Events in Spain

Each year on the first Sunday of August, the locals of Cantoria in Galicia dress up as Vikings and re-enact the time when the Drakkar Vikings attacked Ponteveda to try and take control of the Torres de Oeste (Western Towers). Once the battle is won, a seafood feast is enjoyed from the Ulla River with red wine. After this music and dancing goes well into the night.

Each year more the 12,000 people arrive at Lomo Magullo's Incredible Waterfight, Traid de Agua. Both locals and visitors alike drench each other from head to toe with whatever vessels they can get their hands on. This tradition dates back to the 1970's when the locals needed water for the island's crops of oranges, sugar cane and almonds. On some years the children of the town would literally go out and hunt for it and then cart what they could find out to the fields, which is why the translation of the festival means literally "Fetching The Water" It's because of this that the locals continue to sacrifice a drop or three to remember their luck.

Each year the town of Bunyol has its town population quadrupled to upwards or 30,000 all crammed into the center of the town. The gathering is for the annual La Tomatina, where locals and visitors alike fling juicy ripe tomatoes at each other. At 11am sharp five bulbus, tomato-packed rockets are sent whistling into the sky and the masses launch into a frenzy of flinging, slinging and lobbing, it's every man and woman for themselves. There are very few rules in La Tomtina, you're asked to squish your tomato before sending it into the red blur of the crowd and other projectiles are strongly prohibited. You shouldn't worry about running out of ammunition because an amazing 125,000 kilo's of the fruit are used during this two hour event. It is said that the tradition dates back to 1945 when some locals got carried away in a restaurant food fight.

The Festival of La Merce is devoted to the memory of the patron saint of Barcelona, the Virgin of Mercy. This involves a fabulous arrangement of popular Catalan traditions and mythology. The city holds one of the biggest parties to celebrate, with music, dancing, fairs, theatre, concerts and parades. Firework shows light up figures of dragons and devils, and huge folklore icons of Catalonia 'gegants' are paraded through the city centre, while traditional teams of 'Castellers' build human pyramids in St. Haume Plaza.

The streets and squares come alive in the town of Nerja during this celebration. Casetas (tents) are set up all over the city, decorated with crepe-paper and fairy lights. During this event you will see numerous parades, one of which ends in the crowning of the feria queen, along with street theatre performances. If you look into on of the tents you will find women in traditional Spanish dresses dancing to the clink of castanets, while gentlemen in grey suits and carnations in their lapels drink from large glasses of manzanilla sherry which is the traditional feria drink.

All Saints Day, or Tosantos, is a very large affair in Cadiz, with celebrations for a few days leading up to November 1st. The streets are lined with beautifully decorated market stalls often depicting current events and selling all types of local food and wine. Throughout the festival period there are street processions, children's activities and magic shows. All Saints day is a feast to honor all of the saints, known and unknown.

Retiro Park is home to Madrid's Christmas Wish Tree, a decoration with a very nice twist. A 30 meter hollow cone is erected in the park and is gradually filed with balloons, and attached to each balloon people put a New Year's wish. Then on January 6th they are released into the sky.