Feast of Our Lady of the Snows

On August 5th, the main festival of the town is celebrated in honour of Our Lady of the Snows, whose image is in the hermitage located in Puerto de las Nieves. The image is there all year round, except for the days from August 5th to 17th when it remains in the Parish of Our Lady of the Conception, in the centre of the town. On August 4th, the Descent of the Branch takes place, the most popular festive event of these festivals, where thousands of dancers, to the rhythm of one of the two bands of the municipality, set out from the centre of the town to the upper part of it to pick up pieces of the Branch and go down dancing with them to the sanctuary of the Virgin of the Snows. The festive procession is led by some big heads or papagüevos, made of cardboard and representing popular characters of the town, who, by turning with their large hands, hit the crowd making their way through it. These Festivals were declared of National Tourist Interest in 1972.