Spanish Fiestas & Folklore at Santiago and Burgos

Spain celebrates many festivals due to the myriad of traditions and folklore it embraces from the diverse cultures it was impacted in the past. The Spaniards love to celebrate all festivals in full costumes with the highest form of merry making although there are religious festivals which demand a more solemn approach but these too end up with a lot of festivity. Festivals at Santiago Traditions are heavily inculcated into the hearts of the locals from centuries ago; one of the most celebrated fiestas from traditions is Semana Santa or Easterweek which is celebrated in most of Spanish cities and towns with colorful and impressive processions. Santiago is one of these Spanish cities which uphold the Easter celebrations. May is an exciting month in Santiago which celebrates the grand Feria del Ganado; this festival is celebrated over 10 days with folkloristic performances and regional culinary presentations. This festival allows one and all to enjoy the folklore presentations and taste the local cuisines around the region. The important Festival of the Apostle takes place in July in Santiago; great firework displays are shown at the cathedral’s Obradoiro front door. Mass on the following day sports a large incense font fixed at the cathedral’s ceiling with a rope to allow it to swing through the cathedral’s nave. August and September months would have plenty of musical concerts in conjunction with the Classical Music Festival in Santiago. Festivals at Burgos Folklore is vibrantly active in Burgos which has been impacted by various origins. The diverse archaic traditions can be traced back to the first cultures established on the Iberian Peninsula with the Moors and Romans coming on with their own. The numerous “fiestas” of Burgos are very different in their characteristics; while some are solemn and religious, others are vibrant and informal. Most festivals end up with a lot of merry making that includes music, dancing and gastronomy. Easter Week is one of the more important fiestas celebrated in Burgos as with many Spanish cities and towns due to its religious implications. There is great solemnity on Good Friday with a lot of revelry on Sunday. The Corpus Christi fiesta lloret de mar is another huge festival celebrated in Burgos. This festival is celebrated as a reminder of the victory over the Moors in 1212. There are colorful processions and a lot of merry making. Participants are donned in traditional outfit while horse coaches are adorned with flowers and ornaments.