There is nothing in the US that quite compares to the festivals of Europe…the pageantry, the energy, the participation, the celebratory spirit, the frequency! Yes, it’s hard to travel through any European country without stumbling upon some sort of festival, festa or fiesta – and we’re talking every month of the year (if not weekly!)

Parade and festival in Spain

Whether religious or pagan, it needn’t matter…all are a cause for celebration – (and I might wager a guess to say that soccer matches also apply?) As I can only imagine the revelry that ensued after Spain’s Sunday win in South Africa.

However, Spain is no stranger to fiestas. From the moment I arrived in Madrid this past May, for a bike tour in Spain, I became instantly aware of how important and integral these events are to the cultural ethos and the vibe of the country as a whole.  Apparently, I had arrived during the San Isidro festival – the biggest fiesta in Madrid – and was unable to even be dropped off at my hotel due to the numerous street closures for the festival.  It was difficult enough for my driver to negotiate traffic on the ‘open’ roads since the streets themselves were flooded with people – from the locals, Madrileños, dressed in traditional gear who were headed for Plaza Mayor for the traditional dancing and open air concerts to the tourists who had come to witness the festivities, Madrid was alive with a melodious buzz. As I walked my way up the narrow streets toward Plaza del Carmen, I wondered if this was a typical day in the city? Granted, I was staying in the heart of the city (conveniently located close to the Gran Via, Playa Mayor and Puerto del Sol) but if this was a day in the life of Madrid, it was pretty crazy. (I now realize that it wasn’t just the San Isidro festival – on any given day, Madrid truly is a city abuzz and never sleeps – it just gets takes on another layer during fiesta time.)

San Isidro Festival in Madrid

I thought they were winding down for the night when I settled in for the evening around midnight (hoping to ward off jet lag) but was awoken in less than a hour by an incredible blast and I wondered if my hotel was being bombed! I ran to the window, opened the door to my balcony and stepped out to witness a spectacular array of fireworks. No, not the San Isidro festival…but rather one of the Madrid soccer teams had finally won a game that evening after an endless slump. Yes, the streets had come alive again…with joyous revels, fireworks displays and non-stop chanting and cheering. So much for avoiding jet lag! This continued into the wee hours of the morning and then came the cleaning crews… [and this is what amazed me most!] …when I retired for the evening, the streets were strewn with the myriad remnants of a city party and when I ‘awakened’ after breakfast that morning, there wasn’t a hint or trace that anything had transpired the night before. The streets had been washed clean, platforms and staging removed, litter cleared – all in a mere hour or two! Talk about industrious. They know how party…but they also clean up quite nicely!

Funnily enough, I spent that following week wending my way from Abalos back to Madrid on our Rioja bike tour only to find the city once again bustling beyond belief! This time with the championship Italy vs Germany soccer showcase showdown in the Madrid stadium. I don’t think I need to go into any more detail about the state of the city on that weekend…

What’s more interesting to imagine is that same scene fast forwarded to last Sunday…when their own winning team had taken the World Cup! Now that…I can’t even fathom! And from what I gather…like good Spaniards they stretch the fun and always start the celebrations earlier and end later!

Running of the bulls in Pedraza

Now I just need to return to Rioja this September for another round of fiestas and fun. Our September tour perfectly coincides with 2 festivals in Lerma (Patronales Romería and Fiesta de la Virgen de Manciles) as well as a milder, gentler running of the bulls in Pedraza.

What better way to really get a feel for the culture than to actually experience it through its festivals?

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