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Oviedo’s calendar turns around three anchors: Holy Week in spring, the Ascension fair in late May, and the San Mateo festival in September, plus the unique DÃa de América en Asturias that marks the city’s ties with Latin America. Cider pours at every one of them, and most events are free to attend, centred on Plaza de la Catedral, Calle Gascona, and the Campo de San Francisco. Here are the main events and festivals in Oviedo with their usual dates. For weather at each one, see the weather by month guide, and for the sights you’ll pass, the things to do guide.
Events and Festivals in Oviedo: Spring
Holy Week (Semana Santa)
Oviedo’s Holy Week, in late March or April depending on the liturgical calendar, centred on the old town and the cathedral, is smaller and more solemn than the famous southern processions but carries real local weight. The highlight is the procession of the Cristo de la Misericordia through the streets on Good Friday. Expect most shops to close Thursday and Friday and restaurants to fill up for the long Easter weekend. If you are combining it with a wider trip, see the best time to visit guide for how the dates shift each year.
Feria de la Ascensión
Held for roughly 10 days from late May, the Ascension fair is Oviedo’s spring blockbuster, its roots in a livestock market dating to the 16th century. Today it spreads fairground rides, artisan market stalls, and open-air concerts across Calle UrÃa and the Oviedo fairgrounds (Recinto Ferial). The precise dates follow the movable feast of Ascension Thursday, usually the last week of May. Weekend evenings draw the biggest crowds, and the chigres of Calle Gascona run at capacity; book dinners in advance.
Events and Festivals in Oviedo: Summer
Fiestas de San Mateo (September)
San Mateo, the city’s patron saint festival running September 14 to 21, is the biggest celebration of the year, though locals treat it as the finale of summer. Expect free open-air concerts, firework displays, the traditional Prau de la Carbayera cider entertainment tents, and the DÃa de América en Asturias parade on the third Sunday. The grand parade brings costumed delegations from Latin American communities in a celebration of emigrant ties, followed by folk music into the night. Hotel prices climb and availability thins, so book rooms two to three months out, and check the neighborhoods guide to see which districts the parades fill.
Events and Festivals in Oviedo: Autumn and Winter
Festival de TÃteres y Navidad
From late December through early January, Oviedo runs a well-regarded puppetry festival for families alongside its Christmas market and lights on Calle UrÃa and Plaza de la Escandalera. The Three Kings parade on January 5 winds through the centre, a bigger deal for local children than Christmas itself, as it is in much of Spain. The permanent ice rink and market stalls stay open through the first week of January.
DÃa de Oviedo and San Mateo week closure
Beyond the marquee dates, the city hosts a steady run of smaller fixtures: a weekly Flea market at El Fontán each Sunday, the Premio Princesa de Asturias awards ceremony held every October at the Campoamor Theatre, and a rolling calendar of classical concerts there through the winter. Check the theatre’s programme at the box office on Calle Diecinueve de Julio, open weekday afternoons. For where to base yourself during festival weeks, see the where to stay guide, and the travel tips page has arrival and transport details for festival weekends.
