Staying safe at fiestas, festivals and crowded events

Terms used

• Botellón — The botellón is drinking alcohol in a street, park or other public space, usually in a group.
• Encierro — The encierro is the San Fermín bull run, where people run ahead of bulls along a fenced route in Pamplona.
• Botellódromo — A botellódromo is an area a city designates where public drinking is allowed.
• Mascletà — The mascletà is a loud daytime fireworks show in Valencia, focused on noise and rhythm.
• Correfoc — A correfoc is a Catalan fire-running event where people run among devils, fireworks and sparks.

Key rules

• Street drinking: Fines depend on the city, so check its ordinance before you drink in public.
• Bull run: You must be 18 or over and sober, and you cannot carry a phone, camera or bag.
• Fireworks: Stay behind the safety fences, and wear cotton clothes with eye and ear protection if you join a correfoc.
• Emergency: Call 112 and follow the instructions of police and stewards.

The short version

Big fiestas are crowded, loud and often involve alcohol and fireworks. Each town sets its own rules, and police do enforce them. Check the town hall's current rules before you go, then use a few basic habits in the crowd.

Drinking in the street

Drinking in public outside licensed terraces is banned in many regions and in cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville. This street drinking is called botellón. Fines depend on the city. Minor breaches typically run from €100 to €300, and serious ones from €600 to €3,000. Police usually confiscate the alcohol too.

Minors get the same fines, and their parents or guardians pay. Some cities let minors do community service or take a course instead. Some places have a designated botellódromo where drinking is allowed. Ask the town hall where it is.

San Fermín and the bull run

San Fermín in Pamplona runs from 6 to 14 July. The bull run is called the encierro. To run you must:

• be 18 or over
• be sober and free of drugs
• carry nothing that could endanger you, such as a bag, camera or phone
• start from the permitted areas

The fenced route closes before the run. Entry is typically between 07:30 and 07:55, and the run starts at 08:00. Glass bottles are restricted, and breaking the city ordinance brings fines. The run is dangerous even for the sober and prepared. If you are unsure, watch from a safe place.

Pamplona rejects sexual assault and harassment, and it has information points. Ordinances are updated each year, so check the current one with Pamplona's town hall.

Other fiestas have their own rules on bottles, noise, fireworks and capacity. La Tomatina in Buñol is ticketed with limited numbers, so you need a ticket. Las Fallas and Feria de Abril also have local ordinances.

Fireworks and fire-running

Fireworks shows need government authorisation and a licensed pyrotechnician. Safety distances are set for each show, so stay behind the fences. The mascletà in Valencia is held in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento inside a fenced perimeter. Correfocs in Catalonia, where people run among fire and fireworks, follow their own rules for each event.

If you take part in a correfoc:

• Wear cotton clothing with long sleeves, and a hat or hood.
• Protect your eyes and ears with goggles and earplugs.
• Avoid synthetic fabrics, which burn and melt.
• Keep to the route.

The risks are burns, eye and hearing damage, and crushes. Ask the local council about the rules for your event.

Crowd habits that work

• Plan your exits and agree a meeting point with friends before you arrive.
• Avoid the densest spots near barriers and stages.
• Keep your arms free and stay on your feet.
• Keep valuables in a front pocket or a secure bag, because pickpockets work crowds.
• Do not push. If the crowd surges, move with the flow.
• Follow police, civil protection and stewards.
• Stay hydrated and sober enough to think clearly.
• Charge your phone. Call 112 in an emergency.
• Leave early if the crowd feels uncomfortable.

The warning and FAQ below cover the main dangers and common questions.

What to watch out for

• Fines for drinking in the street: Drinking in public spaces outside licensed terraces is banned in many regions and in cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville. Fines typically run from €100 to €300 for minor infractions, and from €600 to €3,000 for serious ones. Your alcohol can also be confiscated. Drink only on licensed terraces and in bars, or in a designated botellódromo (an area set aside for street drinking) where one exists. Check the local ordinance before the fiesta.

• Dangers of the bull run: San Fermín runners must be 18 or over, sober and drug-free, and cannot carry phones, cameras or bags. Breaking the ordinance brings fines, and drink or loose items put you in real danger on the route. Skip the run if you have been drinking. Start only from the permitted areas, and enter the fenced route between 07:30 and 07:55, before the run starts at 08:00.

• Burns and injuries from fireworks and fire-running: Mascletàs and correfocs bring burns, eye and hearing damage and crushes, especially if you wear synthetic clothes or stand too close. Wear cotton with long sleeves, a hat or hood, and eye and ear protection. Stay outside the fenced safety perimeter and keep to the route.

• Pickpockets and crowd crushes: Dense crowds near barriers and stages make theft and crushes more likely. Keep valuables in a front pocket or a secure bag, and agree a meeting point and exits in advance. Stay away from barriers, keep your arms free, charge your phone and call 112 in an emergency. Leave early if it gets uncomfortable.

• Harassment and sexual assault: Sexual assault and harassment are explicitly rejected at San Fermín, and other big fiestas treat them the same way. Go to an information point or tell police or stewards straight away. Call 112 if you are in danger.

Frequently asked questions

Can I run in the San Fermín bull run if I have had a drink?

No, you cannot run in the San Fermín bull run if you are drunk or under the influence of drugs. Runners must also be 18 or over and must not carry a camera, phone or bag.

What should I wear to a correfoc or other fireworks event?

Wear cotton clothing with long sleeves, a hat or hood, and protection for your eyes and ears. Avoid synthetic fabrics, which burn more easily, and keep to the marked route.

What should I do if the crowd starts to surge?

Move with the flow of the crowd, keep your arms free and stay on your feet. Do not push, and follow the instructions of police, civil protection and stewards. Leave early if the crowd becomes uncomfortable.