If anybody gets a chance to go to a romeria while they are in Spain, you can be assured of a great day. It was our village's romeria yesterday, Mayday and I'm still recovering as I write this!

The day started with rockets going off at regular intervals early morning, then a solemn mass was held at the local church and afterwards in procession the villagers followed, many on horseback, the saint's statue, which is on a cart sometimes pulled by an ox, but this year was motor driven, gaily decorated all the same.

The romeria ground was beside the dried up river, a couple of kilometres outside the village and stalls had been set up, selling hats to keep off the sun, food for anyone who hadn't brought their own and a bar, which was busy all day long.

Our particular party, about 30 in total, had been arranged at the crack of dawn when we moved in to claim our spot, not far from the stage and we set everything up, to return later. We had a never ending supply of cold beer and red wine to keep us going for the six hours or so that we were there. We cooked a big paella and built a pit with a grill on top to barbecue. This was typical of parties all along the riverside.

The music started and the dancing began in ernest once the wine had been flowing a while. They band played rumbas and salsa. Sevillanas and pasa dobles. EVERYBODY enjoyed themselves immensely. You can't fail to! Finally, at the end of the day people packed everything up and that was that for another year. Exhausting, everybody stuffed full of food and without exception the worse for wear (VERY happy!) after the copious amount of alcohol which goes with these occasions.

I don't know if this is just an Andalucian thing. Normally they take place the week before the local feria. The San Miguel (aptly named!) romeria at Torremolinos attracts about 100.000 people, I believe, possible a lot more. Ours was very pleasant and more intimate with several hundred. If anyone is on holiday here and sees one advertised, join in. I promise you won't regret it!

I guess one of the best (and most well known) is El Rocio (AKA la Feria del Campo) that happens each year around Pentecost Sunday. My wife's sister-in-law travels there (the Province of Huelva) from Madrid each year to participate. She belongs to a ladies group that gets together each week in Madrid to dance Sevillanas and to teach that dance to the younger girls (daughters, etc.) I asked her for the dates of the Feria and she replied that it depends on when Pentecost Sunday is.
BTW
That's June 2nd this year, so it's not too late to make plans. It should 'dovetail' nicely with the Jerez horse shows.

[ 05-02-2001: Message edited by: Eddie ]