Experience the Vibrant Traditions of Madrid’s August Fiestas!

Experience the Vibrant Traditions of Madrid’s August Fiestas!

It’s summer and August in Madrid, and it is also the time the city celebrates its revered traditional fiestas. They are San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and La Paloma, and they take place between August 2nd to 15th. The festivals are ongoing this week.

The natives of Madrid, also referred to as Madrileños, dress up in chulapo suits (traditional period clothes) and dance the chotis in the streets. These festivals occur in some of the most traditional areas of the city. Areas such as Lavapies, La Latina or las Vistillas are decorated to celebrate the fiestas of San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and la Paloma.

There are a series of activities that takes place from morning to night time in these neighbourhoods. Processions dedicated to the Madonna and the saints take place on the streets during the daytime, while at night there are open-air festivities with the participation of the public at large.

Men and women between the ages of 16 and 40 can stand for election as the characters from the popular zarzuela operetta La Verbena de la Paloma: La Casta, La Susana, Don Hilarión (older gentlemen can compete for this character) and El Julián; as well as the Maja of Lavapiés.

I witnessed this particular part of the festival, the proclamation at the Plaza Vara de Rey, and I thought it was fun.

The neighbours and traders of Madrid’s most traditional neighbourhoods still observe the old custom of decorating the streets where the festivities mostly take place, and every year the Municipal Committee gives a prize to the most attractive façade, street, balcony and urban ensemble.
The streets and balconies are decorated with manila shawls, paper garlands and flowers in honour of the saint, with musical and cultural performances in Plaza de Cascorro and religious events in the church of San Cayetano.

Street fairs, famous races, mus (a card game) and Rana (a coin throwing game) championships, marching bands, lemonade, children’s games, sangria, hot chocolate, dance and organ music, Manila shawl competitions, sardines, secrets, churros, elections to choose the child chulapa and chulapo (girl or boy dressed in traditional local attire), concerts, are some of the activities organised within the framework of these festivals for all the family.

The most exciting part of the festival is watching the elderly people dance the chotis. They were oblivious of everyone around them while they display lovely dance steps, even at their old age. It was fun to watch.

It is also a busy period for local food places as there are different stands for street foods, drinks and beers. A variety of pubs had DJs and Karaoke setups on various street corners.

Here is a brief video of the activities

Here is a timetable for the event. You can attend if you are in Madrid for the summer.

Festivities of San Cayetano

Thursday, August 3

• 12:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 20:00 – Photograph your parties (Plaza Cascorro)
• 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – Street soccer activities (Solar de la calle Embajadores, 18)
• 20.00 – Distribution of free lemonade enlivened with music (Calle del Oso)
• 21.00 Final of the 1st DJ Championship for neighborhood youth (Plaza Cascorro)

Friday, August 4

• 19.00 – Family performance Posada Chipilan (Vara de Rey Square)
• 20.00 – Final of the mus championship and frog contest (Plaza Cascorro)
• 20.00 – Distribution of free lemonade enlivened with music (Calle del Oso)
• 20.30 – Presentation of participants in the castizo characters contest (Plaza Vara de Rey)
• 9:00 p.m. – Proclamation by the Madrid City Council Fire Brigade (Plaza Vara de Rey)
• 21.30 – Election of Casta, Susana, Maja de Lavapiés, La Señá Rita, El Julián and Don Hilarión (Vara de Rey Square)
• 22.00 – Traditional performance Disassembling the Zarzuela (Plaza Vara de Rey)
• 23.30 – Performance by Lucrecia (Vara de Rey Square)
• 1.00 – DJ (Vara de Rey Square)

Saturday, August 5

• 13.00 – Neighborhood snack (Plaza Cascorro)
• 19.30 – Family performance The Magic of El Perlas (Plaza Vara de Rey)
• 20.00 – Distribution of free lemonade enlivened with music (Calle del Oso)
• 20.45 – Traditional performance by Mari Pepa de Chamberi (Vara de Rey Square)
• 22.00 – Performance by Dellasusi, Edahy and Toronto (Plaza Vara de Rey)
• 22.30 – Performance of Las Chicas de Oso (Calle del Oso)
• 23.30 – Stellar performance by Tito Losada This is how Madrid sounds (Plaza Vara de Rey)
• 1.30 – DJ (Vara de Rey Square)

Monday, August 7

• 19.00 – Holy mass (Church of San Cayetano)
• 20.00 – Procession of San Cayetano (Start from the church)

Festivities of San Lorenzo

Wednesday, August 9

• 12:00 to 13:00 and 19:00 to 20:00 – Ludo Championship (Calle Argumosa)
• 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Interbar mus tournament (Calle Argumosa)
• 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. – DJ Reggae Vibes (Calle Argumosa)

Thursday, August 10

• 19.00 – Holy mass (Church of San Lorenzo)
• 20.00 – Procession of San Lorenzo (Start from the church)
• 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. – Electronic DJ Beats (Calle Argumosa)
• 21.30 – Popular lemonade (Calle Olivar, 7)
• 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. – San Lorenzo Open (Calle Mesón de Paredes, 71 and 73)

Friday, August 11

• 18:00 to 22:00 – Petanque tournament for all ages (Calle Doctor Fourquet, 24)
• 19.30 – Puppet performance The Last Knight (Plaza Arturo Barea)
• 20.30 – Traditional performance A wedding in the Zarzuela (Plaza Arturo Barea)
• 21.00 to 1.00 – Dj Cubia-Afro Fusion (Calle Argumosa)
• 22.00 – Performance of Street Musicians from the Cendra Tribe (Plaza Arturo Barea)
• 23.30 – Tribute performance to Sabina of 500 Nights (Plaza Arturo Barea)
• 1.00 – DJ (Arturo Barea Square)

Saturday, August 12

• 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – 6th edition of Bolardo voy, bollardo vengo (Calle Amparo, Plaza Nelson Mandela, Calle Sombrerete and Calle Caravaca)
• 19.30 – Children’s performance Oscar, the elephant Marta and other bugs (Plaza Arturo Barea)
• 20.30 – Traditional performance A Madrid de zarzuela (Plaza Arturo Barea)
• 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. – DJ Dub Night (Calle Argumosa)
• 22.00 – Performance by the street musician Santa Bailanta (Plaza Arturo Barea)
• 23.30 – Performance by Ougun Afro Beat (Plaza Arturo Barea)
• 1.00 – DJ (Arturo Barea Square)

Festivities of the Virgen de la Paloma

Friday, August 11

• 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. – Chotis contest (Plaza Virgen de la Paloma)

Saturday, August 12

• 12:00 to 17:00 and 19:00 to 2:00 – Castizo Championship of mus
• 19.00 – Children’s workshop on painting fans (Plaza de la Paja)
• 19.30 – Traditional children’s costume contest (Plaza de la Paja)
• 20.00 – Children’s music (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 21.00 – Performance by the Association of Madrid People and Friends Los Castizos (Plaza de la Paja)
• 22.00 – Performance by the Madrid Pride Group (Plaza de la Paja)
• 23.00 – Performance by Manuel de Segura (Plaza de la Paja)
• 0.00 – Save the Virgin of the Dove (Plaza de la Paja)
• 0.15 – DJ Pakito (Plaza de la Paja)

Sunday, August 13

• 12:00 to 17:00 and 19:00 to 2:00 – Castizo Championship of mus
• 19.00 – Family performance The magician Pablo (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 19.00 – Circus performance from Daltonia (Plaza de la Paja)
• 19.30 – Skill contest: Drinking in a jug (Plaza de la Paja)
• 19.30 – Face painting and children’s music (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 20.00 – Fan contest (Plaza de la Paja)
• 20.00 – Castiza performance by the Association of Madrileños and Friends Los Castizos (Plaza de la Paja)
• 20.00 – Contest: The longest cry (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 9:00 pm – Traditional performance by Olga María Ramos (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 22.00 – Tribute performance to Hombres G from Voy a pasármelo G (Plaza de la Paja)
• 22.15 – Performance by Silvina Magari (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 23.30 – Star performance of La Pegatina (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 0.00 – Save the Virgin of the Dove (Plaza de la Paja)
• 0.30 – Performance by the street musician Mario Siles Quartet (Plaza de la Paja)
• 01.30 – DJ (Plaza de la Paja)
• 1.30 – DJ (Vistillas Gardens)

Monday, August 14

• 12:00 to 17:00 and 19:00 to 2:00 – Castizo Championship of mus
• 19.00 – Children’s concert Pez upside down (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 19.00 – Puppet performance Chiflín, Chiflán baker and bread (Plaza de la Paja)
• 19.30 – Face painting and children’s music (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 20.00 – Chotis contest (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 20.00 – Pasodoble Contest (Plaza de la Paja)
• 20.15 – Shawl contest (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 20.30 – Performance of the castiza group the Pride of Madrid (Plaza de la Paja)
• 20.40 – Tribute to María Rodríguez Soprano (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 9:00 p.m. – Performance by the traditional group De Madriz al Cielo (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 21.30 – Awards ceremony (Plaza de la Paja)
• 22.30 – Performance by Zenet (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 22.30 – Performance Attacked (Plaza de la Paja)
• 0.00 – Save the Virgin of the Dove (Plaza de la Paja)
• 0.15 – DJ (Plaza de la Paja)
• 0.30 – Performance by Juan Peña (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 2.00 – DJ (Vistillas Gardens)

Tuesday, August 15

• 12:00 to 17:00 and 19:00 to 2:00 – Castizo Championship of mus
• 12.30 – Floral offering to the Virgen de la Paloma (Facade of the La Salle-La Paloma school)
• 13.00 – Solemn mass (Church of the Virgen de la Paloma)
• 13.00 – Traditional entremés Come dance with us (Plaza de la Paja)
• 14.15 – Lowering of the painting of the Virgin by the picket line of the Madrid City Council Fire Brigade
• 19.30 – Children’s music and traditional games (Jardines de las Vistillas)
• 20.00 – Children’s Chotis (Plaza de la Paja)
• 20.00 – Procession of the Virgen de la Paloma (Start from the church)
• 22.15 – DJ Paquito (Plaza de la Paja)
• 0.00 – Save the Virgin of the Dove (Plaza de la Paja)
• 0.15 – DJ Paquito (Plaza de la Paja)

Full Programme Source: MadridUrbanVibes