San Fermin and the Encierro

A stained glass picture of Saint Fermin located

in a hidden room in Pamplona's City Hall.

The bulls entrance to the Plaza del Toros, the

bull fighting stadium, which also marks the end

of the Running of the Bulls.

A mural of a bull chasing a crowd of runners

found on one side of the Plaza del Toros.

The festival of San Fermin is the biggest event held in Pamplona and is one of the biggest, if not biggest festival in all of Spain. Approximately one million people from all over the world descend on Pamplona for San Fermin. Ernest Hemingway helped popularize this festival after writing his book The Sun Also Rises. This festival is held every year from the sixth of July until the fourteenth of July in honor of one of the Patron Saints of Navarra, Saint Fermin. The official colors for San Fermin are white and red which symbolize martyrdom by Saint Fermin who was beheaded. There are a variety of activities that go on during San Fermin including fireworks, parades, and singing but the biggest event is the Encierro or the running of the bulls. The run is about a quarter of a mile and takes place in the old city. Six bulls and six steers chase participants to the bull fighting stadium where the bulls fights will take place later in the day. San Fermin is a really cool festival and one that the whole city really embraces and loves.