Festivals in Spring

The festivities in Yecla are very varied in springtime. From our solemn Holy Week in which you can find peculiar religious processions unique in Spain, to our well-known Fiestas de San Isidro when the weather is nice and we go out to the streets to celebrate our agricultural past, or the Fiestas de los Judas, a very peculiar pagan festival in which humour and satire play a key role.

San Isidro Festival

The most remarkable cultural activities are: the Flower Offering, the Procession and bonfire in Santa Barbara’s neighbourhood and the most important one: the great Float Parade (Cabalgata de Carrozas) which is carried out on the Saturday afternoon closest to 15th May, which is San Isidro saint’s day. You can also visit a peña of San Isidro (the organized groups that participate in the festival).

Holy Week

This festivity is highlighted by the great amount of activities which are organised during Lent, our most peculiar religious processions such as Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, the procession of the “Farolicos” (Little Street Lights) and The Funeral of Christ (Acto del Entierro) and our tangible heritage such as the Holy Week Museum. The oldest and most well-known image is the “Virgin of the Anguishes” (Virgen de las Angustias) by the sculptor Francisco Salzillo (1763) declared a Property of Cultural Interest, which can be found in the Basilica of la Purísima.

Los Judas Festival

The typical “judas” (guys) are the traditional rag dolls which are hung over the streets of the neighbourhood (Carnicería, La Rosa, Quevedo and the adjacent streets) with satirical notices referring to current events (the political and social situation). The rag dolls are made by the people in the neighbourhood and other members of the association.