From the 23rd to the 29th of June Laguardia stops behaving as usual, its every-day activities are left aside and everything is happiness and joy, and the festivities in honour of the patron saints begin.

Bars, cellars, everywhere is crowded with hundreds of visitors; people arrive at Laguardia in throngs. At one in the afternoon, on June 23 rd , the bells ring and a very loud bang announces the beginning of the festivities. The banner of the town is hoisted at the balcony of the Town Hall, accompanied by the sound of pipes and the din of firecrackers. This is the beginning of the festivities, which will end with fireworks and the “burial of the cask”.

But these festivities are not only din and joy, traditions play a very important role too. On the 23rd, early in the evening the dancers and the figure of the “Cachimorro” (a typical character of the festivities) lead a very peculiar “procession” in search of the mayor and the youngest councillor of the town; they are taken to the town square, where the banner of Laguardia is lowered from the balcony of the Town Hall right onto the street, and it is picked up by one of the Town Hall employees, who gives it to the councillor. Right after this a typical handing over of flower bunches takes place entrega de flores.

Then the guests and all the members of the Town Hall go to the Danzarines, el Cachimorro the church of San Juan after the dancers and the pipers

Once inside the church the banner is offered to Our Lady the Virgin of “el Pilar” and to the patron saint, with the ceremony of the waiving of the tremolación de la bandera.

The penning of fighting bulls is probably the most expected attraction.

At noon the Calle Mayor is closed with barriers and after the bang of three big firecrackers, which is the signal for the release of the herd, the bulls run along the street after the youngsters that dare to be here. At around seven the bullfight begins and everybody can take a part in it.

In order to enjoy the festivities you have to get deep into it with all the people, jump to the rhythm of the music along the streets, take a swig of “zurracapote” (wine with sugar, lemon and cinnamon made by the people from Laguardia for the guests) and dance on until you drop. These festivities are intended to be enjoyed in a very intense way.

All this fun ends on June 29 th with the “burial of the cask” and with the din of the last fireworks the festivities are over until next year.