Every year from July 7th-14th thousands pack into Pamplona to start Spain’s most famous bull-running festival to honour Navarre capital’s patron saint, San Fermin. Spain stages more than 3,000 festivals each year but the 7 days of bull-running are the favourite in terms of spectacle and excitement.
After the daybreak of July 7th, runners (mainly young men) gather at the bottom of Santo Domingo, which is the starting line. They crowd together and sing to the image of San Fermin Festival which is placed in a niche on a wall. The song goes: “A San Fermin pedimos, por ser nuestro patron, nos guie en el encierro dandonos su bendicion” (“We ask San Fermin, as our Patron, to guide us through the Bull Run and give us his blessing.”)
