Four Fiestas You Should Not Miss

There are four fiestas in Spain that you should not miss. They all take place in the summer months from May to August, except one in mid-March, so you do not have to experience the sometimes extreme cold of the winter months. Even though there are many other fiestas that have a strong religious flavor, these four are the ones that are more attractive to many people.

The Tomato War

The Tomato War or La Tomatina is undoubtedly one that draws many tourists who love to participate in the give and take that is the hallmark of this festival. The short one hour war takes place in the town of Bunol near Valencia on the last Wednesday in August. Thousands of tomatoes are ready in baskets or boxes at the sides of the main square and at a given signal, the participants throw the sometimes overripe tomatoes at one another. It is all done in good fun and since everyone knows that this is a fiesta, there are no winners or sore losers. The customary wear for La Tomatina is a white T-shirt since this can be thrown away at the end of the fiesta.

The Running of the Bulls

Another fiesta that you should not miss in Spain is the yearly Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. This fiesta has been widely portrayed in films and in books, such as in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. It starts on July 6, the day before the saint's festival and continues until the 14th. At 8 a.m. each day the run starts as the bulls are let out of the corral and onto the streets of Pamplona. The participants have to run to get out of the way of the bulls so it is a fiesta mainly directed at the younger set. Though there have been incidents of people being hurt during the run, this is mainly due to an excess of liquid stimulants taken immediately before the bulls are let loose.

The Fallas Festival

The Fallas festival celebrated on Valencia's feast day in mid-March is one that is popular with many tourists. The festive bonfires are lit during the entire week long event and fireworks are set off, creating a continuous din that makes you think that a war is going on. The festival ends with the burning of the elaborate floats that have been on display during the week.

The Baby Jumping Festival

The fourth festival that brings a jolt to the heart of many mothers is the Baby Jumping Festival. This festival takes place in May in Castrillo de Murcia and consists of a man dressed as the Devil jumping over a newborn baby. The newborn baby that has been jumped over is considered free of evil. The babies are placed in front of the church and the Devil emerges from inside and jumps over the babies and keeps on running.