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What's on in Spain: June 2016

Shwetali Sapte
Shwetali Sapte - [email protected]
What's on in Spain: June 2016
The Battle of Wine festival. Photo: AFP

Spaniards celebrate the arrival of summer with a month of festivals, concerts, and fairs.

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Festivals

Corpus Christi and Pilgrimage of San Isidro, La Orotava, June 2nd-5th

corpus christi and pilgrimage of san isidro
The pilgrimage of San Isidro in the streets of La Orotova. Photo: todotenerife.es.

In this pilgrimage that dates back to the 19th century, believers carry figures of La Orotava’s patron saints alongside folk singers and agricultural carts. During the first weekend of June, this beautiful town in Tenerife - one of Spain's Canary Islands - is filled with music and colour.

Las Móndidas Festival, San Pedro Manrique, June 23rd

las mondidas festival
Las Móndidas Festival. Photo: sorianitelaimaginas.com

Despite its mysteriously unknown origins, this festival takes place every year on midsummer night’s eve (June 23). Approximately a dozen young men are chosen to walk barefoot across the live coals of a bonfire lit with 2,000 kilograms of oak wood.

Bonfires of San Juan, across Spain, June 20th-24th

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A crowd sitting around a bonfire in San Juan. Photo: Contando Estrelas/Flickr.

This festival celebrates the beginning of summer with music, huge bonfires, and spectacular firework displays.Different towns celebrate in different ways but look out for folklore parades, dance troupes, and tents that serve as public dance floors.

Batalla del Vino (The Battle of Wine), Haro, June 29th

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The Battle of Wine festival. Photo: AFP

A unique fiesta in Haro, La Rioja, a Spanish province world-famous for its wines. Two sides fight a peaceful battle by dousing each other with litres upon litres of wine. 

Culture

Madrid Book Fair, Madrid, May 27th-June 12th

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Books for sale at the Madrid book fair. Photo: Alyssa/Flickr.

Since 1933, this fair has been a delight for book lovers across Spain. It offers a chance to meet your favourite authors, buy books at discounted prices, and discover new literature in stalls set up in Madrid's Retiro park.

Bosch: The 5th Centenary Exhibition, Madrid, May 31st-September 11th

The Prado is commemorating the 500th anniversary of the death of Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch with a comprehensive exhibition. It features some of his most exceptional paintings – including The Triptych of the Temptations of Saint Anthony – and others on loan from leading museums such as the Louvre.

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Part of the Last Judgment, a 1450 painting by Bosch. Photo: rocor/Flickr.

Music

Primavera Sound, Barcelona, June 1st-5th

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Primavera Sound music festival. Photo: nvivo.es, 5gig/Flickr.

This music festival features an impressively diverse line-up, with performances by electronic, punk, Spanish, and international bands.

Sónar Music Festival, Barcelona, June 16th-18th

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Sónar music festival. Photo: Adriagarcia/Flickr.

Popular among progressive and electronic music lovers, this festival has a range of events: concerts, DJ sessions, conferences, exhibitions, audio-visual projections, a media library, and a professional fair.

Sport

Catalonia Grand Prix, Barcelona, June 3rd-5th

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A race at the Catalunya Grand Prix. Photo: antarc/Flickr.

This motorcycle grand prix is a point-scoring event for the World Championship. 

Food

Madreat Street Food Market, Madrid, June 18th-19th

madreat food market
A food cart at the Madreat food market. Photo: undeklinable/Flickr.

Madreat is a street food market featuring nearly 100 food vendors and a range of cuisines from Lebanese and Italian to Peruvian and Indian. It is held for one weekend each month from March through July. For updated information on the dates, check out the website. 

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