Festivals and Events in Madrid

Madrid is the capital of Spain and the largest city in the Iberian Peninsula. It's economic and political importance, as well as its major cultural influence, rank Madrid as one of the major global cities of the world. Madrid is a city of great cultural importance. Madrid is the land of fiestas. One can find festivities of some kind taking place in this eventful city almost throughout the year. These festivals and annual events, cutting across religious boundaries, caste division and inhuman walls of race, color and gender are not alone a source of great entertainment but they offer a common platform to unite the people of Spain together. Festivals and events in Madrid is a big cause of bringing about felicity in the society.

Madrileños sure knows how to revel in the festive spirit and enliven the whole of Madrid with an aura of festivity. Madrileños love a party and festivals provide an excellent excuse to indulge in revelry. A simple rundown in the list of the principal festivals and annual events in the capital covers a pretty wide spread of interests, ranging from the upper-caste rituals of Royal Ascot to the sassy street party of the Notting Hill Carnival, plus a few oddities like Horseman's Sunday. The list of Festivals and events in Madrid is quite lengthy. Madrid has an almost endless roll-call of ceremonials and special shows.

There are excellent cultural festivals taking place all throughout the year, a list is mentioned below:

Local festivities :

- San Isidro Labrador (Madrid's patron saint)which takes place on May 15.
- San Antonio de la Florida on June 13.
- Virgen Del Carmen festivities (Patron saint of the sea) lasting from July 16-25.
- Virgen de la Paloma festivities (Madrid's patron saint) enlivening Madrid from August 6-15
- San Cayetano(Cascorro neighbourhood's patron saint) on August 7.
- San Lorenzo (Lavapiés neighbourhood's patron saint) on August 10,.
- Virgen de la Almudena festivities (Madrid's patron saint) that falls on November 9.
- The pilgrimage from La Paloma in La Latina
- The spring dance festival, Madrid en Danza.
- Festival de Otoño that lasts from Sept to Nov, devoted to the performing arts
- Festimad is a huge music festival held in a Madridleño suburb

Also well worth checking out are cultural festivals organized by the city council, in particular the Veranos de la Villa (July-Sept). Many open air events also take place in the city's parks and squares. Annual festivals for alternative theatre (Feb), flamenco (Feb), dance (mid-May to mid-June), photography (mid-June to mid-July) and jazz (Nov) are also firmly established on the cultural agenda.

Some of these traditional festivals are still in touch with their religious roots. One can also catch some bizarre traditional ceremonies, like the Burial of the Sardine that marks the end of winter. With a glimse on the list of cultural events and festivities taking place in Madrid one is most likely to regard this beautiful city of Spain as a land of festivities and colorful events.