Annual Events

This is intended as a guide to events; please verify these dates before you plan your trip.

2013

January 2013
1 January New Year's Day Spanish Public Holiday
6 January Epiphany, Spanish Public Holiday
Skiing in Sierra Nevada (3hrs away), until Easter time

February 2013

Early February - Carnaval in Cadiz The third largest Carnival in the world, organised singing of poetry, dressing up and celebrations

February - March Sunshine Tour, Montenmedio Horse Event by Vejer de la Frontera

22 February - 9 March Festival of Flamenco, Jerez de la Frontera
28 February - Dia de Andalucia Public Holiday

March 2013
Tarifa has its own Carnival in February – please enquire for dates

24 - 31 March Semana Santa, Holy week in Seville (the week running up to Easter, the most decadent processions are in the larger towns and cities of Andalucia. Seville is the most spectacular of the all)

Easter Sunday -running of the bulls on Easter Sunday in Vejer de la Frontera (45 mins away), Gaucin in the white villages of Malaga (1h30mins away)

SPRING and the sun..

April 2013
Seville Spring Fair (Feria de Abril) lasts for 8 nights and 7 days. 15 - 21 April. Worth visiting for the fabulous dresses, incredible horses and party atmosphere

May 2013
1 May – Labour Day, Spanish Public Holiday
First two weeks of May - Festival of the Patios in Cordoba (patios are open to the public for visits and the most impressive ones win prizes)
Fair of the Horse (Feria del caballo), Jerez de la Frontera. Sponsored by the sherry companies for which Jerez gets its name
El Puerto de Santa Maria Fair and their special Fino wine
Los Barrios Fair
Cordoba Fair
Pentecost and the Romeria del Rocio
Corpus Christi - bullfights and celebrations in Granada, Ronda, Seville, Zahara de la Sierra and Vejer de la Frontera
Last week - Fair in Sanlucar de la Barrameda and their special Manzanilla wine, enjoy with their fabulous seafood!
31 May - UK Bank Holiday

June 2013
The Alfarnate Cherry Festival, Malaga
Algeciras Fair
23 June, Noche de San Juan, large parties on the beach with fireworks and bonfires that people jump over
End June / early July, International Festival of Music and Dance in the grounds of the Alhambra Palace

July 2013
Early July, International Guitar Festival at Cordoba wth interntional artists performing classical, flamenco, rock and Latin music
16 July - Virgen del Carmen - A procession led by the fishermen in honour of the Virgen del Carmen, protector of the sea, leads out into the sea from Tarifa, Algeciras, Los Barrios and all the coastal villages and towns
Huelva Fair

August 2013
15 August, Assumption Spanish Public Holiday
Malaga Fair
Mid to end of August, professional horse racing along the beach at Sanlucar de la Barrameda
Bullfights in El Puerto de Santa María
31 August, UK Bank Holiday

September 2013

Feria Goyesca in Ronda – for bull fighting aficionados, unmissable, need to book tickets and accommodation well in advance. See the rejoneo - bullfighting on horseback

First and second week, the Vendimia celebration of the Palomino grape harvest in Jerez

Fair in Tarifa

Cattle fair in Tarifa

October 2013

12 October - Dia de la Hipanidad, A Spanish Public Holiday to celebrate the two main events of 1492 Christopher Colombus' discovery of the New World and the eviction of the Moors from Spain

3rd weekend in October - the Feria de Jamon in Aracena, one of the leading areas for Spanish cured ham production

End Oct/ Early November - Festival of Tapas in Sanlucar de la Barrameda

November 2013

1 November - Dia de Todos Santos, All Saints Day. A Catholic holiday to celebrate and honour the dead, all gravestones are adorned with flowers and candles. In towns there are usually markets selling dried fruits, nuts and sweets for the children

December 2013

December 6, Dia de la Constitucion, Spanish Public Holiday

December 8, The Immaculate Conception, Spanish Public Holiday

December 24, Noche Buena, the christmas meal is usually eaten on this day and is typically seafood

December 25 Christmas Day (presents are usually given on the 5th January with the arrival of the kings)

December 31 Noche Vieja, celebrated in grand style; on the chimes of the clock to mark the new year one eats a grape!!