Fiesta of San Fermín and the Running of the Bulls, Pamplona, Spain (Jul 6 - 14)

http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/book/jul6.html Today is the beginning of the famous event in Pamplona (formerly Pampeluna), northern Spain, capital of the Navarra autonomous region. The festival is known locally as Sanfermines and is in honour of St Fermin (Firminus of Amiens, feast day July 7), the patron saint of Pamplona and Navarra as a whole. Each July, Pamplona celebrates the feast of San Fermín (who was martyred by being dragged by bulls through the streets of Pamplona), by running bulls though the streets to the bullring, and with bullfights, jai alai matches, fireworks, and singing contests.



It might be romantic to think that Pamplona's Be Cruel to Bulls Day had ancient origins in the Ludi Apollinares, because both share July 6 as their day of commemoration and because of the association each has with bulls. However, there are 13th-Century and 14th-Century texts referring to the event and we know that up until the 15th Century, the festival was held in October but was moved to July to avoid unpredictable weather ...

Categories: spain