Madrid Festival
When is it celebrated
The Madrid Festival is celebrated every year on 2 May. It is a fixed date, legally established as a regional holiday, that commemorates the popular Madrid uprising of 2 May 1808 against the French occupation. Cultural activities can begin before and continue after the main day.
Is it a holiday or a working day?
It is a regional festival. The 2026 work calendar published in the BOE includes 2 May as Madrid festival, non-skilled, paid and not recoverable in the region. Law 8/1984 declares the holiday of the Community, but its work fit must be contrasted each year with the official calendar, especially when it falls on a weekend; The local festivals of each municipality are determined separately.
Origin and geographical link
It is Madrid's own festival and is historically linked to the events that occurred in the capital and in Móstoles in 1808. The explanatory memorandum of Law 8/1984 presents that day as a common reference for Madrid citizens and as a symbol of self-government. Although the commemorative core is in the city of Madrid, the institutional and cultural celebration has a regional scope.
Regular events
The agenda brings together institutional events and a cultural programme open to the public: presentation of awards, concerts, zarzuela, dance, theater, exhibitions, folklore and activities in municipalities. One of the most recognisable events is the historical recreation of the uprising, with parades and representations of episodes such as the defence of the Monteleón barracks. The specific offer changes every year; In 2026 it also included audiovisual shows and free concerts.
Usual duration of events
The official holiday is 2 May, but the programme usually extends for several days around that date. For reference, the general activities of 2026 took place from 30 April to 3 May. Each concert or re-enactment has its own schedule and duration: that year, for example, the main historical scenes were divided into sessions of between half an hour and forty-five minutes and an afternoon performance.
Traditions and history
On 2 May 1808, the population of Madrid rose up against the French troops, with episodes associated with the Plaza de Oriente, Puerta del Sol and the Monteleón Artillery Park; A call for resistance was also spread from Móstoles. The Community institutionalized the commemoration through Law 8/1984. The recreations with period clothing, horses, carriages and artillery keep the public memory of those events alive, along with Madrid cultural expressions such as music, dance and Goyesque motifs.
Where is it celebrated
The party covers all of Madrid. In the capital, the Real Casa de Correos and Puerta del Sol, Alcalá Street, the historic surroundings of Monteleón, the Plaza de Oriente, the Puente del Rey esplanade, parks, theaters and cultural centres are frequent settings. Other municipalities hold concerts, traditional festivals and their own activities, so the venues must be consulted in the official programme of each edition.
Who participates
Madrid promotes institutional events and a good part of the programming, with the collaboration of city councils, cultural spaces and artistic entities. Musicians, performing companies, municipal bands, folklore groups and historical recreation associations take part, such as Volunteers of Madrid 1808-1814. Public events are aimed at residents and visitors of all ages, subject in some cases to capacity.