The Fiestas del Pilar of Zaragoza return, a week of great concerts, tradition and culture in honor of the Virgin of Pilar. In 2021, the Pilares were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, so there is a great desire for the patron saint festivities of Zaragoza to return this year as usual.
Dates of the Fiestas del Pilar 2022
The Fiestas del Pilar in Zaragoza are held around October 12, the Day of Hispanic Heritage, which is a public holiday throughout Spain. This 2022, the Pilares will take place from Saturday, October 8 to Sunday, October 16. However, and as has become usual, from Friday the 7th some activities will already begin.
Poster of the Fiestas del Pilar 2022
As usual, the poster that wins the competition for the Fiestas del Pilar 2022 becomes the official image of the festivities. On this occasion, the winner is “Spiral of Tradition”, a work by the Zaragoza artist Jorge Gecko, which includes characters and typical places of the Zaragoza festivities.
Flower Offering 2022
The offering of flowers to the Virgin of Pilar is one of the most spectacular moments and one of the central acts of all the festivities. The first groups begin the route at 6:45 on October 12 and deposit their bouquets continuously for hours until creating an enormous mantle more than 9 meters high. As a curiosity, in even-numbered years the predominant color of the flowers is red and in odd-numbered years, white, so in 2022 red carnations will predominate. To attend as a spectator, you only have to go to Paseo de la Independencia or Plaza del Pilar, where this year a capacity of 40,000 people will be established. Getting a good spot in Plaza del Pilar is more difficult. As an alternative, the flowers usually remain on display for a week. So if you miss seeing the offering live, don’t worry, the next day you will be able to admire the mantle much more comfortably. What is highly recommended is to admire the beautiful regional costumes of the more than 300,000 participants in the parade. People from Zaragoza, Aragón and all over Spain, and even from America, dress in traditional costumes from their regions in an offering to the patron saint of Hispanic Heritage that lasts about 12 hours.
Pilares Program 2022
Officially, the Pilar festivities begin their program on Saturday the 8th in the afternoon with the reading of the proclamation and the subsequent rocket launch, when thousands of people gather in Plaza del Pilar to watch the fireworks. On the same day in the morning there are already events, and on Friday there are concerts in many venues. The opening of the fairground and other spaces also takes place and, as is customary, from the previous day the people of Zaragoza warm up with the opening of the fairground and other activities such as the Oktoberfest beer festival. This is everything you need to know:
Peñas parade It will start at 19:00 from Paseo María Agustín (Joaquín Costa school), continuing through Puerta del Carmen, Avenida Cesaraugusto, Coso, Alfonso I, and ending in Plaza del Pilar next to the City Hall shortly before 21:00 for the proclamation.
Fireworks that begin on the day of the proclamation, after its speech fireworks will be launched to welcome the Pilares, it is then when all the programming of the Fiestas del Pilar 2022 officially begins. They take place over several nights until ending with the final display. Plaza San Francisco, Valdespartera or the banks of the Ebro are three of the main locations from which they can be seen.
Free concert on the same day of the proclamation in Plaza del Pilar, on the Fuente de Goya stage, one of several that will be set up.
Offering of fruits and food from Zaragoza, Aragón and around the world to the Virgin in the Basilica del Pilar. This act takes place on October 13, just one day after the Flower Offering. The collected food is donated to the Hermandad del Refugio.
Giants and big heads of all kinds of historical and fictional characters will walk through the streets of Zaragoza on several occasions for the enjoyment of adults and children.
Young bulls at 8 in the morning in the Plaza de Toros de la Misericordia during all the days of the festivities, and bullfights in the afternoons. The recortadores and rejoneadores events are also well known, completing a great bullfighting program at the Fiestas del Pilar 2022.
Valdespartera Fairground with food trucks, more than 150 attractions and raffles, among others. Carousel, bumper cars, roller coasters, the witch train, trampolines, dozens of attractions and food stalls for all audiences. It is next to Interpeñas, where many of the scheduled concerts take place.
Concerts Pilares 2022
As the highlight of all the festivities, every year the Pilar concerts bring together leading national and international artists. Some of the confirmed artists this year are Pablo Alborán, La Pegatina, the Ukrainian band that won Eurovision (Kalush Orchestra), Fangoria, Macy Gray, Toquinho, Zahara, Tako or La Pegatina, who will perform on the Ambar Stage at Plaza del Pilar in free concerts for all audiences. Melendi, Love the 90s, Bad Gyal, Izal, Natos y Waor, La M.O.D.A, Camela, Estopa, Dani Martín and Joan Manuel Serrat are some of the artists who will perform during the Pilares in ticketed concerts. The Valdespartera fairground, the Príncipe Felipe Pavilion, the Zaragoza Auditorium, Plaza del Pilar, the Winter Garden and the Zaragoza Ebro Food Truck Festival on Paseo Echegaray y Caballero are the main performance venues this year.
Tram timetable during the Pilar
The celebration of the different cultural and leisure activities scheduled for these days will bring reinforcement in both public transport and the cleaning of streets and parks. The tram will run continuously 24 hours a day from October 8 to 17 with frequencies ranging between 5 and 15 minutes depending on the time slot, and the schedules of numerous bus lines will also be extended. In addition, special shuttle services will be enabled to reach the Valdespartera fairground on concert nights. Line V1 will be in operation from October 7 to 23 with frequencies between 5 and 10 minutes.
What is the weather like during the Fiestas del Pilar?
The weather in Zaragoza during the Fiestas del Pilar varies notably from one year to another and during the same day, with differences of more than 15 degrees between day and night. Consequently, although this year an average of 22 degrees is expected, it is advisable to dress in layers and adjust according to the weather forecast.
Accommodation for the Fiestas del Pilar 2022
At Hotel Silken Reino de Aragón, we welcome you with an unbeatable location to fully enjoy the Fiestas del Pilar and all the comforts of a 4-star establishment. Our 4-star hotel in Zaragoza is located on Coso, just steps from the historic city center with the Cathedral of Pilar and the iconic El Tubo bar area. Opposite you will also find a tram stop to reach more distant places or, if you prefer to move by private transport, we also have parking in our own building. Remember that by booking through our official website you will benefit from the best price guaranteed as well as other exclusive advantages such as late check-out upon request. In addition, cancellation is free until 18:00 on the day before arrival with the flexible rate without restrictions.
