Ernest Hemingway the famous author, popularized the San Fermín festival by writing about it in his book called The Sun Also Rises. Since then, the festival has become internationally recognized, especially for its famous Running with the Bulls event.
Pamplona's most famous tradition is the festival of San Fermín during which the Running with the Bulls, or encierro, happens. San Fermín is a week-long festival held from July 6 through July 14. Over 1,000,000 people from all over the world come to Pamplona during this week to celebrate this festival.
The San Fermín festival includes the chupinazo, which are fireworks that start the festival; the encierro, which is the running with the bulls that takes place each morning of the festival; plus processions and the singing of Pobre de Mí, which ends the festival.
During the encierro, runners wearing traditional all-white clothing with a red handkerchief run along a 0.5 mile route through Pamplona's old town, chased by six bulls, into Pamplona's bull ring.
