Fiesta de San Isidro, Madrid

The Fiesta de San Isidro is Madrid's largest fiesta. It is a ten-day festival of music, dance and performing arts offering the people of Madrid the chance to don traditional castizo finery, feast on delicacies and soak up flamenco, zarzuelas and Latin rhythms at concerts all over the city. San Isidro is the patron saint of the peasants and laborers and is also the patron saint of Madrid. According to the tradition on May 15th the people of Madrid are to make a pilgrimage to San Isidro's meadow to celebrate his day and to drink the holy water that gushes out of his fountain in his hermitage's patio. Madrid's biggest "fiesta" is celebrated yearly starting on the Friday before the 15th. Technically the festivities run from May 8th to the 15th, but they stretch the fun and always start earlier and end later and revel in the festivities until the following Sunday. The festival actually begins with the Mayor's speech on the Friday afternoon prior to the 15th and ends with the ever popular Cocido Madrileño or public Cookout. Nine days of Saintly jubilation and festivity enlivens the atmosphere of Madrid.

You can also look out for Madrid's equivalent of cockneys, or castizos, flamboyant in their dog-tooth tweed and cloth caps and the women in their traditional garb of the period called "Chulapo or Chulapa" which is Madrid's national dress. They are long frilly chulapas (skirts) composed of fancy lace ridden dresses complete with a headdress and elegant wrap around shawl. While Madrileños men wear a checkered cap, waistcoat and handkerchief around their necks

The main stage is always in the Plaza Mayor and during every day and night of the 9 day festival, one can enjoy various concerts and traditional dancing. Most opening acts kick off with a "Hevia", a rather popular bagpipe. San Isidro is without a doubt Madrid's most melodious fiesta. Be ready to get carried away by the sweet melody of music that dominates just about every street corner and public space of Madrid during these nine days. Spanish bands play traditional chotis, Latin American bands take to the stage at Las Vistillas and there is even a small jazz festival at Colegio San Evangelista, featuring blues as well as flamenco. A number of the city's theatres also host music, while larger concerts of anything from rock to flamenco is held in the Plaza Mayor.For the rock music lovers the even bigger venue in the Casa de Campo features rock concerts. Fervent celebrations follow with music wafting in the air of Madrid.

It is also around this time that the bullfighting calendar starts. The Ceramics Fair and Book Fair are also worth a visit. The main areas where activities take place are Plaza Mayor, Plaza de las Vistillas, Plaza de las Comendadoras, Plaza de Felipe II, Parque del Retiro and the Centro Cultural de la Villa in the Jardines del Descubrimiento.