November Festivals in Spain

Viva Fiesta

November may not be the peak tourist season in Spain, but it certainly doesn't mean that there is a shortage of festivals and fiestas.

From the start of the month, Spain celebrates many cultural and religious events, each with its own traditions and customs.

November is the month of All Saints' Day or Día de Todos Los Santos, a religious holiday that commemorates all the saints and martyrs.

It is a day of remembrance and celebration, where people visit cemeteries to pay their respects to their loved ones. Many towns and cities hold special events, including parades, processions, and traditional food markets.

Another significant festival celebrated in November is the Fiesta de San Andrés, held in the Basque Country and the Canary Islands.

This festival marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. People light bonfires, dance traditional folk dances, and drink Txakoli, a local wine.

The month of November also marks the start of the olive harvest season in Spain.

Many towns and cities hold olive oil festivals, where visitors can taste different varieties of olive oil, learn about the production process, and participate in activities such as olive oil tasting and cooking workshops.

Here we have a look at the most significant festivals and fiestas that take place during the month of November, providing an insight into each one and the unique festival culture of Spain.

 

Popular November Festivals and Fiestas

Jerez Bodegas
Jerez Bodegas

All Saints' Day

This is a national holiday that takes place on November 1st in Spain. It is a day to remember and honour the deceased, especially family and friends.

Many people visit cemeteries and churches to bring flowers and candles to the graves of their loved ones.

Some people also make traditional sweets such as huesos de santo (saint's bones) and buñuelos de viento (wind fritters).

International Sherry Week

This is a gastronomic festival that takes place in early November in various locations across Spain, especially in Jerez de la Frontera, in the province of Cadiz.

It celebrates sherry, one of Spain's most famous wines, which is produced in the region of Andalusia.

The festival features activities such as sherry tastings, sherry pairings, sherry tours and sherry exhibitions. The festival also includes music, dancing and gastronomy.

San Andres Festival

This is a folkloric festival that takes place on November 29th and 30th in various towns and villages across Spain, especially in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands.

It celebrates Saint Andrew, the patron saint of fishermen and winegrowers.

The festival features activities such as chestnut roasting, wine tasting, bonfires and fireworks. One of the most peculiar attractions is the arrastre de las tablas (dragging of the boards), where people slide down steep streets on wooden boards.

Film Festivals

November is a month of film festivals in Spain.

Some of the major film festivals organized in November include the Seville European Film Festival (November 3rd to 11th), which showcases European cinema and awards prizes such as the Golden Giraldillo for the best film.

Cartagena Jazz Festival

(November weekends),  features jazz music and films; the Zinebi International Documentary Film Festival (November 10th to 17th), focuses on documentary films from different countries.

The Gijon Film Festival (November 19th to 27th), features films for young audiences and awards prizes such as the Principado de Asturias Award for the best film.

Fiesta de la Trashumancia

This is a folkloric festival that takes place on November 7th in Madrid, the capital city of Spain.It commemorates the ancient tradition of transhumance, which involves moving livestock from one grazing ground to another according to the seasons.

The festival features a parade of sheep and shepherds through some of the main streets of Madrid, such as Gran Vía and Cibeles.

The festival also includes music, dancing and gastronomy.

Fiesta del Orujo

This is a gastronomic festival that takes place from November 12th to 14th in Potes, in the province of Cantabria.

It celebrates orujo, a strong liquor made from grape pomace that is typical of this mountainous region.

The festival features activities such as orujo distilling, orujo tasting, orujo contests and orujo exhibitions. The festival also includes music, dancing and fireworks.

Feast of the Almudena

This is a religious festival that takes place on November 9th in Madrid, the capital city of Spain.

It celebrates Our Lady of Almudena (La Virgen de la Almudena), the patron saint of Madrid.

The festival features a mass at the Almudena Cathedral, a procession with the statue of the Virgin through the streets of Madrid, and a floral offering at the Plaza de la Villa. The festival also includes music, dancing and gastronomy.

Festival of San Martín

This is a gastronomic festival that takes place on November 11th in various towns and villages across Asturias, a region in northern Spain.

It celebrates Saint Martin, the patron saint of winegrowers and pigs. The festival features activities such as pig slaughtering, sausage making, chestnut roasting and cider tasting.

The festival also includes music, dancing and folklore.

Dia de Todos los Santos – All Saints’ Day – 1st November

Spanish Cemetery
Spanish Cemetery

All Saints’ Day is an important national holiday in Spain and allows people to reflect on life and remember family and friends who have passed on.

Many people attend masses at the local cemeteries and churches where they give offerings to the diseased such as flowers.

Once the sombre mood is over, the atmosphere turns rather upbeat as people celebrate the good memories of those who have passed.

Benidorm Annual Festival

The annual Benidorm festival is held in honour of the town's patron saints la Virgen del Sufragio and San Jaime Apostol.

Street parties, sporting content,  open-air theatre and parades are all part of this popular annual festival. The final day's spectacle includes a huge parade of decorated floats followed by a firework display from the main Benidorm beach area of Playa de Poniente.

Make sure you take a bag with you as tons of sweets are thrown from huge floats for the children to scramble over.

The Benidorm fancy dress event is a hugely fun day held on the following Thursday after the Annual  Benidorm festival.

Although the annual Benidorm festival is officially over on Wednesday the fancy dress parade is well worth hanging around for.

The Benidorm fancy dress party unites many local and foreign residents as well as holidaymakers.

Film Festivals

Girona Film Festival
Girona Film Festival

November is a time to celebrate the art of filmmaking as many film festivals take place throughout Spain.

» Girona Film Festival
» Indie Film Festival Barcelona
» Gijon Film Festival
» Alcine Film Festival Alcala de Henares Madrid

International Sherry Week

What better way to get to know everything about this famous Andalucian wine than by attending one of the many events held during the Jerez wine festival.

During International Sherry Week there are plenty of opportunities for wine-tasting sessions and you can even be part of one of the local vineyards for the day and learn how Sherry is made.

Festival of Orujo

Usually held on the second week of November, the festival de Orujo celebrates the locally made strong liquor produced in the town of Potes, near Santander in Northern Spain.

This unusual festival was first held in 1984 and has become increasingly popular ever since.  People from all over the region gather to honour this famous strong liquor along with local food and fare from the region.

The Orujo festival includes musical events and traditional folklore, parades and street parties.

San Andres Festival Tenerife

Tenerife Festivals

The San Andres festival is held in the town of Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife at the end of November and celebrates the annual grape harvest and the tasting of new wines.

A great way to taste the local wines and join in the noisy fun as locals take to the streets with pots and pans banging their way around the town.

Fun parties and entertainment are all part of this vibrant Tenerife festival.

November Jazz Festivals

Jazz Festival Catalonia

For jazz lovers, Spain is a perfect choice to visit in November as there is are a number of Jazz fests throughout the month.

» Madrid Jazz Festival
» Granada Jazz Festival

International Theatre Festival Vitoria Gasteiz

Vitoria Gasteiz Film Festival

The International Theatre Festival has been running for over 40 years held over a couple of weeks,  usually commencing around the 5th of November.

A cultural highlight of the Vitoria Gasteiz in the Basque Country, this well-organised film festival showcases films made in Spain and abroad whilst covering genres.

Best Festivals in Spain - Month by Month

National Holidays in Spain

Jan 1st -  New Years Day - Ano Nuevo
Jan 6th - 12th night, The Three Kings  - Dia de los Reyes
Mar 19th - Fathers Day - San Jose
Variable - Good Friday - Viernes Santo
May 1st - Labour Day - Dia del Trabajador
Aug 15th -  Assumption - Dia del Asuncion
Oct 12th - Spanish National Day - Dia de la Hispanidad
Nov 1st -  All Saints Day - Todos los Santos
Dec 6th -  Constitution Day - Dia de la Constitucion<
Dec 8th -  Immaculate Conception - Imaculada Concepcion
Dec 25th - Christmas Day - Navidad