Festivities and Fiestas
Amid all the admin regarding jobs, homes, schools and transportation, it’s easy for newcomers to Spain to almost forget about the fun that’s waiting to be had here. You’ll soon discover that fun once you’re here, however, because this is a part of the world in which people just love to celebrate.
There are more festivities and fiestas than you can shake a tambourine at, so get ready for parades, costumes, music, dancing, drinking and fabulous food. In Andalusia there are more than 3,000 such occasions in any given year, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to stop what you’re doing and join in the fun instead.
If you’re wondering what is being celebrated, well, it could be almost anything. Each town has its own patron saint’s day, for example, there are fiestas to celebrate various successful harvests such as grapes, olives and mushrooms, and you’ll find visiting fairs, battle re-enactments and pilgrimages as well.
Prepare to have a full diary in the summer!
If you’re keen to make the most of these occasions, you might want to buy a wall calendar and start filling in details of the major events. They could include ferias in Alhaurin el Grande (May), Marbella (June), San Roque (August) and Mijas (September). Bear in mind this is just a small selection of an extremely long list. The fair at San Pedro de Alcántara in mid-October is usually the last major event of the year.
Many of these occasions last long into the evening. As the sun goes down, the children can enjoy fairground rides and the whole family can listen to live music. During the day, much of the action takes place in the local streets, providing a riot of colour, noise and spectacle, all accompanied by the delicious aromas of traditional Andalusian food. This is your chance to find out more about the Spanish lifestyle.
If you move to the Costa del Sol, you will never be too far away from a fiesta, and these events provide a golden opportunity to gain a greater understanding of what life in Andalusia can be like for you from now on. In many ways, they are celebrations of community, of family and of life in general. We hope you enjoy as many of them as you can.
For more information on your brand new adventure, call Simply Costa Developments on +34 682 66 22 89 soon. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.