San Fermín

Religious Festival in Pamplona

The festival of San Fermín is a week long, historically rooted celebration held annually in the city of Pamplona, Navarre, in northern Spain held in the second week of July every year. It is known locally as Sanfermines and is held in honour of Saint Fermin, the co-patron of Navarre.

A firework starts off the celebrations and the popular song Pobre de mí is sung at the end. The festival involves many traditional and folkloric events with the most famous event is the running of the bulls, which begins at 8 in the morning from July 7 to 14. The running of the bulls is from the town hall where the crowd initially gathers to the bull ring itself.  People typically dress for the occasion in white with red handkerchiefs around their necks, and after the run the celebrations continue on the streets of Pamplona well into the night!

SaintFermín is said to have been the son of a Roman of senatorial rank in Pamplona in the 3rd century, who was converted to Christianity by Saint Honestus, a disciple of Saint Saturninus. Fermín was ordained a priest in Toulouse, and returned to Pamplona as its first bishop.

Visiting San Fermín

Duration: 20 minutes