When autumn makes an appearance, the landscapes change color, temperatures drop and the rain puddles leave reflections of trees that want to shed their leaves. It is a special season, in which we want to slow down and get a little closer to the aromas and flavors of the land. A time full of traditions, closely linked to the land and its cycles, and in which historically there has always been a lot to celebrate.
Throughout the Spanish geography, this evocative time gives rise to a large number of popular festivals that celebrate the very essence of autumn. From harvests and gastronomy, to history and ancestral beliefs, the country dresses up with festivities that allow you to enjoy the local culture, savor the typical products of the season and experience customs that have endured over the centuries. .
So if we travel a little to discover those rituals that revolve around nature, the fruits of the field and the most popular events, we will see that autumn is full of celebrations of all kinds. From the famous Chestnut Festival in Pujerra to the Orujo Festival in Potes, passing through the fascinating Samaín in Galicia or the festivities dedicated to mushrooms, we find a Spain that surrenders to the rhythm of autumn and invites us to be part of its traditions.
Chestnut Festival in Pujerra (Málaga)
In the heart of the Genal Valley, every year the small town of Pujerra pays tribute to the chestnut, one of the most important products of its local economy and culture. The Chestnut Festival, which coincides with the day of the municipality’s patron saint, the Virgin of Fátima, is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the tradition of roasting chestnuts over a fire, being able to taste more than 50 dishes made with them, accompanied by anise or brandy, to the rhythm of music and dances that liven up the celebration.
In addition, you can always take the opportunity to visit the exhibitions of traditional gear, clothing and utensils used in collecting chestnuts. It is usually celebrated at the beginning of November and has been considered a Provincial Tourist Singularity Festival since 2004.
Mycological Conferences in Navaleno (Soria)
Soria is a land of mushrooms, that is clear, and in the small town of Navaleno, less than 50 km from the capital, the Mycological Days are an event awaited and longed for by both amateurs and experts in mushroom collecting. Every year, in the height of autumn, these days offer workshops, concerts, routes through the pine forests and different tastings, with tapas competitions included.
During the days, which last two weeks between the end of October and the beginning of November, visitors can learn to identify different species of mushrooms and enjoy dishes cooked with fresh forest products, from traditional chanterelles to the coveted boletus.
Bean Fair in Tolosa (Gipuzkoa)
In the Guipuzcoan town of Tolosa, the bean is much more than a simple ingredient: it is a gastronomic jewel that has its own celebration. Every November, the Bean Fair, or Babarrun Festa, brings together producers and lovers of this legume to taste and pay tribute to the famous Tolosa bean, which stands out for its characteristic dark color and buttery texture.
At the fair, the best quality bean grain is named in the Producers’ Contest, a gastronomic contest is held for the best preparation and a great popular bean is celebrated. A complete gastronomic festival in which there is no shortage of folk music in the streets or regional costumes. So if you want to become an expert in Tolosa beans and discover the reason for their fame, you will not have a better opportunity than this.
Magosto in El Bierzo (León)
El Magosto is a tradition deeply rooted in the northwest of Spain and in the León region of El Bierzo it is lived with special intensity. It is an ancestral festival that marks the beginning of autumn, even related to ancient rites of gratitude to nature for the fruits of the earth, and is closely linked to the harvesting of the chestnut.
Groups of friends and families gather around bonfires to roast chestnuts, drink young wine and enjoy local products such as preñao buns, sausages and cheeses. The Magosto Berciano is one of the most emblematic of Castilla y León and is celebrated in countless towns, from Cacabelos to Carucedo, passing through Villadepalos, Ponferrada or San Esteban de Valdueza, among many other municipalities.
Saffron Fair in Consuegra (Toledo)
In the lands of La Mancha, October is harvest time for one of the most valuable spices in the world: saffron. In the town of Consuegra, this harvest is celebrated on the last weekend of October with the Saffron Fair, also known as Rosa del Saffrán. An event whose main objective is to publicize and promote the cultural essence of La Mancha through gastronomy, crafts, history and popular traditions.
At this festival, which has been celebrated since 1963 and has been declared of Regional Tourist Interest, visitors can participate in saffron demonstrations, themed guided tours, attend cooking competitions and taste traditional dishes where the spice is the main protagonist. The fair also includes theatrical performances and numerous popular activities, making Consuegra a good destination to get to know La Mancha in a more authentic way.
El Samaín, in Galicia
Samaín is one of the oldest festivities in Galicia, with roots dating back to the ancient Celts. The word Samaín comes from the Celtic word Samhain, which in Gaelic etymology means ‘end of summer’, or rather, the moment that marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. A pagan celebration that, in other places, can be understood as Halloween. It is celebrated, of course, on the night of October 31 to November 1.
In the municipality of Cedeira people live with special intensity, and it is said that this town from A Coruña recovered the Samaín to make it popular again in Galicia. Here it is celebrated with a mix of traditional and contemporary activities, with streets decorated with carved pumpkins and candles, horror houses, queimadas, makeup workshops and children dressing up. In addition, parades and events are held for all audiences. The most interesting thing is that Samaín is not simply a Galician version of Halloween, but a celebration with its own history, which symbolizes respect for ancestors and the transition between seasons.
Sant Ermengol Fair in La Seu d’Urgell (Lleida)
In the Pyrenees, in the beautiful town of La Seu d’Urgell, the Fira de Sant Ermengol is held, one of the oldest cheese fairs in Europe. This event, which takes place every October, is heaven for artisan cheese lovers. Catalan, Aragonese, Basque, Navarrese and French producers participate in it, as well as a guest cheese, and year after year it has established itself as a platform for the promotion, dissemination and external projection of cheeses made in the Pyrenees.
Here visitors can taste and buy a wide variety of cheeses, but also attend courses and workshops that seek to popularize and consolidate knowledge of this product. The fair is not only a showcase of the region’s gastronomic wealth, but also a cultural meeting with music, exhibitions and activities that show the roots of this tradition in the rural life of the Pyrenees. In fact, it also offers a section dedicated to livestock, where we find a sample of the most representative cattle and horses of Alt Urgell.
Pomace Festival in Potes (Cantabria)
The Fiesta del Orujo, which has been celebrated since 1984, is one of the most important events of autumn in Cantabria. Celebrated in the picturesque medieval town of Potes, in the heart of the Picos de Europa, this festival pays homage to pomace, that traditional distillate made from the skins of the grape that needs no introduction. During the second weekend in November, the streets of Potes are filled with stalls where you can taste this very traditional liquor, as well as enjoy folk performances, parades and live distillation demonstrations.
Declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest in 2012, the Orujo Festival is a celebration of the cultural and gastronomic heritage of the Liébana region, so there is no shortage of typical products and recipes from the area such as cocido lebaniego, borono with apple or Picón cheese.
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