Watching, playing and talking about sports is a national obsession in Spain and sports are enjoyed by people of all ages and from all walks of life, so it should come as no surprise to discover that there are also several festivals devoted to sports held in Spain throughout the year. Here is an overview of some of the biggest and best.
THE ARIZKUN CARNIVAL
Thousands of people flock to Arizkun in Navarra in the month of February to take part in this unusual sports festival. Around twenty bonfires are set up in various parts of Arizkun during this vibrant festival and people take turns in jumping over them. A reasonable amount of fitness and agility is needed in order to clear the bonfires and local people dress up in traditional costumes featuring special sheepskin coats and maypole-style hats throughout the event.
EL COLACHO
Also known as the baby jumping festival, this unique experience is held in June in Castrillo de Murcia. All the local babies that have been born during the previous year are laid onto mattresses during the festival and local people wearing colorful costumes line up to jump over the babies in order to ward off evil spirits and protect the babies from illness.
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF MUSIC AND DANCE
Dancing is one of the most popular sports in Spain and this Grenada festival is the perfect time to celebrate dance. A number of performances of Flamenco and other types of Spanish dances take place at this time and visitors are encouraged to join in the fun.
One of the great things about the main sports festivals in Spain is that they never fail to attract large crowds of people. These are times when audiences really let their hair down and have fun and visitors are sure to get swept up by the experience. The Spanish are very enthusiastic sports fans and have the desire to share their passion with visitors. Anyone who decides to visit a sports event or festival in Spain can be sure that they will have plenty of fun and an experience that they will never forget.