FESTIVALS OF BRUNETE
PATRON SAINT FESTIVALS
The festivities to honour the patron saint of Brunete take place at end of August and beginning of September. The 14th of September is the most significant day, since it is the day of the great mass to honour Santísimo Cristo del Patrocinio. The people of the town gather to celebrate and enjoy themselves, being a great number of participants from any part of the municipality and from outside of it. The main events are the mass and the religious processions with crowded streets. However, other activities are very typical: "verbenas" (open-air bars), flea markets, an amusement park, fireworks, traditional games, concerts, contests, exhibitions and sports activities. There are the outstanding "peñas," clubs of neighbours who gather to celebrate these special events.
Every day is intended for different events and social groups:
-Día de las Peñas (Day of the Peñas). The different folkloric "peñas" are introduced and there is the opening ceremony with a big ball and fireworks.
-Día de la Plastilina (Day of the Modelling Clay). This day is intended for kids to play and enjoy performances and musical activities among others.
-Día de la Edad de Bronce (Day of the Youth). This day is dedicated to the teenagers and young adults with a great number of fun activities such as bull running and music events.
-Día de la Edad de Plata (Day of the Middle-Aged). Dedicated to the middle-aged people with multiple activities such as eating meetings, bullfighting and music performances.
- Día de la Edad de Oro (Day of the Elderly). This day coincides with Fiesta Mayor (the main day) on the 14th of September, when there are big music performances, bullfighting, regional dances, traditional auctioning, etc. and the solemn mass, the flower offering to the saint and choir performances for Cristo del Patrocinio.
COMMUNITY OF MADRID HOLIDAY
The 2nd of May is holiday in the whole Community of Madrid, but it is also a special holiday in the municipality of Brunete. Como cabría esperar, el 2 de mayo es también día festivo en el municipio de Brunete. The events that happened that day in 1808 marked a milestone in the history of the Community of Madrid due to the fighting and the call for the Spaniards to defend their country from the French, being established this day as the official day of the Community.
SAN SEBASTIÁN HOLIDAY
The festivities to honour San Sebastián, the old patron saint of Brunete, take place on the 20th of January. The week before the celebrations the so-called "Hermanos Mayores" (Older Brothers) collect donations from every home in town for the auction on the 20th of July. Every year there is a solemn mass at the chapel of San Sebastián, the procession of the saint's image and the auction.
CORPUS CHRISTI HOLIDAY
This festivity consists in a mass at the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción and a procession through the main streets of the town, beautifully decorated with flowers and different-colour sand in the shape of rugs.
SAN ISIDRO FESTIVALS
These festivities to honour San Isidro, the patron saint of the farmers, take place on the 14th and 15th of May. As in Madrid, Brunete also gives homage to the saint with a "romería" (a pilgrimage to the saint's sanctuary), processions and other activities. On the 14th there is an open-air meeting with music concerts, fireworks, an amusement park and games for children. On the 15th there is a the famous "romería" and mass. Asociación de Labradores (Association of Farmers) provides some appetizers and lemonade to the people attending to these events. The festivities finish with procession of the saint's image and the "verbena" (open-air bar).
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