ASTURIAN FIESTAS: 

 Each Asturian locality celebrates  fiestas in honor of its patron saint.  These fiestas are a combination of secular and religious activities that serve to reinforce local identity as well as a sense of community while at the same time providing a series of entertainment activities, concerts, parades, arts and crafts markets and gastronomic events. Most of these take place in the summer,  from June to September.  Below are some of the most notable that take place during this time in locations easily accessible from Oviedo.  For more information on festivities held in Oviedo throught the year click here:

  • Fiesta de San Pedro (end of June) in the fishing village of Cudillero
  • El Carmin” (Monday after July 16th  in Pola de Siero): the most popular romeria in Asturias  ( a romeria is a typical Spanish celebration that includes pilgrimage to a chapel in honor of a patron saint/virgin  followed by a community music, dance  and country picnic )
  • “Fiestas de la Virgen del Carmen” patron saint of fishermen, celebrated in several coastal villages on the weekend around July 16  (Salinas, Luanco, Lastres)
  • Fiestas de Begoña (the week of August 15 in Gijon) A week long fiesta that includes bull fights, concerts, fairs and fireworks)
  • San Agustin: (last two weeks in August in Avilés) concerts, cattle fair, beer festival, popular music and dance festival, medieval market and much more.
  • Dia de Asturias,  Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de Covadonga, September 8.  patron saint of Asturias, celebrated all over the region.
  • San Mateo (two weeks of festivities around September 21 in Oviedo.   outdoor food and beverage stalls, musical and dance events, parade in honor of the Americas (Dia de America en Asturias)  and much more!  

Other Fiestas/Festivals of Interest

  • Carnaval (Aviles, Gijon and Oviedo, varies by year and takes place the week before Lent)
  • Semana Santa in Avilés:  Activities in Aviles are the best known and offer an opportunity to experience Holy week without all the commotion associated with its celebration in Andalucia.   Two other special festivities associated with Holy week are:
    • Fiesta del Bollo (Easter Monday in Avilés).  On this day godparents exchange gifts. Godparents give their godchild  El Bollo (a typical 3 tired cake) and receive from them  “el ramo” (palm branch) from the Palm Sunday religious service.  The fiesta includes a multitudinal “Comida en la Calle” where the streets are filled with tables where community members have their lunch.  Free chorizo rolls are distributed This is complemented with arts and crafts markets, bagpipers, folk dancers and children parading in traditional dress
    •   Fiesta de los Huevos Pintos: ( The Tuesday following Easter Monday in Pola de Siero) “Painted egg”  fiesta,  Eggs painted with colorful motivs and typical Asturian themes are exhibited, sold and given away.  There are markets, concerts, dance performances, gastronomical treats.
    • Feria de la Ascención  de Oviedo:  takes place around Ascención  (40 days after Easter Sunday in May or June),  pays homage to Asturian  rural life with markets and exhibitions of traiditional lifestock fair, foods, crafts, sports, folklore, music and dance.
    • Interceltic Festival  Avilés:  brings performers from all over the Celtic World July 16-21.  The 2012 edition features concerts by Carlos Nuñez (Galicia) Gwennyn (?) Fred Morrison (Scotland), La Bottine Sourinante (Quebec) Dan Ar Braz (Brittany)
    • Semana Negra:  (July 6-15 in Gijón) A festival orginally  specialized in “who dunit” literature, now covers other genres as well (comics, science fiction).  The festival also includes concerts and other events.
    • Festival Internacional de Cine de Gijon  (50th Edition) 16-24 November , 2012
    • Festival de la Sidra Natural in Nava (July 6-8)

OVIEDO ES MÚSICA / OVIEDO IS MUSIC                

Oviedo has a very rich musical life, so much so that they often say “Oviedo es música”.  There are numerous and regular music offerings throughout the year but particularly in autumn and spring.  During the summer the musical offering is part of the summer festive calendar.

  • Opera: The Oviedo Opera celebrates its 69th season this year.  It is normally held from mid September to early February. 
  •  Zarzuela (Spanish operetta) the Oviedo Festival of Lyric Theater is held in the spring from March to June.
  • Classical Music: concerts held at the Principe de Asturias Auditorium in autumn and spring
  • Piano:  “Jornadas de Piano” are held every autumn and spring
  • Música Sacra held in November and December
  • Jazz:  “Jazz in Oviedo” held yearly from March to December
  • Other Music concerts:  Music from the XXI Century (Music from the World (Flamenco, Pop-Rock, Jazz, Soul, Swing, Ethnic, etc) Months: March, April & May.
  • Traditional Asturian Music & Dance:  Concurso y Muestra de Folclore Ciudad de Oviedo is an Asturian folklore contest that celebrated its 20th edition in 2011. Every week groups and single performers compete in tradicional music, song and dance from late October to April each year.
  • Singing Nuns:  Oviedo’s singing nuns, “Las Pelayas” are a small community of Benedictine nuns who  have recorded several CDs of Gregorian chant. Although they  perform Gregorian only  on special occasions, you can hear them sing Mass daily at vespers (evening) and mautines (morning) services a the church of the Monasterio de San Pelayo every day of the year.