Festivities in honour of the Virgen del Pilar and San Miguel Arcángel de Calanda

Festivities in honour of the Virgen del Pilar and San Miguel Arcángel de Calanda
It celebrates: From 11th October to 15th October
Place: Calanda (Teruel)
Category: Religious
Popularity: (**) 2/5
Ideal for children
Organize: Calanda City Council
Tags:
ParadesProcessionsUrban
Reading time: 2 minutes and a half

The Fiestas in honour of the Virgen del Pilar and San Miguel Arcángel are celebrated around the 12th and 13th of October and usually last four or five days.

The last Saturday of September or the first Saturday of October is the prelude to the Presentation of the Queens of the Fiestas and the Maintainer of the Fiestas, who is the person who gives the proclamation of the fiestas.

What are you going to experience during the fiestas of El Pilar de Calanda?

The most important events of the fiestas are the traditional ones: offering of flowers to the Virgen del Pilar, procession of the Virgin and Miguel Pellicer (both on the 12th), Rosary procession (13th) and offering of fruits to the Virgin (11th), apart from the traditional rosary of the Aurora on the 12th of October.

Non-religious events include (apart from the presentation of the Queens) the chupinazo on the first day of the fiestas, the parade of floats, the Festival de Jotas, the Ronda Jotera through the streets of the town, the fireworks, the popular meal on the last day of the fiestas and also the Bullfight on the Day of El Pilar, one of the most prestigious in the province.

All this is rounded off with open-air dances, an orchestra, a disco, a variety show, competitions, charanga tours and shows for children and the elderly.

Origin of the fiestas of Calanda

The origin of the Fiestas del Pilar de Calanda lies in the tradition of the Miracle of Calanda, by which the Virgen del Pilar replaced the amputated leg of the Calanda devotee Miguel Pellicer in 1640. In the past, in the days leading up to the fiestas of El Pilar, the commercial fair of San Miguel, co-patron saint of the town, was held.

Delicacies from Calanda: peaches, olive oil and more

The name of Calanda is linked to the peach, a product that is grown in its orchards and whose maximum exponent is the late variety (September-October), which is protected by a Denomination of Origin.

This product undergoes a long cultivation process, eliminating the excess when the fruit is green so that the remaining fruit is larger. To protect it, they are bagged one by one in paper bags on the tree, which gives them a uniform colour and avoids the excessive use of pesticides.

It is a sweet fruit, with tight flesh, considerable size and yellow skin. It is one of the most appreciated peaches on the market. They can be eaten fresh in season, but also canned, in syrup, with wine or dried (dried apricots).

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is also very important, as Calanda is part of the Designation of Origin of Aceite del Bajo Aragón. The main variety is the empeltre, which gives an oil with a golden colour, delicate aroma and fruity flavour.

Other olive derivatives are also typical, such as pâté and black olives from Aragon.

Finally, some farmers in Calanda produce the famous Ternasco de Aragón, lamb of the "rasa aragonesa" or ojinegra breed, which produces high quality meat.

Some typical dishes from Calanda are "perolicos de huerta", with summer vegetables from the Calanda market garden (to which snails are usually added), or "asadores", which consist of roasts of meat (it can be veal, chicken, rabbit, skewers... but also varied) with abundant vegetables and which used to be made in the local bread ovens.

Pastries are plentiful, both savoury, such as pepper and tuna or ham or potato and cod cakes; but also sweet, such as "tortas de alma" (angel hair cakes) or "brazo de gitano" (a pastry made in the local bakeries).

Upcoming festivals

Rapa Das Bestas

From 1st July to 4th July
Estrada, A (Pontevedra)
Rapa Das Bestas
We invite you to discover an ancestral tradition in Sabucedo (Pontevedra) called Rapa Das Bestas, which consists of cutting the manes of wild horses and is celebrated from 1 to 4 July 2022.

The San Fermines

From 6th July to 14th July
Pamplona/Iruña (Navarra)
The San Fermines
The festival of San Fermin is a celebration of great tourist interest that mobilizes all of Spain and takes place every year in Pamplona, Navarra and where the traditional celebration begins with the launch of the so-called 'Chupinazo' from the balcony of the town hall.

Caracolá Lebrijana

From 6th July to 15th July
Lebrija (Sevilla)
One of the most important flamenco festivals in the entire Spanish territory, the Caracolá Lebrijana, has been attended by countless artists such as Juan Peña 'El Lebrijano', Curro Malena, Camarón, among others. Every year, the figure of one of them is recognized for their key role in flamenco culture.

Cider Festival of Nava

From 7th July to 9th July
Nava (Asturias)
An iconic celebration honoring this beverage. With concerts, cider tastings, and notable events like the Escanciadores Contest, it attracts thousands of people each year. An unmissable experience for cider lovers.

International Festival of Ortigueira

From 9th July to 16th July
Ortigueira (Coruña)
Known internationally, it attracts crowds with its seaside stage, concerts by renowned artists, and vibrant festive atmosphere. An unforgettable experience on the magical Galician coast.

Festivals this weekend

The weirdest and strangest popular festivals

Festivals categories

Themes

Most searched

Older festivals

The San Fermines

From 6th July to 14th July
Pamplona/Iruña (Navarra)
Since XII century

Most recent festivals