San Fermin Festival, Spain

San Fermin festival is celebrated in the city of Pamplona, Spain. This celebration is held annually on 6th July, when the opening of the party is marked by setting off the pyrotechnic chupinazo to midnight 14 July, with the singing of the Pobre de Mí. While its most famous event is the encierro, or the running of the bulls, which happens from 7 July to 14 July, the week-long celebration involves many other traditional and folkloric events. It is known locally as San fermines and is held in honor of Saint Fermin, the co-patron of Navarre. Its events were central to the plot of The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, which brought it to the general attention of English-speaking people. It has become probably the most internationally renowned fiesta in Spain. Over 1,000,000 people come to participate in this festival.

History of San Fermin
It is said that Fermin is the son of a Roman of senatorial rank in Pamplona in the 3rd century, who was converted to Christianity by Saint Honestus, a disciple of Saint Saturninus. According to tradition, he was baptised by Saturninus at the spot now known as the "Small Well of Saint Cernin" Fermin was ordained a priest in Toulouse and returned to Pamplona as its first bishop.

San Fermin Celebration
The combination of two medieval events compose the celebration of the festival. At the beginning of summer some commercial secular fairs are also held. As cattle merchants came into town with their animals, eventually bullfighting came to be organized as a part of the tradition.  They were first documented particularly in the 14th century.th century. On the other hand, religious ceremonies honoring the saint were held on October 10. However, in 1591 they were transferred to 7 July to take place at the same time as the fair; when Pamplona's weather is better. This is considered to be the beginning of the San fermines. The acts included an opening speech, musicians, tournaments, theatre, bullfights, dances or even fireworks during medieval time. Bull running appears in 17th and 18th century chronicles together with the presence of foreigners and the first concerns on the excessive drinking and dissolute behaviour during the event. The Giant's Parade was created by the end in the mid of the 19th century. The first official bullring was constructed in 1844.

Modern age celebration
The worldwide fame of the modern festival, and the great number of foreign visitors it receives every year, are closely related to the description by Ernest Hemingway's book ‘The Sun Also Rises’ and his job as a journalist. He was greatly amused in his first visit in 1923 coming back many times until 1959. Hemingway was also deeply fond of bullrunnings and bullfights, but he did not participate in the running. Different city locations are famous in part due to the fact that the writer used to visit them, such as La Perla Hotel, or the Iruna Cafe.

Procession of Saint Fermin
The key day of the festival is 7 July, when thousands of people accompany the 15th-century statue of Saint Fermin through the old part of Pamplona. The statue is accompanied by dancers and street entertainers, and different political and religious authorities including the city mayor. During procession a Jota (an ancient traditional dance) is performed for the saint, a rose is offered in the Saint Cernin well, and the "gigantes" (enormous wood-framed and papier-mâché puppet figures managed from inside) dance and twirl while the cathedral bell named María (Mary) peals.