January: Fiesta de Antón, Madrid
Every year on January 17th is the Festival de Antón. On this day many people in Madrid bring their pets to Calle de Hortaleza, where stands the church Inglesia de San Antón. Here their pets are blessed with holy water in name of San Antón, the Patron Saint of Animals. The animals normally range from, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, and any pet one might have. This is really the pinnacle day for animal lovers to show how much they love their companion.
Febrary: Prepare your fancy dress and let´s go to the carnival
It is all about the carnivals this month in Spain. In most cities this starts around Shrove Tuesday (February 5th 2008). Although it is celebrated almost everywhere in Spain, the most famous are Cadiz and Tenerife.
The carnival is the fiesta of the people. It is a reaction against the abstentions and prohibitions of all types. This fiesta attempts to break social order and liberalise instincts, helped by wearing masks and fancy dress.
It is a fun filled experience, which is normally achieved outside in the streets, almost the whole community participates; young and old, men and women, Spanish and foreigners. You just have to be prepared to party your socks off!!
March: Are you prepare to see the city on fire?
Las Fallas is one of the largest festivals in Spain. It belongs to Valencia and starts on the 13th March until 19th March. Apart from a week long of festivities such as, street parties and concerts, every night in Fallas there is a spectacular firework display, where it seems the whole city gathers to open their Fallas night.
A lot of work is put into making Fallas impressionable the local artists traditionally spend almost a whole year preparing and making huge sculptures out of wood, wax and papier-mâché. These sculptures called “ninots” normally portray traditional figures, famous characters and high profile politicians, with an overall theme of humour and colour. The ninots, half satirical, half symbolical, are created in a style somewhere between comic strips and Walt Disney cartoons.
These creations are paraded down the main streets of Valencia before being burnt on the last night of Fallas in one of the many bonfires around the city.
