Cipotegato

The Cipotegato is a very old tradition of Tarazona, a province of Zaragoza, which is celebrated every August 27 with the purpose of paying tribute to Saint Atilano and whose protagonist is a multicolored harlequin that will make this festival a very special occasion.

What is the Cipotegato festival?

This picturesque and very fun party has a busy audience which gathers every year at the gates of the town hall of Tarazona to receive the presence of a unique character dressed in very colorful clothes, where the red, yellow and green color stand out in the middle of the great crowd. He also goes with his face covered with a mask and carries a stick with a ball, which are tied to a rope.

Once he makes his appearance before the people who wait for him impatiently, the Cipotegato, at the ringing of the bells at noon, must avoid the rain of tomatoes that begin to be thrown by the attendees, for this he needs to be escorted by the crews and others Cipotegatoswho get down a secret route.

The idea is that this singular character returns to the city square without having been stained by the rain of tomatoes and to climb the statue that has been designed for him. If he achieves this task, then he will receive as a reward the cheers of those present, who will finally carry him on their shoulders during the tour.

This original and fun festival is starred by men, however, in all its history only two women have staged such an interesting and fun character.

Throughout the celebration, you can enjoy a musical atmosphere and a lot of joy, which culminates with the descent to the square, where young and old participate cleaning the stains on the clothes and costumes of the attendees by throwing water from the balconies of their houses.

This event attracts both the residents of the place and visitors from the surrounding areas, it is an excellent opportunity to live and enjoy something that cannot be described in words because it is a unique experience, which is only lived once a year and deserves worth feeling it again.

Origin and legends around the character of the Cipotegato

In relation to the true origin of this tradition, until today it is unknown what originated such ansingular and striking celebration. However, there are some data that indicate that everything begins from the year 1704.

According to Javier Bona, a renowned historian, it is believed that this celebration is related to the "Pellexo de Gato", which was carried out to scare away the presence of children during the Corpus Christi procession, who used to sabotage the day by throwing tomatoes and "gallones".

On the other hand, there is the ancient legend of a king, who had the feat of throwing a tomato at a jester, who, offended by an unfortunate event, decided to cover his face with a mask that resembled the appearance of a cat.

It is also believed that the custom could be born when in the past a prisoner was granted freedom in exchange for people throwing vegetables at him and if he could get away well, he had the possibility of being released, otherwise, he ended up losing his life stoned by the crowds present in the streets.

What other things to see or do in the town of Tarazona?

There are many things you can do and see if you visit the town of Tarazona in Zaragoza, Spain. One place that will leave you pleasantly surprised is the Moncayo Natural Park, a true nature reserve.

You will also hallucinate seeing the Hanging Houses, a complete visual spectacle. Another unmissable place is the Historic Center of Tarazona. Here you can visit many places of interest, since it was declared a historical site and where you can see Mudejar architecture everywhere. Other emblematic buildings are the "Palacio Episcopal" or the "Plaza de Toros Vieja", declared as a Heritage of Cultural Interest.

What can you eat in Tarazona?

Regarding its gastronomy, Tarazona will offer you the most varied and appetizing dishes, the lamb being one of those that enjoy acceptance for its excellent flavor and high quality, as well as dishes made with poultry, ducks, turkeys and where they are obtained succulent stews, all this accompanied by the most exquisite wines from all over Spain.

The most popular dish in this region is called "rancho", also highlights the "migas".

And if it is about pastries, you cannot stop savoring the "roscón de San Blas", the "culeca de San Jorge" or the rich chorizo cake, a culinary delight to please the palate of the most demanding people.