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At the height of the summer heat, the day of the Virgin’s ascension into heaven is celebrated. In colourful marquees there is much socializing, drinking and dancing. The day marks the beginning of the Feria de Málaga, a week-long festival.

Most Andalucían towns celebrate this Catholic festival, the most spectacular extravaganza being in Cádiz. Costumes and masked balls and lots of carousing are the order of the day and night during these chaotic revels. The implicit anarchy invites every sort of political lampoon, which is why Franco tried to abolish these events – unsuccessfully (see Cádiz).

This festival celebrates the miracle of Transubstantiation, when the host becomes the body of Christ and the wine His blood. Granada’s celebration is the most famous, with parades and partying, followed by bull-fights and flamenco.

Held in Seville two weeks after Easter, this is the largest fair in Spain (see Seville).

Late summer and autumn sees the traditional matanza (slaughter) of pigs and several celebrations of ham, notably in Trevélez.

This fair in Jerez de la Frontera centres on Andalucían horses.

The olive is celebrated in the Jaén province town of Martos.

The Festival of the Crosses celebrates the discovery of the True Cross in the 4th century by St Helena. Modes of veneration vary widely in the region, but may include competitions for producing the most gorgeous flower-decked cross.

Traditionally, this evening commemorates the arrival of the Three Kings at the infant Jesus’s manger crib. Parades across the region feature the trio, lavishly dressed, progressing through towns in small carriages drawn by tractors or horses. The next day, Epiphany, is the day that children receive gifts.

In Málaga Province at Puerta de la Torre, this is a day for practical jokers and a chance to wear funny hats. It dates back to Moorish times.