Festivals in Ribadesella
Local festivals in Ribadesella
Ribadesella's festive tradition brings together the seafaring devotion of the Virgen de Guía and the Descenso Internacional del Sella, alongside San Juan, Carnival and pilgrimages across the municipality.
Usual celebration
The Virgen de Guía is usually celebrated over several days in early July, preceded by a novena. The image is carried down from the Guía chapel to the parish church with a bagpipe band, stopping at the Rula for the Salve Marinera, and returns after Mass in a procession across the bay. Plaza de la Rula, the church, the chapel, the harbour and the town's streets host processions, an open-air dance, music and children's activities organised by the festival committee and the Town Hall with seafaring groups, a choir, musicians, residents and visitors.
The Descenso Internacional del Sella is held on the first Saturday in August, or the second when the former falls on the 1st or 2nd. The competitive day starts in Arriondas and finishes in Ribadesella, followed by a picnic at Campos de Oba and a champions' parade through the streets; Semana de Piragües extends the celebration over several days.
Programme for 2026
The Virgen de Guía ran from 3 to 6 July, with the image carried down on the 4th, Mass and the maritime procession on the 5th, and a children's day on the 6th. The 88th Descenso Internacional del Sella took place on 8 August: the start was at 12 noon, the first boats were expected in Ribadesella at about 1.05 pm, lunch and the prize ceremony followed at Campos de Oba, and the champions' parade began at 8 pm.
Local public holidays in 2026
The Principality of Asturias calendar declares 16 February, Carnival, and 24 June, San Juan, as Ribadesella's paid, non-recoverable local public holidays in 2026. This does not make all four days of the Virgen de Guía festival or the whole Semana de Piragües non-working.
Other events
The municipality also retains horse races on Santa Marina beach on Good Friday, village pilgrimages, the Jazz Festival and Folixa de la Sidra, each with its own places and duration.