The San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and Virgen de la Paloma festivals will be held in Madrid from August 6 to 17
From August 6 to 17, Madrid will host three traditional summer festivals: San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and Virgen de la Paloma. The epicentre of the celebration will be the streets and squares of the Embajadores, Lavapiés and Latina districts. They are already lavishly decorated with garlands, flowers and brightly coloured Manila shawls. With a varied and rich program with many free events, the trio of summer festivals in Madrid allows tourists to get to know the culture and traditions of the city better.
The San Cayetano Festival in Madrid will be celebrated from August 6 to 9 in 2024. Its main concert stage is located in Plaza del General Vara de Rey y Cascorro.
The festival events also take place on the streets of Embajadores, Maldonadas, Ruda, Santa Ana, Dos Hermanas, Rodas, Abades, Oso, Encomienda, Huerta del Bayo, Amazonas and Ribera de Curtidores.
The San Cayetano festivities in Madrid began on August 6 at 8:00 pm in Plaza General Vara de Rey with a traditional dance competition, the chotis. This was followed by the election of the main characters of the festival — Casta, Susana, Maya de Lavapiés, La Seña Rita, El Julian and Don Hilarion. Then, the president of the Federation of Traditional Groups of Madrid, Federico Gómez Villanueva, proclaimed the official start of the festivities. Over the next three days, San Cayetano guests will enjoy concerts, performances by famous DJs, workshops for adults and children, theatre performances, competitions, frog shooting competitions, solemn masses and many fun activities for the whole family. And on August 7, from 8:30 pm on Calle del Oso, everyone will be treated to free lemonade.
One of the most important events of the festival is the San Cayetano procession. It will begin on August 7 at 8:00 pm near the Church of San Cayetano and will go along the streets of Embajadores, Rodas, Ribera de Curtidores, Plaza de Cascorro and calle Embajadores.
From August 10 to 13, the baton of fun will be taken up by the San Lorenzo festival, which will be held in the Lavapiés district. The festivities will begin at 11:00 am on Argumosa Street with workshops on decorating traditional shawls, T-shirts and fabric bags. Then it will be the turn of the traditional card game Mus Contest. And from 19:30, theatrical performances and concerts will begin in Plaza Arturo Barea. Free lemonade will be distributed from 21:30 in C/ Olivar, 7.
The San Lorenzo 2024 program in Madrid is very diverse and rich. It includes a holy mass in the church of San Lorenzo and a solemn procession, as well as concerts, competitions, master classes, a chess tournament, parades, theatrical performances, many games and competitions for children and adults.
The Virgen de la Paloma festival is the most popular and largest of the three summer festivals in Madrid. It is dedicated to the Virgin of Paloma, who, according to legend, patronizes the inhabitants of the city. The festival takes place in the La Latina district. Here, in the parish church of the Virgen de la Paloma y de San Pedro el Real, the image of the Virgin is kept. Her icon also adorns the fire station of the Madrid City Council, as the firefighters consider the Virgen de la Paloma their patroness.
The festivities will begin on Sunday, August 11, at 9:00 pm in Plaza Virgen de la Paloma with the traditional chotis competition. On Wednesday, August 14, festival-goers will be able to take part in face painting and drawing workshops, watch a shawl competition and attend several concerts and theatre performances.
The most important day of the festivities is Thursday, August 15, when the events in honour of the Virgen de la Paloma will take place.
They will begin at 12:30 pm with the Floral Offering to the Virgin at the Colegio Lasalle-La Paloma. At 1:00 pm, there will be a solemn mass in the Church of the Virgen de la Paloma y de San Pedro el Real. And at 2:15 pm, the Madrid City Council Fire Department will begin the descent of the icon of the Virgin. At 8:00 pm, there will be a ceremonial procession that will pass through the streets of Isabel Tintero, Gran Vía de San Francisco, Puerta de Toledo, Toledo, plaza de la Cebada, Carrera de San Francisco, Plaza Puerta de Moros, Carrera de San Francisco, Plaza de San Francisco, Calatrava and Paloma.
In addition to religious events, several concerts, performances and tastings of traditional dishes are also planned for Thursday.
On Friday, August 16, at 12:00, one of the most popular events of the festival will begin – the Championship of Muses. It will be held in Cava Baja and in Plaza del humilladero. Then a magician’s performance, children’s competitions and concerts until midnight are planned.
The Virgen de la Paloma festival will end on August 17. The program of the final day includes children’s workshops, concerts, DJ performances and family performances.
You can find the programs of the San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and Virgen de la Paloma festivals in Madrid at this link.
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