Granada Reconquest Festival
2 January
The whole city celebrates the Granada Reconquest Festival, to remember when the Christians triumphed over the Moors in 1492. This historical moment shaped Granada forever and is known by locals as El Día de la Toma
BAC! Barcelona International Festival of Contemporary Art
to 3 January
Barcelona's International Festival of Contemporary Art, or BAC!, incorporates various media, from murals to installations, contributed by galleries all over the world. The works are spread across several city venues.
Procession of the Three Kings
5 January
The Procession of the Three Kings (Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos) is a popular Christmas tradition throughout Spain. Celebrations include theatrical re-enactments, pageants and plenty of sweets and presents for children.
International Winter Motorcycle Rally
Simancas, Valladolid
7 January
A fun event for all lovers of motor bikes, the winter motorcycle rally sees bikers of all nationalities from all over the world come together, there will also be concerts, trophies and plenty of fantastic Spanish cuisine to eat.
Canary Islands Festival
8 January
First held in 1985, the Canary Islands Festival brings the best of classical music to the Canaries. Concerts include those by the Dresden Staatskapelle with Zubin Mehta, the Gothenburg Symphony with Gustavo Dudamel, and the London Philharmonic with Vladimir Jurowski.
De Cajón! Flamenco Festival
9 January
Barcelona resounds to the clacks of castanets, fiery stomps of heels and swishes of colourful skirts. The De Cajón! Flamenco Festival brings vibrant performances to venues across the city, including the ornate Palau de la Musica Catalana concert hall.
Barna Sants Festival of Song
15 January
The Barna Sants Festival of Song sees talented singer-songwriters perform gigs across the Sants district of Barcelona. The extensive programme spans three months and a range of venues from from intimate jazz bars to the grand Palau de la Musica Catalana.
Tradicionàrius - Catalan Folk Music Festival
15 January
Tradicionàrius brings over two months of folk music to venues across Barcelona. Audiences can enjoy 17th-century song at concerts and jam sessions, and learn new skills at workshops focusing on specific aspects of the folk genre.
San Antón Festival
17 January 2010
The mountaintop village of Moclín in Andalucía pays homage to its patron, Saint Anthony of Egypt, with the San Antón Festival of religious worship. There are also lively parties featuring plenty of roasted pork. San Antón is the protector of animals, pigs in particular, so villagers buy pork chops and sausages and have barbecues in the village square, where locals eat, drink and dance the night away around a bonfire.
San Sebastian
19 January
San Sebastian celebrations take place across Spain. In Palma, the night before the big day there are concerts in the city’s squares, and on the saint’s day itself there are fireworks displays, religious processions and drum parades across the country.
Goat Throwing
24 January
An annual tradition in the town of Manganeses de la Polvorosa (a small village in north western Spain), in honour of its patron saint, St. Vincent. Each year a group of teenagers from the village set out to round-up and hog-tie one of the local goats. That done, the goat is then carried in a procession to the church at the centre of town, and then up the church's bell tower. The goat is then thrown from the belfry, falling upwards of 15 m (50 feet), to be caught (hopefully) in a sheet of tarpaulin by the cheering crowd below. According to Manganeses' 890 residents, this ancient ritual has apparently been going on for as long as any of them can remember. However in recent years, as you might expect, animal rights groups have stepped up in protest of the ceremony.
Teatralia
29 January
Teatralia is Madrid's annual theatre festival for children. There are over 30 performances, staged by both Spanish and international companies, accommodating all ages. Take toddlers to mime and dance shows or entertain teenagers with more serious theatre or break-dancing.