San Isidro Festival Madrid

The most important festival of Madrid begins on May 15th. It is the day of celebrations of the beloved patron San Isidro. This day the Madrileños (people from Madrid) have the ingrained habit of going to the San Isidro church near the Manzanares River and to drink the miraculous water of the San Isidro fountain.

There are many concerts, exhibitions and even pagan animal executions celebrated during these festivities. Many Madrileños wear the “castizo” (a typical dress of the city), and both women and men are appointed respectively “chulapas” and “chulapos”. They perform traditional dances in pairs called “chotis”, considered the most typical dance of the city since the 19th century and it is danced in all the traditional festivals.

According to the legend, San Isidro saved King Phillip III of a serious illness thanks to the miracle of a blessed fountain: from this moment San Isidro (who lived during the XI and XII century) became the symbol of the city, and today it is still revered and loved by all the Madrileños. The festival, which began at that time, has become over the years a very important event known throughout the world.