The fiestas of San Fermin are celebrated in Pamplona behalf the region of Navarra.This festival is celebrated every year from the 6th to the 14th of July. They have become internationally known because of the running of the bulls, where the bulls are lead through the streets of the old quarter as far as the bull ring by runners.

History of Sun Fermin Festival:-

 Fermin is said to have been the son of a Roman of senatorial rank in Pamplona in the 3rd century, who was converted to Christianity by Saint Honestus, a disciple of Saint Saturninus. According to tradition, he was baptised by Saturninus (in Navarre also known as Saint Cernin) at the spot now known as the "Small Well of Saint Cernin" Fermin was ordained a priest in Toulouse and returned to Pamplona as its first bishop. On a later preaching voyage, Fermin was beheaded in Amiens, France; and is now considered a martyr in the Catholic Church. It is believed he died on September 25, AD 303. There is no written record of veneration in Pamplona of the Saint until the 12th century. Saint Fermin, as well as Saint Francis Xavier, are now the two patrons of Navarre. At Pamplona, Saint Fermin is now sometimes said to have met his end by being dragged through the streets of Pamplona by bulls, a fate more commonly attributed to his mentor, Saturnin. 

 

 Orignaly:-

The celebration of the festival has its origin in the combination of two different medieval events. Commercial secular fairs were held at the beginning of the summer. As cattle merchants came into town with their animals, eventually bullfighting came to be organized as a part of the tradition. Specifically, they were first documented in the 14th century. On the other hand religious ceremonies honoring the saint were held on October 10.However in 1591 they were transferred to the 7th of July to take place at the same time as the fair; when Pamplona's weather is better. This is considered to be the beginning of the Sanfermines. During medieval times acts included an opening speech, musicians, tournaments, theatre, bullfights, dances or even fireworks. Bullrunning appears in 17th and 18th century chronicles together with the presence of foreigners and the first concerns on the excessive drinking and dissolute behavior during the event. The Giant's Parade was created by the end in the mid of the 19th century. The first official bullring was constructed in 1844.

 The Event Of The Sun Fermin Festival:-

1)Daily events

->Running of the bulls:-

The running of the bulls (In Spanish encierro[19]) involves hundreds of people running in front of six bulls and another six steers down an 825-metre (0.51 mile) stretch of narrow streets of a section of the old town of Pamplona. The run ends in the Pamplona's bullring taking a mean time of around 3 minutes where the bulls would be held until the afternoons bullfight when they would be killed. Bullruns are held between the 7th and the 14th. 

 

 The event begins at 8 a.m. when a first firecracker is lit to announce the release of the bulls from their corral. Before the year 1924 it started at 6 and at 7 between 1924 and 1974.Runners gather earlier at the beginning of the itinerary to ask for the protection of the Saint by singing a chant three times before a small statue of San Fermin which has been placed in a raised niche in a wall. A second cracker signals that the last bull has left the corral. There are six fighting bulls accompanied by six oxes (often white and brown coloured) that guide them to the "plaza" and followed by three more not fighting oxes. There are also some shepherds guiding the bulls, wearing green T-shirts and holding long poles. Once all of the bulls have entered the arena, a third rocket is released while a fourth firecracker indicates that the bulls are in their bullpens and the run has concluded. After the end of the run young cows with wrapped horns are released in the bullring and toss the participants, to the amusement of the crowd.

->Giants and big-heads parade:-

Every day, during the morning, there is a parade of gigantes y cabezudos (in English giants and big-heads respectively), with the giants figures being more than 150 years old. The eight giants figures were built by the painter from Pamplona Tadeo Amorena in 1860, and represent four pairs of kings and queens of four different races and places (Europe, Asia, America and Africa). Their size is around 4 metres each and are carried by a dancer inside a wooden structure. During the parade giants dance following the rhythm of traditional music. The remaining 17 figures include 6 kilikis, 5 big-heads, and 6 zaldikos and were built at different times between 1860 and 1941. Kilikis and big-heads are caricaturesque, but human-like figures that are carried as helmets. Big-heads masks are up to 1 metre high and kilikis slightly smaller. While big-heads simply precede the giants and wave their hands at spectators, kilikis run after children and carry a foam truncheon which they use to hit them with. Zaldikos, figures representing horses with their riders, also run after children with a truncheon 

 

 

Bullfight:-

Every afternoon between the 7th and the 14th there is a bullfight in which the 6 bulls that have been driven to the bullring during the bullrunning of that day are killed. It begins at 18:30.In addition the 5th a bulentlfight with younger bulls and not fully trained bullfighters is performed while the 6th features bullfighters on horses (in Spanish "rejoneo"). While the bullring of the city is the fourth largest in size in the world, it is full every afternoon and tickets are hard to find. 

 2) Singal Day Event:-

->  Chupinazo:-

The opening of the festival is marked by setting off the pyrotechnic chupinazo (or txupinazo in Basque language). The rocket is launched at 12:00 noon on the 6th of July from a city hall balcony with thousands of people celebrating the act in the city hall square and other locations in Pamplona. The chupinazo has officially marked the beginning of the fiesta since 1941. The person who sets it off is decided by the city mayor. Nevertheless since 1979 tradition has been that each year after city elections the chupinazo is set off by a person from the different city council political groups beginning with the mayor and then political groups ordered by number of representatives. There have been exceptions to this tradition with some non-politicians being in charge of the act when they had performed significant achievements during the year. Examples of these exceptions were a player of the local football team, or the president of the "giants and big-heads" group in its 150 years anniversary.

 

-> Saint Fermin procession:-

The most key day of the festival is July 7, when thousands of people accompany the 15th-century statue of Saint Fermin through the old part of Pamplona. The statue is accompanied by dancers and street entertainers, and different political and religious authorities including the city mayor.During procession a Jota (an ancient traditional dance) is performed for the saint, a rose is offered in the Saint Cernin well, and the "gigantes" (enormous wood-framed and papier-mâché puppet figures managed from inside) dance and twirl while the cathedral bell named María (Mary) peals. \

->Struendo:-

"El Struendo" is a single day event with more than 50 years of tradition. It has been purposely left outside the official program and each year is celebrated on a different day, usually on a weekday so as to keep the crowds manageable. People gather at 11:59 pm at the Town Hall and make as much noise as possible for several hours mainly with drums but also bowls, whistles or any other object

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The Scarlet Sails is a celebration in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation and It's Also Called White Nights Festival.The Tradition Is Highly Popular For Its Spectacular Fireworks, Numerous Music Concerts, And Many Event.......

The Scarlet Sails is a celebration in St. Petersburg, Russia, the most massive and famous public event during the White Nights Festival. The tradition is highly popular for its spectacular fireworks, numerous music concerts, and a massive water show including battles between dozens of boats full of pirates on the waters of the Neva river. The Scarlet Sails show celebrating the end of school year 2007 was attended by more than one million people In 2010, public attendance grew to 3 million, and entertainers were such stars as the Cirque du Soleil, Mariinsky Ballet and Antonio Banderas, among others.

 

 This tradition began after the end of World War II, when several Leningrad schools united to celebrate the end of the school year in connection with the symbolism of the popular 1922 children's book Scarlet Sails by Alexander Grin. During the first celebration, a boat with scarlet sails sailed along the English Embankment and the Admiralty Embankment towards the Winter Palace. Although it was designed to update the rusty revolutionary propaganda, the "Scarlet Sails" tradition eventually evolved into a massive demonstration of freedom from "schools and rules" and has become the most popular public event annually celebrating the end of school year.

For many this is a real time of celebration and with so many months of darkness and freezing weather during the winter, it’s easy to see why! The city puts on firework displays, all-night parties and cultural events which last long into the night.
The “Stars of the White Nights Festival” at the Mariinsky Theatre is one of the most notable features of the White Nights, and has become an internationally renowned celebration of the arts. Classical ballet, opera and orchestral performances form the basis of the festival, which was created by the first mayor of St. Petersburg, Anatoly Sobchak. Some of the stars who have performed here include Placido Domingo, Olga Borodina and Alfred Brendel.

Possibly the biggest, and most famous public event during the festival, though, is the ‘Scarlet Sails’ celebration. A really spectacular fireworks display and end-of-season show, it has become the largest public event in Russia, with an estimated attendance of over a million people. The tradition began after the end of WWII, when several Leningrad schools united to celebrate the ending of a school year in connection with symbolism of the popular 1922 children’s book Scarlet Sails by Alexander Grin. The “Scarlet Sails” tradition has evolved into a massive demonstration of freedom from “schools and rules” and takes place at the end of school year annually. The show includes a series of large-scale events on the waters of Neva River, such as boat races, and a massive mock battle with pirates, which culminates in the appearance of a tall ship sporting spectacular scarlet sails.
Along with the cultural events, the firework displays and the carnivals, there are also star performances in Palace Square from the likes of Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones. Impressive venues at any time of year, but especially in the evening light!

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THE FESTIVAL OF THE SUN GOD OR INTI RAYMI CELEBRATION IN CUSCO.IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ANDEAN FESTIVAL AND CELEBRAT EVRY YEAR ON 24TH OFJUNE.

INTI RAYMI CELEBRATION IN CUSCO - THE FESTIVAL OF THE SUN GOD

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The Inti Raymi or "The Festival of the Sun" was and is the most important Andean festival. The Inca cultures celebrate the Inti Raymi (The Sun Festival) every each winter solstice in Cusco and a new year in the Andes of the Southern Hemisphere. The Inca (king) and the native residents gathered to honor the Sun God, sacrifice an animal to ensure good crops and to pay homage to the Inca, as the first born Son of the Sun.

The festival travels from the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, Cuzco to the massive fortress of Saqsayhuaman. The festival includes fire and lights to wake the sun god on the shortest day and longest night of the winter solstice.

The Sun, the main God of the Inca Civilization was considered to be the creator of all that exists. It presided over the destinies of man and the universe.

During the Inca Empire, the Inti Raymi was the most important of four ceremonies celebrated in Cusco, as related by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. The ceremony was also said to indicate the mythical origin of the Incas, lasting nine days of colorful dances and processions, as well as animal sacrifices to ensure a good cropping season. The celebrants fasted for days before the event, refrained from physical pleasures and presented gifts to the Inca, who in return put on a lavish banquet of meat, corn bread, Chicha and coca tea as they prepared to sacrifice llamas to ensure good crops and fertile fields.

The last Inti Raymi with the Inca Emperor's presence was carried out in 1535, after which the Spanish conquest and the Catholic Church suppressed it. Some natives participated in similar ceremonies in the years after, but it was completely prohibited in 1572 by the Viceroy Francisco de Toledo, who claimed it was a pagan ceremony opposed to the Catholic faith.
Following the edict, the ceremonies went underground.

TODAY INTI RAYMI FESTIVAL (The Festival Of The God Sun)

Since 1944 a theatrical representation of the Inti Raymi has been taking place at Saqsayhuaman on June 24 of each year attracting thousands of tourist and local visitors. The first ceremony was directed by Faustino Espinoza Navarro and indigenous actors; reconstruction was largely based on the chronicles of Garcilaso de la Vega and only referred to the religious ceremony.
Not being possible now to recreate the Inti Raymi ceremony in the original Inca locations for obvious reasons, it has been thought appropriate to perform the celebration in the great archaeological complex called Saqsayhuaman that lies to the north of the main square next to the city. From the Main Square to Saqsayhuaman, the distance by road is no greater than three kilometers.
The Inti Raymi (The Festival of the God Sun) is the biggest traditional festival in the Andes of Peru.
Every year the festivities started in Koricancha square in front of the Santo Domingo church, built over the ancient Temple of the Sun. Here, the Sapaq Inca appear and calls on the blessings from the sun. Following the oration, Sapaq Inca is carried on a golden throne, a replica of the original which weighed about 60 kilos, in a procession to the ancient fortress of Saqsayhuaman, in the hills above Cuzco. With the Sapa Inca come the high priests, garbed in ceremonial robes, then officials of the court, nobles and others, all elaborately costumed according to their rank, with silver and gold ornaments.

One by one various groups appeared in front of Koricancha being called in by conch-blowing Chasquis (The Chasquis were the messengers of the Inca Empire). Musicians, dancers, virgins, representatives from various parts of the Empire, including the loin-cloth clad Amazonians, priests and finally the Queen (Mama Ocllo) and Sapaq Inca himself arrived. Intermixed with music and dances the Inca invoked the sun and pleaded for it to be good to them in the forthcoming year.
Even before the completion of the celebrations at Koricancha the crowd started making their way up Avenida del Sol to the main square. Good spots were limited and everyone wanted to have front row positions so the crowd moved fast, some even running.
The cortege included sweepers cleaning the streets of evil spirits and flower girls marking a path of petals for the Inca. Effigies of the Serpent, the Puma and the Condor – which symbolize the underworld, the earthen world and the celestial world – were paraded before the Queen’s paladin. Then the hike up to Saqsayhuaman, the Incan fort 2kms above Cuzco, started.
All around Peruvians and foreign tourists looked for a good spot of the ceremony. Finally the Inca’s entourage appeared once again to music and dances and finally the Inca arrived and joined his main priests and heads of the Tawantinsuyos (the 4 regions of the Empire) on a stone platform.
After more summons and prayers a white llama is sacrificed and the high priest holds aloft the bloody heart in honor of Pachamama (Mother Earth). This is done to ensure the fertility of the earth which in combination with light and warmth from the sun provides a bountiful crop. The priests read the blood stains to see the future for the Inca.
The day’s festivities of Inti Raymi ends with a procession back to Cuzco. Sapaq Inca and Mama Ocllo are carried on their thrones, the high priests and representatives of the Supaq pronounce blessings on the people. Once again, a new year has begun. June 24 is also celebrated throughout Peru as Indians Day.

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