Popular Events in Madrid

Madrid is an enchanting tourist destination that attracts millions of tourist towards it every year. One of the significant reasons of the popularity of Madrid is its festivals and events. Let’s have a look on the popular extravagant events, fairs, and festivals that either have taken place or are going to take place in Madrid during different periods of time.

ARCO Madrid

It is the European greatest event that features contemporary art fair that involves the attendance of around 200, 000 visitors. This festival change the entire shape of Madrid and it gives the look of a big showroom, where all types of artists such as well-established and new comers, present their works. This festival features the exhibition of giftware, fancy goods, handicraft institutions and services, clothing and accessories, furnishing and fittings, gold and jewelry, costume jeweler, biological and natural products. This festival takes place every year in the month of February.

Madrid Carnival

It is really an enchanting festival that has been celebrated in Madrid since Gothic era. It is a traditional carnival of Madrid that underwent suspension for 40 years and in 1976 it start celebrating again. This carnival features a number of fancy dress competitions, evening concerts that takes place in Plaza Mayor, a huge parade along the Paseo de la Castellana (this parade is the main attraction of this carnival), the pre-Lenten part that takes place on the last Wednesday of the carnival and climaxed on Ash with the burial of the Sardine. This festival has a variety of flavors such as humor, fashion, drama, music etc.

Feria de San Isidro

It is a religious festival that features bull fighting, colorful street celebrations, music concerts, live performances etc. This festival takes place in May every year and enchants a large number of tourists and foreign visitors apart from a great number of local and international artists.

Autumn Festival

This festival is a real treat for those who are in search for live performing arts such as theatres, music, dance etc. This festival involves the participation of almost 200 groups of dance, theatre, and musicians that come from major parts of the world such as Europe, America, and Middle East. These artists perform and present opera, ballet, dance, music, and theater and occupy about 40 great venues in Madrid.

Jazz Festival

This is an annual festival that takes place in late October and lasts till November. This festival involves Jazz music and features artists and musicians both that are well established or newly hatched.

Verbena de la Paloma Festival

This is another great extravagant festival that features traditions of Madrid.  This amazing festival takes place every year in the month of August in La Latina area. During this festival, the bars of Madrid become over filled in the evening and free live music concerts take place. Madrid gives a look of a village, where dance performances are presented by artists who are wearing folkloric costumes. This festival ends with spectacular fireworks that display in the farewell evening of this festival.

International Gourmet Fair

This great fair takes place in Madrid every year and features a large variety of foods and wines. It was first held in the year 1987 and since then it has been enchanting thousands of food and wine lovers towards it. This festival is the showcase of the most delightful wines and beverages of Spain. This festival starts with the “Ham Craving Competition”.

Holly Week Observance

Holly Week observances are really very notable in Madrid. This week involves the observance of all events that took place to Jesus and his mother the Virgin Mary. Street events are common during this week. People who seek patience found to be wearing long robes. The people who march on the streets of Madrid play religious hymns or machas.

Festimad

This festival enchants rock music lovers and enthusiasts from various parts of the world. This is an annual rock music festival in Spain that takes place in Madrid. This festival features everything related to rock music such as musicians, singers etc.

New Year’s Events

This festival takes place to sea off the old year and to welcome the New Year. The spectacular fireworks display. Large number of people gathers on Puerta del Sol to celebrate New Year. An interesting Spanish tradition is to eat one grape on every hour and make a wish on eating every grape. 

Madrid is one of the popular European destinations, where almost all types of entertainments are available. If you are fond of attending and participating in different festivals or you are interested in learning about Spanish traditions and cultures, then above mentioned festivals and events are best options to do so.