Day of Castile-La Mancha in Spain

The Day of the Region of Castilla-La Mancha (Día de la Región Castilla-La Mancha) commemorates when Castilla-La Mancha's first regional courts were opened. It is an annual public holiday in this community on May 31.

The Day of Castilla-La Mancha is a public holiday in Castile-La Mancha (scenic view of region pictured above).

©iStockphoto.com/Val Bakhtin

What do people do?

Various events are held in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The events may last for a few days or even a week around May 31. Events include:

• Sports events.
• Exhibitions of local arts and crafts.
• Performances featuring traditional and modern music.
• Showings of locally produced movies.
• Tastings of traditional foods and drinks, including wine.
• Presentations about scientists from the region.
• Communal meals.

The flag of the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha is displayed in the street and on public buildings and private homes.

Public life

The Day of Castilla-La Mancha is a public holiday in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha on May 31. Public life is generally quiet on May 31. Many businesses and other organizations are closed. Many stores are closed but some bakers and food stores may be open. Public transport services generally run to a reduced schedule but there may be no services in rural areas. Large events may cause some local disruption to traffic, particularly in town and village centers.

If May 31 falls on a Sunday, regional or local authorities may move the public holiday to a different date. If May 31 falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, many businesses and organizations are also closed on Monday, May 30, or Friday, June 1. In the rest of Spain, May 31 is not a public holiday.

Background

Castile-La Mancha is an autonomous community of Spain. It has borders with the autonomous communities of:

• Andalusia.
• Aragon.
• Castile and León.
• Extremadura.
• Madrid.
• Murcia.
• Valencia.

The statue of autonomy of Castile-La Mancha came into force on August 16, 1982. The regional courts sat for the first time on May 31, 1983. The Day of Castilla-La Mancha was a public holiday for the first time on May 31, 1984.

Symbols

The flag of the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha is one-and-a-half times as wide as it is high. It consists of two vertical halves. The half next to the flagpole is red and the other half is white. A castle, representing the ancient Kingdom of Castile, is on the red half.

The coat of arms of autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha consists of a red crown on top of a shield. The shield is divided into two vertical halves. The left half is red and the right half is white. A castle, representing the ancient Kingdom of Castile, is on the red half.

Day of Castile-La Mancha Observances

Other holidays in May 2013 in Spain

• Labor Day / May Day ―Wednesday, May 1, 2013
• Day of Madrid ―Thursday, May 2, 2013
• Galicia Literature Day ―Friday, May 17, 2013
• Whit Sunday/Pentecost ―Sunday, May 19, 2013
• Whit Monday ―Monday, May 20, 2013
• Day of the Canary Islands ―Thursday, May 30, 2013
• Canaries day observed ―Friday, May 31, 2013