Romería de la Virgen de Gracia

Madrid, and most large spanish cities, is surrounded by pueblos--small towns just outside the city center. Pueblos, while modern now-a-days, continue to maintain traditional customs and practices; one traditional custom is the annual festival that each pueblo hosts. 

My friend Taylor, from my program here in Spain, is also living with a host-family and was invited to join them in one of these festivals; she extended the invitation to me as well. Her host-family has a beautiful second home in the mountains in El Escorial that they retreat to during the summer and on the weekends. The pueblo is only about a 45 minute drive from central Madrid, but it is a completely different atmosphere: a small mountain village abundant with trees and nature contrast concrete, smog laden, crowded Madrid. 

Taylor's host-mom, Taylor and me on the deck of her host family's home in El Escorial

El Escorial is best known for the enormous monastery that sits in the village's center: el monasterio de san Lorenzo. The monastery was definitely one of the largest I have ever seen, and now is home to a school, a museum, a church, gardens, and a current day monastery--each have their own section of the huge building. We anticipated going to visit the cathedral; however, given the day and hoards of people, the cathedral, along with all other parts of the monastery, were closed.

monasterio de san lorenzo

Me and Taylor in front of the monastery, next to the gardens

 We continued to el campo to participate in the festival. The festival, which translates to Procession of the Virgin of Gracia of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, is held on the second Sunday each September. The festival begins first thing in the morning with the procession of the image of the Virgin leaving for the hermitage, el campo. Everyone in the village, the pilgrams, follow the decorated image until it reaches the sanctuary, at which point Alba Mass is held. We arrived in el campo after the procession, but when walking through, we were able to catch the last few minutes of the processional mass. After mass, each extended family hosts their own giant lunch feast, which varies from chorizo/salchicha barbacoa to paella. We had about 15 different chorizos and sausages, grilled vegetables, spanish tortillas, and about 10 different spanish empanadas. Needless to say, I was extremely full, and satisfied, in no time. 

One of the families making a giant paella

The festival is full of traditions even apart from the procession. As you may have noticed in the pictures, there is a dress code. The minimum dress code, as modeled by Taylor and me, is a white blouse, and blue and white bandana tied around your neck, and jeans. Most locals, however, wear the full attire. Women wear heavy felt skirts that are black and yellow or green, with black tied shoes, a white blouse, and a medallion with the virgin's image around their neck. Men wear a costume consisting of black pants, a white shirt, a black vest, a red or yellow sash tied around their waste, and a medallion with an image of the virgin (careful, this is a different image than the one the women wear though). Children can be seen in colorful dresses, as shown below, or smaller versions of the adult costumes. 

Niñas in traditional pueblo clothing for the festival

 Each family is further entitled to one peña. The only way I can think to describe a peña is like a float, however it is not that at all. A peña is a huge life size diagram that displays an image or theme, and each theme is specific and chosen by the family. Themes can range from a water fall going onto a wheel to create energy to power a TV, to a cornucopia, to a farm scene, to Real Madrid winning the UEFA Championship, to an image of the nativity scene or of the virgin (which is the most popular general theme, given the festival). At the end of the procession, after festivities and traditional dances, the peñas are each judged. Throughout the day, families are crafty and offer food to other people in order to get them to come over to see their peña. The original form of advertising. At the festival's conclusion, the best peña is voted on and the family is named the winner!

A cornucopia peña 

Taylor and me in front of some roaming farm animals

Peña dedicated to the Virgin

After listening to a few conversations and hearing greetings of 'felix día de las gracias', I realized that this is the town's equivalent to thanksgiving. Of course, the two are very different entities that cannot be compared, but it is definitely the most similar American holiday. And, it makes the fact that I will not be home for thanksgiving a little better. 

I can officially say I have been to a real Spanish fiesta.