January in Andalucía’s Almanzora Valley isn’t a quiet month.
While most of Europe is still recovering from Christmas and hiding indoors with the heating on, the towns in the Almanzora Valley are busy lively and unusual fiestas.
Chief among them are the celebrations on the 20th of January, when Lubrín and Olula del Río both honour their patron saint, San Sebastián, with a mix of bread, fire and music. These festivals are so distinctive they’ve been officially declared of Tourist Interest in Andalusia.
Almanzora Valley tradition
No one can say for certain how the tradition began, though many believe it goes back to the days when plague and cholera plagued the valley. Wealthier townsfolk, keen to show generosity but not keen to catch anything nasty, would throw food and coins from their balconies to those below.
In Lubrín, the big event is the Bread Festival. It is the most important day on the local calendar. After fireworks and the solemn procession of San Sebastián, the real highlight begins: loaves, rolls and doughnuts are flung from balconies as the saint passes through the streets. The crowd scrambles to catch them, sometimes money and flowers join the airborne feast.
Olula del Río, just up the road, marks the occasion with equal enthusiasm but in a very different fashion. Their celebrations honour not only San Sebastián but also San Ildefonso. The fun begins on the nights of the 19th and 22nd, when the old town erupts with thousands of carretillas, small fireworks. You will see facades draped in firewood and bonfires burning in the streets.
Once the fireworks settle down, the food takes over. Bonfires become makeshift barbeques as the wine flows freely.
The morning of the 20th brings the procession. San Sebastián and San Ildefonso are carried through the streets, while from balconies and terraces above, locals shower the crowd with roscos (big ring‑shaped breads made especially for the occasion) along with sweet roscones. The trick is to catch them mid‑air and stuff them into your waistband, which by the end of the procession doubles as a sort of bread basket.
On San Ildefonso’s feast a few days later, the roles are reversed, though the bread‑catching and feasting remain the same.
