La Rioja has many traditions and festivals that are celebrated in different villages throughout the year. In Logroño, the most famous celebration is called San Mateo. This week of festivities has been celebrated for hundreds of years! People come from all over La Rioja and northern Spain to enjoy the events, traditions and celebrations that flood the city. It was a great way to learn about the city’s culture and be a part of the community.
During my first month in Logroño, I learned about and took part in the festival of San Mateo! San Mateo is a week of festivities that the whole city of Logroño celebrates… we even had off from school! The festival occurs every September at the end of the month to celebrate a successful grape harvest. The city is filled with music, parades, markets, traditional foods, ceremonies, dances, concerts, fireworks and so much more! The official start of the festival is on a Saturday, and everyone gets together in the center of the city for a ceremony called the chupinazo. We dressed in white with a burgundy panuelo (handkerchief) and sang the hymn of La Rioja. The plaza was filled with energy, and everyone was excited for the week to come!
