Festival of San Fermín

Origins and history

The festival grew out of two medieval gatherings in Pamplona. Commercial fairs held at the start of summer brought cattle dealers into town, which led to organized bullfighting from the fourteenth century. Meanwhile, church services honouring Saint Fermín were held in October. In 1591, city leaders moved the religious feast to 7 July so it would share better weather with the commercial fair. Bull running developed during the seventeenth century, followed later by the creation of giant parade figures in the nineteenth century. Global awareness surged after Ernest Hemingway described his visits during the nineteen twenties in his reporting and fiction.

The running of the bulls

Each morning from 7 to 14 July at eight o'clock, six fighting bulls and accompanying oxen are released through the narrow streets of old Pamplona. Before the run begins, participants gather in front of a small statue of the saint to sing a prayer for guidance and safety in both Spanish and Basque. A firecracker signals the opening of the corral gates, and runners sprint along an 825-metre route leading into the bullring. Additional fireworks mark when the bulls enter the arena and when all animals are safely inside the pens.

Parades and ceremonies

The fiesta opens at noon on 6 July with the chupinazo, a rocket launched from the balcony of the city hall into a crowded square. On 7 July, a grand procession escorts a fifteenth-century statue of Saint Fermín through the old quarter alongside dancers, giant figures, and civic officials, accompanied by cathedral bells and traditional songs. Daily morning parades feature eight towering wood-and-paper figures built in 1860, representing royal couples from four continents, accompanied by masked caricatures known as big-heads and kilikis that chase playfully through the streets.

Sports, noise and farewell

Daily festivities include Basque rural sports such as stone lifting, wood chopping, and hay bale hoisting, as well as jai alai matches in local courts. Late at night, people gather for the Struendo, making loud noise with drums, whistles, and pots. Every evening concludes with fireworks over the citadel park. At midnight on 14 July, crowds assemble in the main square holding lit candles and removing their red scarves. Together, they sing the mournful farewell song Pobre de mí, concluding the celebration until the following summer.

How Festival of San Fermín is kept

The festivities begin at noon on 6 July when a rocket is launched from the town hall. Each morning brings the running of the fighting bulls through the historic streets, followed by Basque rural sports exhibitions and parades of towering papier-mâché giants. In the afternoons, bullfights take place in the arena, while fireworks illuminate the citadel every night. On 7 July, the community escorts the statue of Saint Fermín in a solemn procession. The festival concludes at midnight on 14 July, when participants take off their red scarves, light candles, and sing a traditional closing lament.

When and where

The festival takes place every year from 6 July to 14 July. It begins precisely at 12:00 noon on 6 July and ends at midnight on 14 July.

San Fermín is celebrated in the city of Pamplona, located in the autonomous community of Navarre in northern Spain. Events unfold across the historic city centre, the municipal bullring, and the citadel park.

What Festival of San Fermín means

The festival honours Saint Fermín, a third-century martyr and bishop remembered as the co-patron of Navarre. For the community of Pamplona, the celebration combines deep religious devotion with shared civic pride. Chanting to the saint before each bull run expresses a communal plea for guidance and protection, while the final candlelit song captures both collective mourning for the festival's end and anticipation for the coming year.

Days Festival of San Fermín is marked

Questions people ask about Festival of San Fermín

See also

HalloweenAn annual observance on 31 October marking the eve of All Saints' Day, rooted in Christian tradition and Celtic heritageOur Lady of GuadalupeA Mexican devotion to Mary, with a feast on 12 December and an image kept on a cloakTapasSmall Spanish snacks or appetizers served hot or cold, often shared among friends.

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• Bull kills man at Pamplona festivalThe Guardian, Article
• Bull kills man at Pamplona festivalThe Guardian, Article

• Festival of San Fermín on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.