Public holidays and fiestas

Spain has 14 public holidays each year, of which 7 are celebrated nationally, 5 widely, and the others are celebrated locally, in addition to local holidays. Confusion arises when the dates fall at the weekend, and then other days are reclassified as holidays. Some people take a "puente" when the holiday is mid week. They take the intervening days as holiday so that they can have a longer break. Shops may be closed at these times.

Spanish National/Provincial Holidays

January 1 New Years Day
January 6 Epiphany
February 28 Andalucia Day
March 19 San José, Fathers´Day
April 17 &18 Holy week Thursday and Good Friday
May 1 Labour Day
June 19 Corpus Christi
August 15 Assumption of the Virgin
October 12 National Day
December 6 Constitution Day
December 8 Immaculate Conception
December 25 Christmas Day

August is the time when most Spanish people go on holiday, and it is not uncommon to find shops and businesses closed for the duration. Many city dwellers return to their rural roots to stay with family and friends, and it is the month when most towns and villages have their ferias and fiestas.

Durcal, as the main town of the valley, naturally has the biggest party, lasting several days. Besides a funfair, amusement stalls, parades and general good humour, there are also free concerts, bullfights and various sports fixtures: the culmination of the festivities being a firework display and the burning of an effigy of San Ramon. This feria takes place in the last week of August, and most bars and restaurants will have brochures for sale detailing all the events. All the communities have similar celebrations; they are all worth visiting.
On New Years Day, Conchar, (on the road between Durcal and Albuñuelas) has a wine festival. No prisoners taken!

Fiestas in the Lecrin Valley 2005
January 1in Conchar Wine Festival
January 1-3 Murchas and Talara Virgen de los Desamparados y Santa Lucia
January 20 in Albuñuelas and Padul San Sebastian
February 3 in Durcal San Blas
April 2-3 in Melegis Los Naranjos
May 1-5 in Pinos Dia de la Cruz, Santo Cristo del Zapato
May 3 in most villages Dia de la Cruz
May 15 in most villages San Isidro
June 1 in Chite (until end of week) San Segundo
June 11-13 in Melegis San Antonio
June 24 in Mondujar San Juan
July 25 in Saleres San Iago
July 24-28 in Restabal Santa Ana
August 13-15 in Albunuelas Virgen de las Angustias
August 13-15 in Pinos San Roque
August 14 in Conchar San Roque
August 27-31 in Durcal San Ramon
September 6 in Beznar (until end of week) San Anton
September 11-13 in Niguelas Virgen de las Angustias
September 23-26 in Padul Town festival
October 23-25 in Saleres and Melegis Virgen del Rosario
December 6-9 in Lecrin Virgen de la Imaculada
December 25-27 in Restabal San Cristobal

Semana Santa (Holy Week) is a major festival in all villages and towns. Malaga, Granada and Seville have huge processions, but you will also find interesting processions in Padul and Durcal. The Padul procession is particularly impressive and is usually filmed with closed circuit TV in the bars on the main street, so you can still watch whilst taking a rest and refreshment!

Most villages celebrate Dia de la Cruz at the beginning of May (3 May in 2004) when streets and parishes in larger towns create their own floral crosses and traditional displays on their chosen themes. The local councils usually offer prizes for the best creations.

Early or mid June (2004 - June 10th ) in Granada is the huge festival of Corpus Christi.

©Lecrinvalley 2004

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