FESTIVALS IN SPAINCulture

La Tomatina

This festival started all because a young man wanted to participate in a parade in the town square and wasn’t allowed.

There was a vegetable stand nearby, so they picked up tomatoes and used them as weapons.

Every year the same thing happened and police made more strict penalties.

UNTIL……….

One year it became an organized festival with food, music and dance. There were only a few rules that had to be followed: 1. Tomatoes must be squashed before

throwing to avoid injury. 2. Only tomatoes can be thrown. 3. Participants have to move out of the

way of all trucks! 4. No ripping off t-shirts and goggles are

suggested. 5. After the second shot is fired, the

tomato throwing is over!

At around 10:00 am the festival begins with the first event; climbing up a greased pole.

When someone is able to knock off a piece of ham at the top, that signals the start of the tomato fight.

Fire trucks make an entrance spraying people with water and people are throwing tomatoes off the truck.

An hour later the second shot is fired and the fight ends.

Fire trucks spray the buildings and

streets down to clean them.

Because the tomatoes are so high in acid, they work as a chemical and actually clean the streets and buildings in Valencia

La Tamborrada Every year on the 20th of January the people

of San Sebastian celebrate Tamborrada.

The mayor raises a flag at midnight to start the drum parade, and the town is filled with drummers, and adults dressed as cooks and soldiers.

This drumming parade goes on for 24 hours!

At the 24th hour, the mayor lowers the flag and the drumming ends.

Tamborrada started because the people of San Sebastian were mocking the soldiers that were standing guard to invade from countries like Portugal, France and Great Britain.

Originally they used buckets and sticks to beat with and make music.

Today they play in honor of the patron Saint Donosta of San Sebestain.

Las Fallas This is a loud smoky, high spirited

fiesta where the whole town is literally set ablaze!

This festival is without a doubt the most unique and craziest festival in all of Spain.

What started out as a celebration of Saint Joseph; patron saint of carpenters has turned into a 5 day celebration including fire!

The focus of the celebration is to destroy puppets or dolls called Ninots. Ninots are made of huge cardboard, paper mache, and plaster. These statues are very life-like.

They resemble corrupt politicians or Spanish celebrities and poke fun at them.

These floats take almost a year to construct and can cost $75,00 to build. Neighbors join forces to create them!

Other Festivities Running with the bulls

El Matedor (El Torero)

Flamenco