Granada Events, Fiestas and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Granada, Andalucia, Spain)

The city of Granada has become known for its impressive calendar of events, which take place year-round. Some of the most popular festivals in Granada include the carnival celebrations in February, Semana Santa / Holy Week at Easter time, the Dia de la Cruz (Day of the Cross) at the beginning of May, and Granada's Feria de Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi Fair) each June, which always draws large crowds.

For those visiting Granada with a music interest, the Festival Internacional de Música y Danza (International Festival of Music and Dance) in June and the International Jazz Festival at the end of October are not to be missed.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - Ano Nuevo / New Year's Day
• 5th January - Epifania / Epiphany
• 19th March - Dia de San José / St. Joseph's Day
• Late March or early April - Jueves Santo / Maundy Thursday
• Late March or early April - Viernes Santo / Good Friday
• 1st May - Fiesta del Trabajo / Labour Day
• 15th August - La Asunción / Feast of the Assumption
• 12th October - Nacional de Espana / National Day
• 1st November - Todos los Santos / All Saints' Day
• 6th December - Dia de la Constitución / Constitution Day
• 8th December - La Inmaculada Concepción / Feast of the Immaculate Conception
• 25th December - Navidad / Christmas Day

Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Fiesta de la Reconquista (Festival of the Conquest of Granada) - early January, a celebration of the Catholic monarchs, with a number of parades and a colourful banner raised outside the historic city hall.

February

• Carnaval - early February, a party atmosphere fills Granada during the February carnival season, with an enormous range of street entertainment, musicians, dancing and carnival processions. Many of the main festivities are held in and around the many public plazas.
• San Cecilio Fiesta - early February, held just before lent, with week-long celebrations based around the Sacromonte district, Granada's gypsy quarter, including Flamenco dancing, fancy dress and costumed processions.

March

• Festival Internacional de Tango de Granada (International Tango Festival) - early March, with dance competitions and demonstrations held at many venues in central Granada, including the Isabel la Catlica Theatre and the Auditorio Manuel de Falla concert hall.

April

• Festival Internacional de Jóvenes Realizadores (Granada International Festival of Young Filmmakers) - early April, many short films and screenings at cinemas and theatres throughout the city. Other festival highlights include workshops and awards.
• Semana Santa (Holy Week) - mid-April, a series of week-long festivities and parades, with events around the Plaza del Carmen and the beaches, and spectators observing the processions. Holy Week also includes decorated floats, Flamenco dancing, parades in the Sacromonte area and many church-based activities.

May

• Dia de la Cruz (Day of the Cross) - May 3rd, a major festival where public plazas, houses, patios and balconies across Granada are filled with crosses covered in flowers (Cruces de Mayo), together with a range of festivities, such as horse-riding and 'sevillanas' (traditional Andalucian dancing).
• Festival Internacional de Teatro (Granada's International Theater Festival) - early-May, attracting many of the best plays and touring theatre groups at the time, for a number of performances during the first two weeks of the month, at both the Isabel La Católica Theatre and the Alhambra Theatre, with a programme of events readily available.
• Aniversario de Mariana Pineda - late May, celebrating the life and contributions of local heroine Mariana de Pineda (1804 - 1831), who was involved in a number of liberal causes in the area.

June

• Feria de Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi Fair) - early June, lasting just over one week with fairgrounds, food and drink, competitions, concerts and dancing, bullfights, market stalls, parties, and crowds of both participants and spectators. One of Granada's most popular festivals, the Feria de Corpus Christi is always well attended, with visitors to the city welcomed, and many locals wearing typical Andalusian dress and riding decorated horse and carts. Many similar events are held at nearby towns and cities.
• Festival Internacional de Música y Danza (International Festival of Music and Dance) - late June, one of Europe's most significant festivals of its kind, with concerts, orchestras, dances and traditional Flamenco dancing performed at venues including Granada's Alhambra Palace, the Generalife Gardens and Carlos V Palace. Other highlights include opera concerts and many outdoor events, where the surrounding views can also be enjoyed.
• Fiesta del Albayzin (Festival of the Albaicin) - late June / early July, a religious festival based around the Hermitage of San Miguel and St. Peter's Day on June 29th, with decorated streets, outdoor dancing events, horse and carriages, religious parades and music, lasting just over two weeks.

July

• There are no significant festivals and events in Granada during the month of July, apart from the Fiesta del Albayzin, which begins at the end of June and runs into the first week of July.

August

• There are no significant festivals and events in Granada during the month of August.

September

• Fiesta de Nuestra Senora de las Angustias - late September, celebrating the city's Patron Saint, La Virgen de las Angustias, with a range of outdoor activities, including fairs, bullfights, markets, open-air dancing, and a procession carrying a religious statue of the saint.

October

• International Jazz Festival - late October, an extremely popular festival attracting many notable jazz musicians and performers from around the world, with concerts, films and seminars throughout November, centred around the Isabel La Católica Theatre and the Alhambra Theatre.

November

• Hocus Pocus Festival - mid-November, a magical event held every year in Granada, with a number of magic shows known as 'Hocus Nights', together with demonstrations and workshops at several central venues.

December

• New Year's Eve - December 31st, with festivities, parties and fireworks throughout the city as the forthcoming year is celebrated.