Local festivals fill the streets and squares throughout August, and now it’s Alcalá de Henares’ turn as the city prepares to celebrate nine days during which its streets will host concerts, attractions, parades, children’s activities, theater, sports, and the lively atmosphere of the local social clubs. From August 22 to 30, the historic district, Plaza de Cervantes, and the Isla del Colegio fairgrounds will host nearly 300 activities.
Music will be one of the main highlights of this year’s festival: Loquillo will headline “Los Conciertos de la Muralla,” while Fangoria and Rosa López will be part of a program that also brings back the popular events that make the Complutense festivities unique, such as the parades of the “Gigantes y Cabezudos” troupe and the now-traditional olive pit-throwing championship.
The opening speech kicks off the festivities
Saturday, August 22, will mark the official opening day. The APHISA Association, which supports people with intellectual disabilities, will deliver the opening proclamation from the central balcony of City Hall in Plaza de Cervantes at 9:30 p. m.
Earlier in the afternoon, the program will feature the presentation of the Ferias queens, the raising of the club banners, and activities for all ages. Plaza de Cervantes will host a concert by Gizzard at 10:45 p.m., and shortly thereafter, Efecto Pasillo will take the stage at 11:45 p.m.
Loquillo kicks off the major concerts
The first major headliner of the festivities will be Loquillo, who will perform on Saturday, August 22, at 11:00 p.m. in the walled enclosure of the Huerta del Obispo, as part of the “Los Conciertos de la Muralla” concert series. Doors are scheduled to open at 8:30 p.m., and Ciclonautas will kick off the evening at 9:30 p.m.
The nine-day lineup also includes performances by Fangoria and Rosa López, with a musical program spread across the main stages, plazas, and club tents. There will also be DJ sets, nostalgia nights, pop-rock, techno-flamenco, dancing with a live orchestra, and performances featuring rumba, flamenco, and Latin music.
Giants and Bigheads throughout all the neighborhoods
One of the most anticipated sights of the Fair will once again be the procession of the Gigantes y Cabezudos, which will parade through various neighborhoods of Alcalá over several days. On Sunday, August 23, the procession will set out at 10:00 a.m. from Plaza de Cervantes and will pass through—among other streets—Trinidad, San Julián, Puerta del Vado, Paseo de Pastrana, and Plaza de los Santos Niños before returning to the city center.
The tradition is rounded out by an exhibition of the comparsa at the Capilla del Oidor, which will open on August 22 and be free to visit. In addition, the association Jovenes Giganteros y Cabezudos Los Pequeantes will organize several parades through the historic district.
Olive pits and local traditions
The festivities wouldn’t be complete without the activities organized by the local clubs, which are responsible for a large portion of the events that will fill the streets, squares, and tents. Along with the legendary olive pit-throwing championship, the program includes contests, brass bands, and tournaments in mus, tute, Parcheesi, soccer tennis, archery, karaoke, dances, and unique challenges such as an arm-wrestling contest or dragging a 2,000-kilo van.
The family-friendly events are also returning: costume and drawing contests, workshops, inflatables, non-electric games, water obstacle courses, bouncy castles, and foam parties. On Sunday, the 23rd, for example, there will be a foam party at 1:00 p.m. at the ruins of Santa María, next to the Capilla del Oidor, as well as a charity vermouth reception in Plaza de Cervantes.
There will be two “Children’s Days,” on Wednesday, August 26, and Sunday, August 30, with discounts on some attractions. In addition, on Tuesday, August 25, and Wednesday, August 26, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., “quiet hours” will be observed so that people with sound sensitivity can enjoy the fairgrounds. The venue will also feature a nursing room next to the children’s attractions.
Culture until late at night
The Ferias also invite visitors to see the city through a different lens. From August 24 to 28, family-friendly guided tours will be organized to explore the history, monuments, and anecdotes of Alcalá de Henares; they are free, but require advance reservation, and space is limited.
The program also includes “Heritage by Moonlight” night tours, theater at the Salón Cervantes, as well as dance, zarzuela, and flamenco performances. Among the week’s highlights are a tour of the walled city, scheduled for Monday, August 24, at 10:00 p.m., and a night tour of the Town Hall on Tuesday, August 25, also at 10:00 p.m.
You can view the full program at this link.