Festivals & Events in Castilla-León

Semana Santa (or Holy Week) is a major event throughout Spain. During the whole of Semana Santa street processions are organised in most Spanish towns each evening, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. People carry statues of saints around on floats or wooden platforms, the Easter week processions end with Easter Sunday, a day full of light and colour when church and cathedral bells are heard ringing throughout the country.

One of the largest celebration in the year is in honour of Saint Teresa, who came from Ávila, and goes on for ten days in October. There is a grand parade of giant-headed figures and monsters (called gigantes, cabezudos and tarascas) through the city streets. There are also fireworks, bullfights and music concerts.

In early June the city turns itself back into the Ávila of old. Wooden gates are put back in the city walls, and torches are lit as re-enactactments of the defence of the city against the Moors take place, duels are held in Calle De La Muerte & La Vida.

Burgos has retained many of its great traditional fiestas. On 30th January the fiesta de San Lesmes, patron of the city, is celebrated. Traditionally on this day the Saint's panecillos (bread rolls) are shared out.

There is also an annual folk festival held every July that brings together many traditions and cultures, there are music concerts as well as photographic exhibitions and a festival market.

The week of the 20th to 30th June has become the Semana Grande de León because at this time the Fiestas de San Juan and San Pedro are celebrated. There are bullfights, street shows, processions and activities for the young and old. In October the Fiestas de San Froilán, the patron, are celebrated and on the last Sunday of April, the traditional "Cabezadas" are celebrated.

On the 2nd September the Fiestas de San Antolín are celebrated. These are considered to be the area's greatest festivals, and on the 2nd February the Fiestas de la Virgen de la Calle, who is the city's patron, are celebrated. Traditionally, on the 1st January the Bautizo del Niño (Baptism of the Child) is celebrated in the Iglesia de San Miguel.

The Castilla-León International Arts Festival is held annually in Salamanca, and incorporates all kinds of shows, with theatre-dance, electronic music, multimedia theatre, performances, dance, indoor theatre, graffiti and more.

The Jazz en la Calle (Jazz in the Streets) festival offers 18 free jazz concerts in June, July and August at weekends. The stages for these jazz sessions are set up right in the heart of Salamanca, in the Plaza de los Dominicos, Plaza Juan XXIII and the Patio de Escuelas.

Among the city's most significant fiestas are Semana Santa, now declared an internationally acclaimed fiesta, the Fiesta de San Pedro Regalado and the Ferias y Fiestas de Nuestra Señora de San Lorenzo which are celebrated in September.

The Valladolid International Film Festival is one of the oldest and most respected film festivals in Spain. The event screens 200 features, shorts and documentaries, in late October to early November over a nine day period. The Golden Spike has ben the main festival award since 1974.

On Good Friday there is a procession of 28 multicoloured sculptures which depict various scenes of the Passion is one of the most spectacular in Spain.

One of the most popular fiestas in Zamora is Semana Santa, an authentic expression of popular culture which, due to its beauty and cultural interest on a worldwide level, has been declared a "Fiesta de Interés Internacional". The oldest streets remain in silence with hundreds of 'brothers' walking in procession. This Procesión del Silencio is one of the most beautiful that you will come across.