region. There is a heavy emphasis on carnival season after the autumn harvests… and wherever you are you can be guaranteed a yearly procession celebrating individual patron saints.

“With so much choice which ones are we going to go to?” we hear you say… well, this is our essential guide to our top 5 fiestas in Andalucia.

For The Music Fan

You’re going to love the Grenada Music Festival which has now been running for over 50 years and is still going strong. You’ll find a congregation of some of the world’s finest musicians and dance performances, which bring Grenada’s top venues to life over the months of June & July.
From symphonic orchestras to ballet to flamenco shows and ancient music, this International Music and Dance Festival offers inspiration and smiles from the thousands that attend.
Ticket prices ranged from 15 to 60 euros with concerts held both day and night.

For the seafood fan
Thanks to the Mediterranean coastline, Andalucia is abundant with the freshest seafood you can imagine. As you’d imagine, there are thousands of people who make a living out of fishing and they certainly like to celebrate the fact. We can recommend three fishing fiestas to attend, each celebrating the lush fruits of the sea.
• La Virgen del Mar (Virgin of the Sea) – Almeria
• La Virgen del Carmen (the protector of seamen) – Estepona
Held around middle of July across fishing towns and villages along the coast.
• Saint John’s Feast – San Juan
Held on the 24th June, Andalucia’s beaches light up with fireworks and bonfires. Fantastic experience

For the wine lover
The Vendimia Festival takes place during the month of September in Jerez (the feast of St Matthew) and celebrates the ‘Vintage’ grape. It starts with the picking of the first grapes and lasts around a month. It all starts with a grand procession, the Queen of the Vintage occuping the seat of honour and is surrounded by her handmaidens, all chosen from the beautiful girls of Jerez, wearing white dresses and blue silk scarves, representing the white chalky soil and blue sky that give life and body to the vines.
Carts are steered through the streets decorated with grapes and children chase them hoping to catch some of the sweets that are thrown from the cart. Fireworks and men in masks tend to be somewhere close to the procession.
You’ll also find bullfights, a horse sow, motorcycle race, arts and crafts, flamenco and lots of merrymaking in the streets. It’s a lot of fun, just go with an open mind!

Food Festivals in Andalucia

The autumn harvest is a very important time for celebrations across the entire region of Andalucia, and brings with it a huge variety of concerts and mini fiestas that basically celebrate food.
You will be spoilt for choice around Autumn when it comes to finding these fiestas, they are literally everywhere. Here’s a quick guide as to what to look out for:

• September 26 to October 26 – Taste Guadalhorce – Saborea Guadalhorce
• October 4th and 5th – The Cheese Fair – Féria del Queso
• October 4 – Alora Soup Day – Día de las Sopas Perotas
• October 11 – Oktoberfest
• October 11 – Cured Ham Day – Día del Jamón
• October 11 – Regional Cured Ham and Iberian Pork Fair – Feria Regional del Jamón y del Cerdo Ibérico
• October 17 to 26 – Quince Festival – Fiesta del Membrillo
• October 18th and 19th – Bread Festival – Fiestas del Pan
• October 31 to November 4 – Tapa Fair – Feria de la Tapa

Not for the squeamish!

Like it or not, bullfighting is an incredibly important part of Spain’s traditions and from the months of April to October the season launches into full swing. The most important events run for a full week and coincide with the yearly fairs of Sevilla, Córdoba, Jerez, El Puerto de Santa María, Algeciras and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, with others such as Ecija, Granada, Málaga, Almería, Antequera, La Línea, Priego, Cabra, Pozoblanco, Villacarrillo, Ubeda, Baeza, Jaén, Aroche, Almonaster la Real and Campofrío, Higuera de la Sierra and Huelva.
If you are not offended by bullfighting then we suggest you experience one if you get the opportunity, the atmosphere is absolutely electric.