Patronal festival facts for kids

A patronal feast or patronal festival is a special yearly celebration. It's usually held in countries where Christianity is important. This celebration honors a "heavenly helper" or "patron" of a specific place. This patron is often a saint or a virgin. The day of this celebration is called the patronal feast day or patron day for that location.

Patronal festivals can sometimes be big national holidays. For example, Saint George's Day celebrates Saint George, who is the patron saint of England, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Portugal, and parts of Spain. However, most patronal festivals are celebrations for just one city or town. In bigger cities, there might even be several festivals. These usually celebrate the patron saint of a local parish (a small church area).

How Patronal Festivals Are Celebrated

The length of patronal festivals can vary. They might last from one day to five days, depending on the budget available.

The celebrations often include religious parades. These parades honor the Catholic traditions of the area. But, local culture and customs are also a big part of these festivals.

Towns usually decorate their streets with bright, colorful decorations. This makes the whole town look festive and welcoming.

Most patronal festivals have traditional fairs. These fairs are sometimes called verbenas. In Italy, they are known as sagra (plural: sagre). These fairs can feel like a travelling carnival.

You'll find many fun things at these festivals. There are parades, local artisans selling their crafts, and street vendors. You can also enjoy regional food stands, amusement rides, and games. Live entertainment is also a common feature. There is usually wine and beer for adults. Music and dancing are also very popular. Sometimes, people dance spontaneously in the streets. In Southern Italy and Argentina, folk dances like the tarantella are often seen.

Patronal Festivals Around the World

Italy

Here are some examples of patronal festivals in Italy:

• Feast of Our Lady of the Hens in Pagani, Campania. This happens on the Second Sunday of Easter.
• Feast of Saints Francis and Catherine
• Feast of San Gennaro

Spain

Some famous patronal festivals in Spain include:

• Fiestas del Pilar in Zaragoza. This is celebrated around October 31.
• La Mercè in Barcelona. It takes place around September 24.
• Fallas in Valencia. This festival is celebrated around March 19.
• Bonfires of Saint John in Alicante. It happens around June 24.
• Festival of San Fermín in Pamplona. This is celebrated around July 7.
• San Isidro Labrador is celebrated around May 16. This is mostly in rural areas of Extremadura and Andalusia.

Wales

In Wales, these celebrations are known as

.

In Latin America

Puerto Rico

In most Latin American countries, the first day of the festival is dedicated to the saint or virgin. The other days are for entertainment. But in Puerto Rico, the music and fun activities start right away!

Serbia

In Serbian culture, families celebrate their own patron saints. These celebrations are called 'slava' in Serbia.

Further Examples

• Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi on October 4. This is celebrated in Yucuaquín (El Salvador), in Somerville, Massachusetts (USA), and in Italy.
• Festa de São João do Porto around June 23 in Porto (Portugal).

See also

In Spanish: Fiesta patronal para niños