The Sanfermines are special; they are Spain’s biggest festivities and are known worldwide. During these days the whole country forgets about their economic, social and political struggles, to concentrate on the famous bull running and to celebrate, dressed in red and white, in honor of  San Fermin. Who was beheaded because of his faith and is now considered a martyr of the Roman Catholic Church.

The festivities began in the Middle Ages, but have become world famous in the 20th century, thanks to a very well-known American writer called: Ernest Hemingway. These religious festivities, which honor San Fermin, take place in the city of Pamplona, capital of Navarre. In the past the festivity was celebrated on October 10, but the locals decided to move it to July because of the bad weather in fall.

San Fermin occurs 6-14 of July; the festivity starts with the famous “Chupinazo” in which rockets are launched from the balcony city hall, and end on 14 July at midnight with and astonishing candle lit ceremony and the singing of the “Pobre de Mí,” in which they sing these words: “Poor me, poor me, for the fiesta of San Fermín has come to a close.”

Bulls are one of the Sanfermines most important characters. Every morning at 8 a.m. the bulls and the runners come together for the Encierro, which starts at the Corral on Santo Domingo Street. When the clock of the nearby San Cernin church announces its 8 a.m., two rockets are launched and the bulls are released and start chasing the runners for almost a kilometer, until they arrive at the bullring.

Ernst Hemingway, writer of the Old Man and the Sea, in 1923 experienced the Sanfermines for the first time, and they seem to have made a good impression on him, because he came back several times. Hemingway also wrote a serious of articles related to the festivity, and even a novel which takes place during the Sanfermines called The  Sun Also Rises, which helped to make the Sanfermines worldwide renowned.

Fireworks are another attraction during the Sanfermines, every night of the festivity at 11 p.m. people gather around the old citadel of Pamplona, to enjoy the unique spectacle for half an hour. Since 2000 a firework competition takes place, with a jury and prizes, to see which firework firm does the best show.

The Sanfermines offer a lot of more attractions, it is a well-known fact that almost 1,000,000 people assist each year, it involves, besides the fireworks and the bulls, many traditional and folkloric events. The biggest day in the Sanfermines is 7 July, when thousands of people gather to accompany a replica of the Statue of San Fermin along the streets of the old part of the city. The statue of the saint is very well escorted by dancers and the famous Gigantes (giants). The Sanfermines are a celebration you should not miss if you have the opportunity to attend.

Image Courtesy of  Revelados.Info / Shutterstock.com

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The San Fermin Festival is kicking into gear these days in Pamplona, Spain. The running of the bulls began this morning July 7 at precisely 8AM in and the run had duration of exactly 2:37 minutes, where the bulls maintained a stable rhythm and stuck together the majority of the time, leaving no incidents behind.

People dressed in white and red covered the streets of the old town. Some had waken up early to watch the Encierro, but others arrived straight from the night-long party to the streets without a since hour of sleep. Many people where waiting impatiently behind the wooden barriers that are put in place every year by the city council in order to create a path for the bulls to run while keeping the spectators who will be watching protected.

In the meantime, the runners were waiting with anticipation for the gates to open and the race to begin.

The encierro began when a second firework rocket was released into the sky, its explosion notifying the runners that the gate to the bulls had been opened.

The run path has a length of 848,6 meters. Starting from the Santo Domingo Street, following the City Hall Plaza, the Mercaderes Street, then passing the known and dangerous curve of the Estafeta Street, and finally the Plaza.

The firework rockets are the official signaling that announces the location of the bulls. The first one is fired when the clock hits 8AM precisely – the second one when the bulls gate is opened and the third indicates that all the bulls have entered the Plaza. The fourth and last rocket notifies that all of the bulls are inside the corrals of the Plaza.

The first running of the bulls was pretty calm. There were the usual people that slipped and where pushed but there were no major incidents. The six bulls stayed together throughout the path and in the famous curve of the Estafeta Street, where the bulls always crush to the walls because they are not able to turn that quickly – this year, they had no problem thanks to the application of anti-sliding material on the street floor.

Video: San Fermin 2011 First Running of the Bulls

Tomorrow, the second encierro starts at its usual time 8am. I will recommend you to watch it live, and experience all the adrenaline that the encierros always provide.

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This is what we’ve been waiting for – San Fermines 2011! One of the most expected events of the year in Spain has just begun in the capital city of Navarre in the North. For those of you who are wondering what the San Fermín Festival is about – let me tell you a bit about what the festivities offers, and why this event attracts the attention of people from all parts of the world. For the ones who are already in Pamplona enjoying the party, I just wish you the best time!

The first day of San Fermines brings up a lot of excitement and anticipation. The calm city with around 200,000 habitants during the year turns up and down welcoming thousands of tourists, and increasing the population to one million of people from all parts of the world who have come to Pamplona to enjoy the San Fermines.

Every year, the San Fermines start on the 6th of July. It takes place in a city on the North of Spain, in the Province of Navarre, called Pamplona. It starts with an event called “Txupinazo” exactly at midday where all the people gather in front of the city hall, and wait for the mayor to give out a speech and start the San Fermines.

At that precise moment all the people who are dress entirely in white, tie their handkerchiefs on their necks and begin to celebrate spoiling wine, sangria, water among themselves, and spread it among the people. The white color of the clothes acquire a purplish tone, and everyone soaked and smelling like wine, head up to the streets of the city center in order to find any bar or restaurant which have adequate the locals taking all the tables and chairs to have enough space for the people to dance and enjoy.

One of the most interesting and dangerous events of San Fermines is the running of the bulls, known as “encierros”.

Tomorrow the first encierro will begin at 8:00 a.m.  Each year, the encierros begin every morning starting July 7 at 8am and eventually finish July 14.

The bulls will be released and will start running through the old town’s streets for around 3 minutes until they reach the Plaza T.

The festivity ends every 14th of July at 24 hours, where people gather again in front of the city hall and light candles and sing a good bye song known as the “Pobre de mi”.

The Txupinazo is about to start and here is the program for today’s first day:

12:00 The Txupinazo. City Hall, there will be huge screens around the city to transmit the Txupinazo directly, for all the ones who cannot make it to the City Hall.

13:30 Folkloric Festival.

Afternoon:

16.30 Riau-riau. In the Cityhall Plaza

17.00 Gigantes y Cabezudos. This is an unusual and fun parade where the figures are called “Giants and Heady” by being really large in size and dimensions. The parade goes all around the Old Town.

18.00 Attractions for kids.

20.00 Vísperas Solemnes de San Fermín. In the San Fermin Chapel. An Orquesta known as the Sinfonic Orquesta of Navarre.

20.00 Terraza Rock & Wine. Funk Fatale vs. Göo!! And Dj.

Night

20.30 Caiman Show Orchestra until 23.00 hours.

20.30 Sinfonic Orchestra of the Valencian Comunity of Navarre.

22.00 Bull of Fire at The Plaza de Santiago.

23.00 Fire Works, at the Ciudadela Park.

23.30 Concert at the Plaza de los Fueros: Def con Dos y Arima Suta.

23.30 Vervain. Plaza de la Cruz. Orchestra Camaleón

00.00 Plaza del Castillo, Concert Iguana Tango.

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