Cadiz is the oldest city in Western Europe. What does this mean? That its customs have been celebrated for many years.
The people of Cadiz are very proud of their land. And it’s no wonder! Who hasn’t fallen in love with its white facades, its squares, its buildings… when they have visited Cadiz?
In this article we tell you about the traditions, festivals and customs that you can enjoy in Cadiz if you travel on the right date.
Festivals.
Cadiz has always been characterized by the festive atmosphere of its streets. That’s why the people of Cádiz don’t miss a single opportunity to go out and celebrate – any excuse is good enough!
Carnival, I love you!
The carnival of Cadiz is one of the most famous in the world. Along with Tenerife and Murcia, it was declared a Fiesta de Intererés Turístico Internacional(Festival of International Tourist Interest). It takes the months of January and February.
It is said that the beginnings of the carnival are of Christian origin: before Lent (40 days before Easter), the people had to take advantage of it to drink, eat and have a good time, because during those 40 days they would be hungry during the vigil and had to prepare for the death of Christ. That is why they created this very joyful and colourful festival.
Officially, the carnival has duration of 11 days. But we must add the days of competition, the gastronomic acts, the “carnaval chiquito” (“little carnival”), etc. In this way, it adds up to more than a month! During all these days you can enjoy pregones, tablaos, masked dances, horseback riding, the competitions of groups and fireworks.
The favourite moment of the people of Cádiz is the one that takes place in the Gran Teatro Falla. There, the Carnival Groups Competition (COAC) takes place, with the final being held on the Friday before Lent. Artists from all over Spain come to compete.
There are different categories: adults, youth and children. And you can see comparsas, coros, chirigotas, tríos, cuartetos o quintetos. There are five prizes for each category.
Corpus Christi
This festival takes place on Corpus Christi. It is one of the most important festivals in Cadiz.
In the past, Corpus Christi was a solemn celebration, but in 1861 the mayor, Juan Valverde, made it take on a festive and cheerful atmosphere. So, the people of Cadiz thought it was a good idea and adopted this reform very well. They began to organize events such as the Velada.
Today they decorate all the streets with awnings, the streets with carpets and flowers, etc. And on Sunday morning, the most devout take to the streets the Corpus Christi procession: an imposing paso made of silver that shines in the sunlight.
El Entierro de la Caballa (Burial of Mackerel).
This festival coincides with the end of the summer season, in Cadiz the burial of the Mackerel is celebrated on the playa de la Caleta (Caleta beach) beach in August.
Without a doubt, it is one of the most fun and surreal festivals. It begins in the afternoon with the parade through the La Viña neighbourhood, of a funeral procession of sad and weeping mourners who accompany a large wooden mackerel to its burial, which means the end of the summer. The mackerel will end up burning on the Caleta.
At 10 pm there is a speech and afterwards, carnival groups gather to sing chirigotas and entertain the audience with their performances. It is also traditional to eat mackerel with noodles on the beach, cooked of course by caleteros and caleteras.
At midnight, and to complete the festivities, fireworks can be seen from the castillo de San Sebastian (San Sebastian Castle), adding a touch of colour to this special event.
Traditions.
Almost all Andalusian cities are characterized by being among the most traditional in Spain; and Cadiz was not going to be less. This provincial capital also celebrates some of its traditions that make it even more attractive if possible.
Holy Week.
And in contrast to the others festivals, comes the Holy Week: Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ.
To celebrate it, the brotherhoods of Cadiz take their carvings to the streets with processions. The devout of these, accompany their with the habit of nazareno or penitente.
The images are carried in the so-called “pasos”. These are wooden structures, which are carried by costaleros. In addition, they are usually accompanied by a band of cornets and drums if it is an image of Christ, or a musical group if it a image of the Virgin.
From Domingo de Ramos(Palm Sunday) until Domingo de Resurrección (Easter Sunday) many brotherhoods walk through the streets of Cadiz, such as the Hermandad de la Borriquita, the Hermandad del Ecce Homo or the Hermandad del Perdón.
This is a very important week for the people of Cádiz, as it is a time of reunion with their families, in which many emotions are lived.
San Juan bonfires.
Congratulations to the Juanes and Juanas of Spain! This festivity takes place on June 24th and is celebrated all over Spain. However, for Cadiz, it is one of the most awaited days of the year.
The beginnings of this festival are said to be of pagan origin: legend has it that the Sun was in love with the Earth, but the Earth wanted to get away from him. Then, once a year, and coinciding with the summer solstice, parties were held to drive away evil spirits and encourage the Sun not to leave the Earth.
But later on, when Christianity prevailed, it was given another meaning. According to the Holy Scriptures, Zechariah would have a bonfire built to announce the birth of his son, John the Baptist.
Whatever the origin of this one, in Cadiz, to attract good luck, some dolls called Juanillos are burned in the bonfires. They call this moment the “Quema de los Juanillos” (“Burning of the Juanillos”). Then, some rituals are added such as: jumping a bonfire, burning good wishes in it, jumping three waves while making a wish, taking a bath by going into the sea and washing your face to look at yourself in a mirror afterwards.
Customs
If you want to obtain the love and respect of a true Cadiz native, you will have to know that their customs are sacrosanct. Only a pandemic has been able to impede its inhabitants from missing their most traditional moments.
Beers under the sun
One of the most beautiful customs! The good climate of Cadiz has allowed the people of Cadiz to adopt the custom of going out for a drink with friends and family. The moment of maximum happiness arrives on Sunday mornings when they go out to the plaza de Mina to have a few drinks and some fried fish. And if the temperature is good, a swim in the sea is never a bad idea, these people from Cádiz know how to do it!
