Colmenar Viejo celebrates this Thursday, like every May 2, its traditional La Maya Festival, which serves to welcome the “resurgence of nature in spring” after the lethargy of winter, for which the girls dress as Mayans; in a meeting that is declared a Site of Cultural Interest in the category of Cultural Event by the Community of Madrid in 2023, and a Festival of Tourist Interest in the region since 2005.
The Councilor for Celebrations, Nacho Aceña, points out in a note that this is one of the “most deeply rooted” traditions in the town, which each year attracts thousands of visitors from the region and from different parts of the country, to watch this colorful festival. “for the awakening of nature after the winter lethargy.”
The celebration officially starts at 5:00 p.m., when the exhibition of the six girls who have been chosen as the main ‘Mayans’ begins, who will remain motionless until 7:00 p.m. on their altars, distributed throughout the center of the town and decorated with thousands of flowers that their families and friends have previously collected and arranged.
In addition, another group of girls, also called ‘Mayas’, decorate them, take care of their flowers and comb their hair, while the group of dulzaineros Aires Castellanos wanders the streets offering live music.
At 7:00 p.m. the girls will go to the Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady to proceed to the floral offering, with a concert by La Coral de Colmenar Viejo.
Once the offering is over, the ‘Mayas’ will go to the town square, where the edition’s diplomas will be presented and you can attend the performance of the Colmenar Canta band.
