The Day of Cantrabria in Spain

The Day of Cantabria (Día de Cantabria) celebrates the history, culture and language of the Cantabrian region of Spain. It is on the second Sunday of August, but is not a public holiday.

Agricultural animal shows are part of the Day of Cantabria celebrations.

©iStockphoto.com/Juan Carlos Carcamo Hernaez

What do people do?

The people of Cantabria celebrate their language, culture and history during the Day of Cantabria each year. Many people dress in traditional costume on the day. The main celebrations are in the town of Cabezón de la Sal, but many small towns and villages have their own events. Events include:

• Sports demonstrations.
• Displays of traditional crafts.
• Exhibitions showcasing artwork by artists living in Cantabria.
• Performances featuring traditional music and dance.
• Communal meals of traditional foods.
• Tasting sessions of Cantabrian products, such as apple cider and orujo and cheese made of goat's and sheep's milk.
• Agricultural animal shows. 
• Parades of carts drawn by horses and cattle.

The autonomous community of Cantabria's president also makes a speech during this event, which is highlighted by the display of Cantabria's flag and the flags of the other autonomous Spanish communities.

Public life

The Day of Cantabria is not a public holiday. However, as on other Sundays, public life is generally quiet. Many stores, businesses and other organizations are closed. Large events may cause some local disruption to traffic, particularly in town and village centers.

Background

The mayor of Cabezón de la Sal originally proposed that the Day of Mountains (Día de La Montaña) should celebrate the culture and history of Cantabria on the second Sunday in August. Following from this proposal, the day was first celebrated in 1967. The Day of Mountains was declared an event of "National Tourist Interest" in 1971 and "Special Regional Interest" in 1983. Following the establishment of the autonomous community of Cantabria in 1982, the event became known as the Day of Cantabria.

The Day of Cantrabria Observances

Other holidays in August 2013 in Spain

• The Day of Our Lady of Africa ―Monday, August 5, 2013
• Assumption of Mary ―Thursday, August 15, 2013