The running of the bulls is the main attraction in this famous celebration that turns Pamplona into one non-stop fiesta.
By Luis Cuesta – SOL y SOMBRA.
The running of the bulls is the main attraction in this famous celebration that turns Pamplona into one non-stop fiesta.
The city of Pamplona is world famous thanks to its San Fermín fiestas. Thousands of people come every year to experience the risk and excitement of the popular running of the bulls, immortalised by Ernest Hemingway in his novel Fiesta. For nine days, Pamplona residents and visitors alike, dressed typically in red and white, get carried away by the continuous festive spirit that invades the streets.
San Fermín starts 6 July at midday. At that moment the chupinazo is launched from the balcony of the town hall. It is a rocket that marks the official start of the fiesta, causing an outburst of joy amidst the crowd gathered in the square. The first running of the bulls is held the following day: at 8am sharp the doors of the Santo Domingo corral are opened, and hundreds of people run in front of the bulls on their route through the old town to the bullring.
This brief yet intense race is repeated every day 7-14 July. It covers 825 metres and lasts barely three minutes. The launching of rockets indicates the different parts of the race to participants: the first rocket signals the opening of the corral gates; the second means that all the bulls are out; the third, this one in the square, marks the entrance of the bulls into the ring; the fourth means they are in the bullpen and that the race is over. One of the most exciting moments happens a few minutes before the start of the running of the bulls, when runners entrust themselves to San Fermín, singing three times in front of a small statue on Cuesta de Santo Domingo Street.
Furthermore, every morning during the fiestas there is a parade of “giants and big-heads” through the centre of the city, for the little ones to enjoy. The festive programme also includes open-air celebrations, concerts, dance exhibitions and, of course, bullfights. They tend to be lively events, as organised groups of bullfighting fans pack the stands. San Fermín finishes 14th July at midnight, when the crowds make their way to the Town Hall Square and, with candles alight, sing “Pobre de mí”, to bid farewell to the fiesta until the following year.
Here is a list of what day these dates fall on in 2019 and the general focus of each day:
Thursday, July 5, 2019: Arrival day for those who want to see the opening ceremony the next day
Friday, July 6, 2019: Opening ceremonies begin at Noon on Plaza Consistorial (be on a balcony by 10:00 a.m. if you want to see it), today is the only day of the Rejones bullfight (matador on horseback) at 6:30 p.m. Big arrival day for Europeans traveling in for the weekend.
Saturday, July 7, 2019: First Pamplona bull run at 8:00 a.m. (be on a balcony by 7am if you want to see it), Procession of San Fermin at 10:00 a.m., first traditional bullfight in the Plaza de Toros at 6:30 p.m. Very crowded day at the bull run due to it being the first run, and Europeans come in for the weekends.
Sunday, July 8, 2019: Daily bull runs and bullfights continue. Also crowded during the bull run due to weekenders participating from Europe.
Monday, July 9, 2019: Daily bull run and bullfights continue. Prices drop significantly after weekend rush.
Tuesday, July 10, 2019: Beginning of mid-fiesta period with less crowding during the running of the bulls.
Wednesday, July 11, 2019: Daily Pamplona bull run and bullfights continue.
Thursday, July 12, 2019: Closing days of the Fiestas de San Fermin begin. Daily bull run and bullfights continue.
Friday, July 13, 2019: Bull running and Pamplona bullfights continue.
Saturday, July 14, 2019: Final day of the festival. Pobre de Mi Closing Ceremony occurs at Midnight in Plaza Consistorial (be on a balcony by 10:30pm if you want to see it from above).
Sunday, July 15, 2019: Departure day for people who watch the Closing Ceremonies of the San Fermin Festival.
For a detailed schedule of daily events at the San Fermin Festival and the Pamplona Running of the Bulls, go to our page www.desolysombra.com
How dangerous is the Pamplona Bull Run?
Injuries, and even deaths, are common at the annual festival and there have been around 15 recorded deaths since its inception in 1924.
In 2017 three people were gored on the first day of Spain’s famous Pamplona festival – including one man who was impaled through the testicles.
The year 2015 was particularly bloody, with ten people, including four Americans, being gored as they raced through the streets.
The next year a 29-year-old man was gored to death during the annual event.
American novelist Ernest Hemingway famously described the Spanish fiesta in his 1926 booked The Sun Also Rises.
Twitter @LuisCuesta_