The Arcos town band plays at events throughout the year

Arcos de la Frontera: The year in Arcos

January in Arcos de la Frontera gets underway with the last of the Christmas events, including the Great Parade of the Three Kings and the end of the diorama Christmas representations. The average daily temperature in January is 16° celsius.

February is carnival time in Cádiz Province! The carnival in the city of Cádiz is famous throughout Europe and Arcos de la Frontera gets in on the act too. The Arcos de la Frontera carnival was resurrected in the 1980s, and includes comedy singing acts called 'chirigotas' (pictured below). The average daily temperature in February is 18°.



March is the month in which Arcos de la Frontera truly comes into its own. Declared an event of National Turistic Interest in Spain, Holy Week in Arcos de la Frontera is not to be missed. Every day, crowds gather in the streets to watch a series of processions which are as spectacular as they are colourful. Watch out for the running of the bull along the streets (pictured below). The average daily temperature in March is 20°.



April. The countryside is in full bloom - you'll be amazed at how green the surrounds of Arcos de la Frontera look at this time of the year. April (the month may vary) brings to Arcos de la Frontera the 'Feria de la Tapa' or Tapas Fair  in which the bars and restaurants of the town gather in one place to show off their wares. A gastronomist's delight! Meanwhile, in nearby Jerez the Spanish Moto GP race takes place around this time of year (its schedule may vary). The average daily temperature in April is 22°.

Into May, and once more the Old Quarter comes alive, this time with the arrival of the 'Cruces de Mayo', or May Crosses (pictured below): gorgeous displays made out of carnations, roses, rosemary, lentisco and fruits from the local area. Also in May, the tradition of Corpus Christi, when a procession goes through the Old Quarter with its streets carpeted in sweet smelling rosemary. The average daily temperature in May is 25°.



June. The summer season is here and the temperature is rising! This may be a good time to go down to the lake next to Arcos de la Frontera and participate in some of the watersport activities on offer there: canoeing, rowing, sailing, windsurfing - to name but four. Warmer nights make late evening 'paseos', or strolls, a delight. A great time to sample the many local bars. The average daily temperature in June is 29°.

GET EVENING BAR PHOTO

Las Carpas de Verano arrive in July. Las Carpas are an open-air event taking place every Friday, in which thousands of locals get together to enjoy a drink and a chat. The outstanding feature of Las Carpas are the free concerts from singers and bands of the moment. In July the flamenco tradition in Arcos de la Frontera lives on with performances every Thursday in the squares. The average daily temperature in July is 33°.

On the fifth of August the patron saint, Our Lady of the Snows, is carried in a procession around Arcos de la Frontera (pictured below). A top ranking Flamenco festival also takes place in August, the highlight of which is the Velá Flamenca de las Nieves, a competition with a gold medal for the best performer. All of this takes place in beautiful Cabildo Square, adding to the atmosphere. The average daily temperature in August is 33°.



On September 29th the Feria de San Miguel takes place in honour of the town's patron saint, and it's the main festival of the year in Arcos de la Frontera. The fair has its own music shows and attractions, but it's the hospitality of the people of Arcos de la Frontera that make this fair the warm event that it is. The average daily temperature in September is 30°.



So to October and Autumn, when the town settles back into its daily routine after all the summer festivities. It's time now for the Ruta de la Tapa, or Tapas Route (schedule may vary). The bars lay on their best tapas and compete to see which will come out on top. Votes from the punters will decide the outcome. Note: the month in which the Tapas Route takes place may vary. The average daily temperature in October is 25°.



In November some of the best known figures in Arcos, particularly from the field of literature, are honoured. Two Cultural Weeks stand out, those of Jesús de las Cuevas and Julio Mariscal, around which conferences, concerts, exhibitions and plays are celebrated. This is also the month in which locals gather round an open fire and eat traditional doughnuts, or buñuelos. The average daily temperature in November is 20°.



December. Following the month of culture comes Christmas month, a highlight in the calendar year of Arcos de la Frontera. Among the main events is the Live Nativity during which the Old Quarter is transformed into Bethlehem of Judea to represent the night on which Jesus was born. The average daily temperature in December is 17°.

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