Nothing is missing for the summer to begin, and with it endless parties throughout the Galician geography. And they say that in Galicia you can spend the summer from party to party without stopping for a single day. Talking about each and every one of the parties is impossible, but we are going to take into account the 10 festivals in Galicia not to be missed.
This list is very complicated, and we always have to leave behind some choices that we would like to include, and of course it will never be a list that everyone likes, but we have tried to capture the best known, not only at the Galician level. Pay attention, because here go the first five.
Rapas das Bestas by Sabucedo
This festival is celebrated the first weekend of July, in San Lourenzo de Sabucedo, in the municipality of A Estrada, Pontevedra. This rapa has been carried out in the same way for centuries, and the tradition has been maintained until the festival is turned into an event attended by hundreds of people. The horses gather in the nearby mountains and are taken directly to the gigs, loose, where the so-called 'alloitators' are in charge of confronting melee to pull the horse to the ground so that its mane can be cut. This process has been done for so long as a way to rid them of parasites and improve their hygiene, although today it has become quite a spectacle.
At the party three curros are held for which you have to buy a ticket. Saturday is at 19 and Sunday and Monday at 12 in the morning. Although this is the most striking thing, the truth is that the party becomes the typical Galician 'pilgrimage' in which there are orchestras, stalls to buy a little of everything and music and fun until dawn.
Arde Lucus in Lugo
The Arde Lucus is celebrated in mid-June, and for four days Lugo is completely dressed as a Roman villa. The large influx of people is incredible, and the large number of people who get into the role, hence it grows more and more in followers as one of the best parties in Galicia. The first edition was held in 2001, and it is made to commemorate the Roman past of the city, we must not forget that here are the famous Roman walls, a World Heritage Site.
In this party it is almost impossible to get bored, and there is many activities throughout the day. Military camps are organized in the inner area of the wall, by associations or groups, in which they must live as in the time and can also do activities. There are also Celtic weddings, an artisan market, the Roman circus with gladiator fights, battles, magic shows, costume contests and a long etcetera to be entertained all weekend.
Festivities of the Apostle in Santiago de Compostela
These festivals are celebrated during the second half of July, but the big days are July 24 and 25, with the 25th being a holiday throughout Galicia. If it coincides on Sunday, it is Compostela Year, keeping the Holy Door open at the back of the Cathedral. However, this circumstance will not occur until 2021. The night of July 24 is the most outstanding moment, since the famous fires in the Plaza del Obradoiro, in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. During these festivals there are also attractions in the Alameda area, and the streets of the old town fill with people enjoying the bars and nightclubs.
Albariño Festival in Cambados
The Albariño festival is celebrated the first weekend of August, and in it you can taste the wines of the many wineries in the area that make the famous albariño white wine. In these festivals there are many activities, from concerts to orchestras, in addition to the day of peñas, in which everyone goes with their shirts in groups. One of the traditions that can be seen every year is that of wearing the crystal goblet tied around the neck, a tradition that a peña invented, probably not to lose it.
Viking landing at Catoira
The Viking landing festival is celebrated in the town of Catoira, in Pontevedra. During these festivities you can enjoy the recreation of the landing of the Vikings on the Galician coasts, aboard the longship. Throughout the week you can see in the Torres do Oeste area a theatrical performance based on the Viking world, which is different every year. Sunday morning is when the landing takes place, with many people dressed as Vikings shouting, brandishing swords, hammers and other weapons made with greater or lesser skill and imagination, to amaze all the curious who crowd in this area in the River bank. A fun show that is usually filled with anecdotes.