Festivals in the Virgen de la Paloma in Madrid
The Verbena de la Paloma closes the cycle of the great traditional festivities of August in the centre of Madrid. The celebration brings together popular devotion, procession, music, dance and neighbourhood life in La Latina and its surroundings.
Celebration date
The main day is 15 August, Feast of the Assumption. The festival usually begins in the previous days and culminates with the religious events and the procession on the 15th. Although 15 August is usually a public holiday, the identity of the festival comes from Madrid's devotion to the Virgen de la Paloma.
View the La Paloma 2026 festival programme.
Venue
The religious events focus on the church of the Virgen de la Paloma, whose official name is the parish of San Pedro el Real. The festive atmosphere extends through Calle de la Paloma, Plaza de la Paja, Plaza de las Vistillas, Plaza de la Cebada, Puerta de Toledo and other streets in La Latina.
Also check out the festivals of Madrid.
Origin and history
Tradition places the origin of the devotion in 1787. Some children had a small canvas that represented the Virgin of Soledad and the neighbor Isabel Tintero acquired it, restored it and placed it in the portal of her house on Calle de la Paloma. The veneration of the neighbourhood grew, a chapel was built in 1795 and later the church that guards the image.
The popularity of the festival was also linked to the zarzuela The Paloma festival, with a libretto by Ricardo de la Vega and music by Tomás Bretón, premiered in Madrid in 1894.
Acts and traditions
- Floral offering, mass and lowering of the painting by members of the Madrid Fire Department.
- Procession of the image through the streets of the neighbourhood.
- Chotis, zarzuela, concerts, dances and traditional clothing competitions.
- Chulapos and chulapas with shawls, carnations, traditional dresses, vests and parpusas.
- Lanterns, garlands and shawls decorating streets, balconies and establishments.
The Virgin of the Dove and the firefighters
The Virgen de la Paloma is the patron saint of the Madrid Fire Department. One of the most representative moments is the lowering of the painting before the procession, carried out by a firefighter with the help of his colleagues. It is a tradition with more than a century of history.
Gastronomía y ambiente
The festival is associated with limoná, wafers and traditional specialties such as gallinejas and entresijos. The terraces, bars and stalls accompany the performances and dancing, although the authorized offer changes each edition.
Who participates
Neighbors of La Latina, parish and brotherhood, Madrid Firefighters, traditional associations, musicians, merchants, hoteliers, visitors and the City Council participate. The religious celebration and the civil festival attract a very diverse audience.
The August festivals in Madrid
La Paloma culminates a succession that begins with the Festivals in San Cayetano and continue with the Festivals in San Lorenzo. The three share the traditional atmosphere, but each one preserves its date, its neighbourhood area and its own religious traditions.