Valladolid celebrates the festivities in honor of its patroness, Our Lady of San Lorenzo, from August 31 to September 9
San Mateo (Saint Matthew)
The capital of Castilla goes for ten days in the celebration of the Fair and Festivities of Our Lady of San Lorenzo, patroness of the city. But the celebration of these dates, around September 8, is very recent. Until the year 2001, Valladolid celebrated the festivities for ‘San Mateo’, coinciding with the end of farming and the beginning of the grape harvest. However, the usual presence of rains tarnished the celebrations. Already in 1910 a group of merchants and industrialists requested the change of date but that did not set. It was Mayor León de la Riva who finally promoted the change, positive for the city.
Patroness
The origin of this image and its dedication is found in a legend of the eleventh or twelfth century, a clergyman brought to Valladolid the image of a virgin from Consuegra to protect it from the Muslims. A shepherd discovered the image on the banks of the Pisuerga river, in a cave outside Valladolid, near the so-called ‘Puerta de Aguadores’; for that reason she was known for a time as ‘Virgen de los Aguadores’.
Concerts in Main Square.
Later she was transferred to a hermitage dedicated to San Lorenzo, where she began to be recognized at the popular level as the Virgin of San Lorenzo. This polychrome wooden image represents Mary with the Child Jesus in her lap, and dates approximately to the second half of the fourteenth century.
Fair and Festivals
The proclamation, the chupinazo (Kind of rocket) and the parade of the Peñas give the starting signal. Music has an important role, with large free concerts in the Plaza Mayor and folkloric performances throughout the city. Also gastronomy takes the streets, with the Day Fair. A hundred booths of different bars and restaurants offer their skewer to take accompanied by a ‘lorencito’, the typical drink in parties that consists of wine wheel mixed with Sprite or Seven Up. The version from Valladolid of the ‘rebujito’!
The parades with the giants of Aunt ‘Melitona’ or Uncle ‘Tragaldabas’, typical figures since 1946; fireworks, attractions, participate in the Guinness record (with a new challenge every year); theater, parades…and bulls!
Bullfighting Fair of Our Lady of San Lorenzo
Valladolid is a city with an important bullfighting tradition and a Fair with great posters. In just ten days the festivities will start, which make up the season ticket this year with a total of six afternoons, in addition to the final of the Great League of Pure Cut to be held on Sunday 2 and in which the 15 best cutters of Spain will be present.
The double date of Manzanares, the presence of Morante or the farewell of Juan José Padilla are some of the events. In total, four bullfights, one more with and one with steers that will feature local bullfighter Dario Domínguez.
Posters of Valladolid Fair 2018.
