Festivals in Campo de Criptana

Local festivals in Campo de Criptana

Campo de Criptana's main celebrations are the Virgen de Criptana pilgrimage, the fair in honour of the Santísimo Cristo de Villajos, Holy Week and Carnival. The Town Council, archconfraternities, clubs, cultural and sports associations and residents take part in a calendar closely associated with the Sierra de los Molinos.

Usual celebration

Virgen de Criptana is celebrated on Easter Monday with a pilgrimage to the hilltop chapel. The fair usually lasts six days, from 23 to 28 August, and uses the Sierra de los Molinos, Plaza Mayor, the summer municipal auditorium, Pósito Real and sports venues. Holy Week includes processions from Friday of Sorrows and the Procession of Silence towards the hill of windmills.

Programme for 2026

The fair runs from 23 to 28 August, with events before and after those dates through to 6 September and more than 110 municipal activities. The programme includes the Fiesta Ye-Yé at Sierra de los Molinos, concerts by DePol and the La Mundial and La Misión orchestras, charity events, food competitions, Farmers' Day, the Gran Prix and concerts by the Filarmónica Beethoven in Plaza Mayor. The Grape Harvest Festival on 4 September closes the cultural cycle.

Local public holidays in 2026

The Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha lists 16 February and 24 August as Campo de Criptana's paid, non-recoverable local holidays. The second date falls within the fair, but this does not make the full six-day duration a labour holiday.

Other cultural events

Other events in the municipality include the Arte Entre Gigantes festival, traditional milling, Semana Cervantina and the neighbourhood festivities of San Antón, San Sebastián, Virgen de la Paz, San Isidro, San Pedro, San Cristóbal, Virgen del Carmen and Santa Ana.

Sources

• Campo de Criptana Town Council: fair programme for 2026
• Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha: local holidays for 2026