A Survivor’s Guide to Spain Ferias and Fiestas

Ferias in SpainEduardo Amorim / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Spain and her fiestas are little documented. Everyone knows the word ‘fiesta’ and its meaning, party, and many of the largest fiestas in Spain – as Las Fallas in Valencia or the running of the Bulls in Pamplona (we have Ernest Hemingway to thank for bringing that into the public eye) – have been relatively well documented. However, in almost every village, town and city in Spain at some point in the year their annual feria will be held and some even have a fiesta, too.

The Difference Between Ferias and Fiestas

A Feria
Commonly thought of as the same thing, these two events do have slightly different meanings in Spanish. The Feria is an annual party held by the town hall usually during the spring and summer. Locals dress in traditional dress, and there is an emphasis on family activities such as dance troupes and competitions during the day as well as casitas (tents) which sell heavily discounted food and drink; then for the night, it’s all fun fairs and late-night drinking. Most ferias are held in the feria ground which is just outside the village, town or city; this is just to keep it contained, and so a fun fair can be erected. There are festivities in the centre of town during the day, so it’s common to spend time traveling from one to the other.

A Fiesta
The fiesta, on the other hand, is usually linked to a specific historical event or something that the place is famous for, with the celebration centred around that event. Some examples of fiestas are St Anthony’s Day being celebrated in January. St Anthony is the patron saint of animals and in San Bartolome de Pinares horses are ridden through fires to clear them of bad spirits. (Just to note: the horses are first dowsed in water so as not to catch fire). Another town in the Axarquia in Malaga Province called Canillas de Aceituno holds a morcilla (blood sausage) fiesta annually where all visitors are given free food to taste.

How to Fit In
In Southern Spain the traditional music and dance is Sevillanas. This music is upbeat and story-led and is danced with a partner. If dance lessons are possible, it’s a great idea to learn the basics so when visiting a feria you can join in. During a feria there will also be women in flamenco dress, showing off the season’s fashion – whether it be stripes, spots, short or long – so if you’re daring, it’s a great excuse to get dressed to the nines and parade around the town or city.

The Casitas
These tents are usually in the centre of the town as well as in the feria ground. They are run by businesses, organisations and groups of people. There is a competition for the best decorated casita and the first, second and third prizes are proudly on show once judged. Most Casitas are free entry and open to all, however there are a few where people have to be a member of a particular organization, or during the night the pub/club casitas can charge on the door. These are obvious so no embarrassment is necessary.

Paul Collins is a British blogger who has lived in Spain for six years, he writes for Hotel Pyr a three star hotel in the centre of Puerto Banus.