Medina del Campo Festivities
At the beginning of October Medina del Campo holds its traditional running of the bulls, a festival that has been declared of tourist interest to Castilla y León. The fact that such bullfighting festivals have their roots in antiquity, possibly as far back as the 16th century, is a perfect excuse for the annual outpouring of energy that the 20,000 people who visit the festival bring to the town during such fairs. This particular one coincides with the fairs celebrated in honour of San Antolín.
The running of the bulls, which takes place on horseback and on foot, as well as in the countryside and in the very heart of the town, have come to embody the very essence of popular tradition in this town. In fact, there are numerous clubs of bullfighting enthusiasts and even an association that is in charge of organising the festivities. Each session can last more than an hour in the countryside and approximately half an hour when brought to the town itself.
The Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Medina del Campo in one of the oldest festivals of processions of discipline in Spain. The processions were instituted in the 15th century by the Dominican San Vicente Ferrer, and this village was the first to have the image of the Pasión de Cristo in its processions.
The festivities start with the Procesión de la Virgen de las Angustias, on Viernes de Dolores (Pain Friday), and end on Resurrection Sunday with a procession that includes all the fraternities and the image of Cristo Resucitado (Christ resurrected). During the week other notable processions include "La Procesión de la Caridad", "La Procesión de la Vera Cruz", "La Procesión del Encuentro", and "La Procesión del Silencio".
Valladolid guide