Does anyone know of a small town that has a harvest festival and bullfight in late summer? I'm looking for a small-town experience, something like what Pamplona would have been around the turn of the century, before Hemingway. When I was in Spain a couple of summers ago, I saw a cartel advertising exactly such a thing, but I forgot the name of the town, although I would think in Spain there are probably plenty of such ferias. I was told that the locals away from Madrid are very hospitable when they have American visitors, as they are not so inured to us as their Madrid cousins may be. Any suggestions? -OhMike

He , near Madrid (about 20 kms ) there is a small town :"San Sebastian de los Reyes" that have one similar to Pamplona: I think is about end of September(but I am not sure exactly)

When I was a child I went to this “ capea ” in mid September.
It's 2 hours north-west of Sevilla and 5 hours south west of Madrid.

There are ferias in Fuentesauco the first week of July. There is a bullfight and an encierro as well. Two years ago they inauguerated their new bullring and I saw El Juli and Finito de Cordoba there. I was surprised as the town itself is quite small.
http://www.pueblos-espana.org/castilla+y+leon/zamora/fuentesauco/

K. Sanchez

ABP, Vicente2, and SalaChic, thank you all. The information you provided regarding small town ferias was terrific. Now, of course, my problem is how to visit ALL of them because they all sound wonderful. I better win El Gordo soon so I will have the time and money to do all the great things there are to do in Spain. Thanks again. -OhMike

Just another!! I would highly recommend visiting Chinchon http://www.madrid.org/economia/tematico/con_mad/pdf/ingles/comunidad_chinchon_ingles.PDF
The community festival week is in mid-august. It's an easy drive, great food, ..... check out the link.

Akordish, the town of Chinchon sounds pefect. I am really going to have to win El Gordo. There are just too many great places to visit. I don't know how I will ever make it to all of them--but it is worth trying. -OhMike

Last summer we caught the feria in Constantina, about an hour north of Sevilla. Very cool small town feria, with beautiful dresses and caballeros. The bull ring is right next to the fiesta and we watched the matador, other bull fighter types and horses enter the ring. I have friends in Sevilla that love to go to this one. A quick google search said that it is Aug 28 to 31, 2003.

The fiestas of the north are very different ot those from the south. If you want to see the bulls, San Sebastian de los Reyes or Leganés will be great but the spirit of the fiesta is much different from the one in Pamplona (I mean the music (charangas), etc..
I think some towns of Segovia, Soria, Teruel or País Vasco could look like more like Pamplona..

Mike-
You may want to do a search on "Olite". I posted quite a bit last fall on my trip in September to this beautiful gothic town 45 minutes from Pamplona. They have a festival in September that lasts a week and it was incredible!