It's time to shed the threads because it's officially summer festival season in Spain! Throughout the summer months, there are tons of Spanish fests that celebrate saints, celebrate music, celebrate life, and celebrate celebrating. So if you're looking for some amazing festivals in Barcelona or other events throughout the country to while away your long summer days with, then slap on some sunscreen and check out these amazing events all over España!
Primavera Sound Festival - Barcelona - May 22-May 26, 2013
If you want to start the summer off on the right musical note, make sure to hit up one of the premier music festivals on the planet. Since its start in 2001, the Primavera Sound Festival has grown from an indie darling to a full-blown extravaganza where 100,000 screaming and writhing attendants cram into Parc del Fòrum to witness music greatness. This year's festival has one of its best lineups yet with the likes of The Postal Service, Animal Collective, Phoenix, and countless others gracing the stage.
El Colacho - Castrillo de Murcia - June 2, 2013
Who's up for a good bout of baby jumping? That's right. Baby jumping. Now it might seem strange to witness grown men dressed as the devil jumping over newborn babies in the middle of a crowded street - but how else are you going to rid babies of original sin and guard them against evil over the course of their lives? Well, something must be working since they've been doing this every June since the early 17th Century.
Sónar Music Festival - Barcelona - June 13-15, 2013
The Primavera Sound Festival appealed to your alternative side, but if you're looking for one of Europe's most popular electronic music events then look no further than the Sónar Music Festival. The festival, now running for 19 years, is an eclectic mix of advanced music and new media art, held over three days in beautiful Barcelona. This year, the lineup features Pet Shop Boys, Skrillex, Lindstrom, and more! There are other Sónar festivals held globally in São Paulo, Tokyo, and Cape Town as well.
Fiesta de San Fermín - Pamplona - July 6-14, 2013
Is there anything more iconically Spanish than the imagery of matadors and The Running of the Bulls? The Fiesta de San Fermín is an eight-day celebration where people from all over the world congregate to party and participate in one of the most unparalleled spectacles on Earth. If you plan on joining the mad-dash, prepare to feel an adrenaline rush unlike anything you've ever experienced as two-ton bulls and thousands of petrified partiers run beside you. Once the bulls are safely in the ring, the atmosphere turns into a huge party as you and your newly bonded brethren celebrate your induction into this unique runners' club. The rest of the festival takes place over the course of a week and includes everything from massive fireworks displays to insane fountain jumping - yes, it is what you think it is.
La Tomatina - Valencia - August 28, 2013
Remember when your mother told you to eat all your vegetables because there were starving children in Africa? Apparently the entire country of Spain missed out on that speech. Enter La Tomatina: where in the Valencian town of Buñol, tens of thousands of tomatoes are trucked in for one of the world's largest food fights. There are some rules of course - tomatoes must be crushed before throwing. You're only allowed to throw tomatoes - no apples in disguise. And that's pretty much it. And if you feel bad about wasting food - just know that these tomatoes are grown especially for this event and are known for their particularly terrible taste. Now you can sleep at night.
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