Spend some of your money and come join in the er…, fun The festival of San Fermin, or the Pamplona bull running as it’s more commonly known outside Spain, officially begins at midday on 6th July every year with the ‘chupinazo’ which takes place on the balcony of the Casa Consistorial in Pamplona. Thousands of people congregate in the square awaiting the mayor’s official announcement that the fiestas have begun, a rocket is launched and the partying begins.
The visitors People come from all over the world to test their bravery, test their hearts, raise their blood pressure and enjoy the festival’s nonstop street parties which last until July 14.
Clean start Tens of thousands of revelers poured into the town and soaked each other in sangria to kick off Spain’s best-known fiesta. Spaniards, foreigners and me jammed into the main Plaza del Ayuntamiento. We swilled gallons of beer, wine and sangria and waited to hear the traditional shout from a City Hall balcony: “Viva San Fermin.”
The first day On Thursday morning they opened the gates and thousands of thrill-seekers dashed ahead of six fighting bulls that came roaring into the streets. No one was gored on this first day, but one person was hospitalized after falling in the sprint, said Spanish Red Cross spokesman Jose Aldaba. In all, four people needed treatment by medical staff. I finished okay but I have a long tear down my pants leg when I hit the corner of a wall in my wild, panic-stricken, blood curdling dash down the stone-cobbled street. I also need couple of shots of something to slow down my heart-beat.
The bulls The bulls, from the Torrestrella farm, accompanied by six guiding steers charged down the 928 yard course from a pen to the city’s bull ring in 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The runs take place each morning at 8 a.m. and are televised nationally.
The runners Runners, wearing traditional white clothing and red kerchiefs around their necks, tripped over each other or fell in the mad rush but avoided getting caught out by the charging bulls. There were some unexpected moments as one of the steers separated from the pack and charged back toward the starting gate, sending runners scattering after having believed their dash was finished. Another steer stopped and lay down on the pavement near the end before eventually being guided into bullring, where the six bulls will take part in the afternoon’s bullfight.
Very few “There were very few people for the first running, so it was quite comfortable,” said 20-year-old Julen Iruzun, who was taking part in his third “encierro,” the Spanish term for the run.
Hemingway It was thanks to the writing of American writer Ernest Hemingway that San Fermin developed the notoriety of today. The publication of his novel “The Sun Also Rises” in 1926 told the world about the Pamplona bull running festival which attracted people from all over the world to this annual festival. Such is the popularity of the event that overcrowding is a serious problem and if you’re planning on staying there then you should book accommodation many months in advance.
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