Festival Information Galicia
Os Peliqueiros (Carnival, February/March), Laza (Ourense) - Dressed up in grinning masks and outlandish costumes, with cowbells tied to their belts and brandishing sticks, Os Peliqueiros take to the streets on Carnival Sunday. They are licensed to lash out at onlookers, who are forbidden to retaliate. On Carnival Monday a battle takes place, with flour, water and live ants used as ammunition. Laza's carnival comes to an end on the Tuesday with a reading of the satirical "Donkey's Will" and the burning of an effigy.

A Rapa das Bestas (May and June), Oia (Pontevedra) - Semi-wild horses are rounded up by local farmers for their manes and tails to be cut. What was once a chore is now a popular fiesta.

Flower pavements (Corpus Christi, May and June), Ponteareas (Pontevedra) - The streets of the town along which the Corpus Christi procession passes are carpeted with intricate designs made from brightly coloured flower petals.

St James's Day (25 July), Santiago de Compostela - On the night before, there is a firework display in the Praza do Obradoiro. The celebrations are especially wild when 25 July falls on a Sunday .



Entertainment and Festivals Balearic Islands - Mallorca - Ibiza
There are many types of entertainment here in Spainfrom The Traditional Bullfights and Festivals to concerts, opera, ballet dancing, cinemas and much more. Below you will find the links and information needed to visit any of these events.

Festival Information Balearic Islands
Sant Antoni Abat (17 January), Mallorca and Ibiza - This Fiesta is celebrated with parades and the blessing of animals all over Mallorca and in Sant Antoni in Ibiza.

Sant Joan (24 June), Ciutadella (Menorca) - The horse plays a major part in Menorca's festivals. In the streets and squares of Ciutadella on the 24th of June, the Day of St John the Baptist, elegantly dressed riders put their horses through ritualized medieval manoeuvres. The fiesta reaches a climax when the horses rear up on their hind legs and the jubilant crowds swarm around them trying to hold them up with their hands. Similarly, the annual fiesta in Sant Llus, which takes place at the end of August, sees many of the locals taking to the street on horseback.

Sant Joan Peles (24 June), Felanitx (Mallorca) - As part of this fiesta, a man is dressed in sheepskins to represent John the Baptist.

Romeria de Sant Mareal (30 June), Sa Cabeneta (Mallorca) - A feature of this fiesta is a market selling siurells, primitive Mallorcan whistles.

Our Lady of the Sea (16 July), Formentera - The island's main fiesta honours the Virgen del Carmen, patroness of fishermen, with a flotilla of fishing boats.

Festival Information Valencia
Las Fallas (19 March) - Huge papier-meche monuments (fallas) are erected in the crossroads and squares of Valencia around the 15th of March and ceremonially set alight on the night of the 19th, St Joseph's Day. Costing thousands of Euros each, the fallas depict satirical scenes and can take up to a year to build. During the fiesta, the city echoes to the sound of fire crackers.

Moors and Christians (22 March - 4 April), Alcoi (Alicante) - Two costumed armies march into the city, where they perform ceremonies and fight mock battles in commemoration of the Reconquest.

Bou en la Mar (early July), Denia (Alicante) - People dodge bulls on the quay until one or the other falls into the sea.

Ministri d'Elx (14 - 15 August), Elx (Alicante) - This choral play, in the Iglesia de Santa Marea, has spectacular special effects.

La Tomatina (last Wednesday of August), Bueol (Valencia) - The high point of the annual fiesta in Bueol is a sticky food fight, which attracts thousands of visitors dressed in their worst clothes. Lorry loads of ripe tomatoes are provided by the town council for participants to hurl at each other. No one in range of the combatants is spared: foreigners and photographers are prized targets. The battle originated in 1944. Some say it began with a fight between friends. Others say irreverent locals pelted civil dignitaries with tomatoes during a procession. Increasing national and international press coverage means that more people attend, and more tomatoes are thrown every year.

Entertainment Andalucia - Costa del Sol
The only English subtitled movies playing in the region are at Puerto Banus. On the link for Puerto Banus you will have to look for the movie with (V.O.S.E.) in brackets behind it. This means it will be shown with English subtitles. You will find the times and days it shows. Click here for the cinemaes site.

Festival Information Andalusia Carnival (February/March), Cediz - The whole city puts on fancy dress for one of Europe's largest and most colourful carnivals. Groups of singers practise for many months to perform ditties satirizing current fashions, celebrities and politicians.

Romerea de la Virgen de la Cabeza (last Sunday in April), Andejar (Jaen) - A mass pigrimage to a lonely sanctuary in the Sierra Morena.

Dea de la Cruz (first week in May), Granada and Cerdoba - Neighbourhood groups compete to create the most colourful crosses adorned with flowers on squares and street corners.

Cerdoba Patio Fiesta (mid-May) - Flower decked patios in old Cerdoba are opened to the public with displays of flamenco. El Roceo (May/June) - More than 70 brotherhoods of pilgrims arrive at the village of El Roceo to pay homage to the Virgen del Roceo.

Columbus Festival (late July/early August), Huelva - This celebration of Columbus' voyage is dedicated to the native music and dance of a different Latin American country each year.

Exaltacien al Reo Guadalquivir (mid-August), Sanlecar de la Barrameda (Cediz) - Horses are raced on the beach at the mouth of the Reo Guadalquivir.

El Canuelo - (27June - 1 July) Periana, Malega - This blues festival is held every year on various dates. These are the dates for 2001, for more information click on this link. http://www.elcanuelofestival.com/

The casino in Benalmedena has a spectacular ballet show, which you can combine with diner and a visit to the casino. For more information or reservations call 00 34 952446000 or fax 00 34 952442746.

Festival Information Madrid
San Isidro (15 May) - Madrid's great party around the 15th of May is in honour of St Isidore, the humble 12th century farmworker who became the city's patron. With a corrida every day, this is Spain's biggest bullfighting event. Throughout the city there are also art exhibitions, open-air concerts and fireworks. Many people dress in castizo folk costume for the occasion.

The Passion (Easter Saturday), Chinchen. A passion play is performed in the town's atmospheric arcaded Plaza Mayor.

Dos de Mayo (2 May) - This four-day holiday marks the city's uprising against Napoleon's troops in 1808. New Year's Eve - The nation focuses on the Puerta del Sol at midnight as crowds gather to swallow a grape on each chime of the clock

Festival Information Castilla y Leon
El Colacho (Sun after Corpus Christi, May/June), Castillo de Murcia (Burgos) - Babies born during the previous 12 months are dressed in their best Sunday clothes and laid on mattresses in the streets. Crowds of people, including the anxious parents, watch as El Colacho - a man dressed in a bright red and yellow costume - jumps over the babies in order to free them from illnesses, especially hernias. He is said to represent the devil fleeing from the sight of the Eucharist. This ritual is thought to have originated in 1621.

St Agatha's Day (Sunday closest to 5 February), Zamarramala (Segovia) - Every year two women are elected as mayoresses to run the village on the day of St Agatha, patron saint of married women. They ceremonially burn a stuffed figure representing a man.

Good Friday, Valladolid - The procession of 28 multicoloured sculptures which depict various scenes of the Passion is one of the most spectacular in Spain.

Fire-walking (23 June), San Pedro Manrique (Soria) - Men, some carrying people on their backs, walk barefoot over burning embers. It is said the only local people can do this without being burned.

Festival Information Catalonia
Human Towers (various dates and locations) - The province of Tarragona is famous for its castellers festivals, where teams of men stand on each others' shoulders in an effort to build the highest human tower. Each tower, which can be up to seven storeys high, is topped by a small boy called the anxaneta. Castellers can be seen in action in many towns, especially Vilafranca del Penedes and Valls.

Dance of Death (Maundy Thursday), Verges (Girona) - Men dressed as skeletons perform a macabre dance.

St George's Day (23 April) - Lovers give each other a rose and a book on the day of Catalonia's patron saint. The book is in memory of Cervantes, who died on this day in 1616.

La Patum (Corpus Christi, May/June), Berga (Barcelona province) - Giants, devils and bizarre monsters parade through the town.

Midsummer's-Eve (23 June) - Celebrated all over Catalonia with bonfires and fireworks.

Festival Information Castilla-La Mancha
La Endiablada (2 - 3 February), Almonacid del Marquesado (Cuenca) - At the start of the two-day-long "Fiesta of the Bewitched", men and boys, gaudily dressed as "devils", with cowbells strapped to their backs, gather in the house of their leader, the Diablo Mayor. They accompany the images of the Virgen de la Candelaria (Virgin of Candlemas) and St Blaise in procession. As the devils dance along side the floats bearing the saints' images, they ring their bells loudly and incessantly.

Romarea del Cristo del Saheco (Pentecost, May/June), Peeas de San Pedro (Albacete) - A cross-shaped coffin bearing a figure of Christ is carried 15 km here from its shrine by men dressed in white.

La Caballada (Pentecost), Atienza (Guadalajara) - Horsemen follow the route across country taken by the 12th century muleteers of Atienza, who are said to have saved the boy King Alfonso VIII of Castile from his uncle, Fernando II.

Corpus Christi (May/June), Toledo - One of Spain's most dramatic Corpus Christi processions. The cathedral monstance is paraded in the streets.

There are many types of entertainment here in Spainfrom The Traditional Bullfights and Festivals to concerts, opera, ballet dancing, cinemas and much more. Below you will find the links and information needed to visit any of these events.

Theatres
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - The Teatro Perez Galdes, Calle de Lentini 1, is where you can find some dramaic art and it is often used for music recitals. (Tel 00 34 928361509) Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - Teatro Guiniguada, Calle de la Mesa de Leen s/n, this theatre gets most of the better quality productions. (Tel 00 34 928380986) Santa Cruz de Tenerife - The main place for concerts or theatre is Teatro Guimere, Calle de Imeldo Seres (Tel 00 34 922290838). The main event on the calendar in the Festival de Mesica de Canarias, held annually in January-February.

Classical Music & Opera Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - The Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Playa de las Canteras holds 1700 people, who have beautiful oceaon views from the huge windows. Santa Cruz de Tenerife - The same theatre as above; Teatro Guimere is the place for classical concerts.

Cinema
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - There are 3 multicinemas here but it is hard to find a movie which is undubbed. The most central is the Multicines Royal, Calle de Leen y Castillo 85. Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Here are 3 multicinemas as well. Undubbed movies can be found at Multicines Price, Calle de Salamanca 16 (Tel 00 34 922289459)

There are so many fiestas in the Canary Islands that we simply cannot put them all on the site. They say that in August alone there are more than 50. Check at the local tourist office for the upcoming fiestas. (Tel Numbers are under General Info) Below you can find some of the most outstanding festivals.

Festival Information Canary Islands
Carnival (February/March), Santa Cruz de Tenerife - One of Europees biggest carnivals, this grand street party is a lavish spectacle of extravagant costumes and Latin American dance music to rival that of Rio de Janeiro. For years under the Franco regime, Carnival was suppressed for its irreverent frivolity. It begins with the election of a queen of the festivities and builds up to a climax on Shrove Tuesday when there is a large procession. The "funeral" of an enormous mock sardine takes place on Ash Wednesday. Carnival is also celebrated on the islands of Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.

Corpus Christi (May/June), La Orotava (Tenerife) - The streets of the town are filled with flower carpets in striking patterns, while the Plaza del Ayuntamiento is covered in copies of works of art, formed from coloured volcanic sands.

Descent of the Virgin of the Snows (July, every 5 years ,2000, 2005, etc), Santa Cruz de La Palma. Romerea de la Virgen de la Candelaria (15 August), Candelaria (Tenerife) - Pilgrims come here in their thousands to venerate the Canary Islands' patroness.

Fiesta del Charco (7-11 September), San Nicoles de Tolentino (Gran Canaria) - People leap into a large saltwater pond to catch mullet.

Live Music
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - Many concerts are held in the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, but in the summer many are held on Playa de las Canteras. Tickets canbe bought at the Corte Ingles department store. Sant Cruz de Tenerife - Big names usually perform at the Plaza de Toros or the recinto ferial. Ask at the tourist office what is on and where to get tickets. Discos Manzana, Calle de Jose Murphy 2, often sells tickets for the big events.

Festival Information Extremadura
Encamise (16 January), Navalvilar de Pela (Badajoz) - Riders on horse back parade around town, where bonfires are set alight for the occasion.

Carantoeas (20 January), Achehuche (Ceceres) - During the fiesta of St Sebastian, the Carantoeas take to the streets of the town dressed up in animal skins, with their faces covered by grotesque masks designed to make them look terrifying. They represent the wild beasts which have said to have left the saint unharmed.

Pero Palo (Carnival February/March), Villanueva de la Vera (Ceceres) - In this ancient ritual a wooden figure dressed in a suit and representing the devil is paraded around the streets and then destroyed - except for the head, which is reused the year after.

Los Empalaos (Maudy Thursday), Valverde de la Vera (Ceceres) - Men do penance by walking in procession through the town with their arms outstretched and bound to small tree trunks.

Los Escobazos (7 December), Jarandilla de la Vera (Ceceres) - At night, the town is illuminated by bonfires in the streets, and torches are made from burning brooms .