FESTEJOS
- Historical recreation about local heroes of the uprising on May 2, 1808, combined with the celebration of the Mayas, declared a Cultural Interest by the Community of Madrid.
- A Goyesco Market will be set up on Paseo Paquita Gallego starting Friday with craft stalls, gastronomy, children’s games, parades…
- On Saturday at 5:30 p.m., the homage to the Rejón Brothers will begin, dramatizing their final moments before being shot by the Napoleonic army.
- And from 7:15 p.m., the Regional Houses will adorn the Plaza Mayor with spectacular floral altars in honor of their «queens,» girls and young women dressed in traditional costumes.
- «This year we have worked with great dedication to make this weekend even more entertaining and educational, especially for the new generations, highlighting our history and honoring our local heroes. Residents and visitors will be able to enjoy a market set in the early 19th century, filling San Nicasio with animation and spreading joy throughout the city,» highlighted the Councilor of Celebrations, Almudena A. Jiménez.
This weekend, on May 9, 10, and 11, Leganés will be transformed into a costumbrist stage of early 19th-century Madrid to celebrate its traditional Mayas Festival (on Saturday, the 10th), one of the most unique and colorful festivities in the municipality, declared a Cultural Interest by the Community of Madrid. Alongside this celebration, the city pays tribute to the Rejón Brothers with a dramatized historical recreation that has grown compared to last year and a large Goyesco Market, which will be located on Paseo Paquita Gallego, in the neighborhood of San Nicasio.
The Councilor of Celebrations, Almudena A. Jiménez, pointed out that «this weekend Leganés travels back in time to celebrate our traditional Goyesco Weekend, an event that is already consolidated in the city’s festive calendar, allowing us to continue to value our history and honor our local heroes. On this date, we pay a very special tribute to the brothers Julián and Leandro Rejón, residents of Leganés who lost their lives on May 2, 1808, facing the Napoleonic side. Their courage imprinted the name of our city in the pages of Spain’s history, and it is an honor to remember them as symbols of bravery and commitment to freedom.»
Goyesco Market with craft stalls, gastronomy, children’s games…
Throughout the weekend, Leganés will host numerous cultural, historical, and festive activities in various emblematic locations. From Friday at 6:00 p.m., Paseo Paquita Gallego will turn into a lively Goyesco Market, where residents can enjoy craft stalls and period gastronomy, children’s games, taverns, street performances, and parades inspired by 19th-century Madrid. The market will remain open until Sunday at midnight.
«This year we have worked with great dedication to make this weekend even more entertaining and educational, especially for the new generations. Throughout these days, residents and visitors will be able to enjoy a market set in the early 19th century, with crafts, gastronomy, and entertainment that bring life to the neighborhood of San Nicasio and spread joy throughout the city,» detailed the councilor.
Growing historical recreation about the Rejón Brothers
On Saturday starting at 5:30 p.m., Leganés will pay tribute to the Rejón Brothers, local heroes of the uprising on May 2, 1808, in the Plaza de la Ermita de San Nicasio. A dramatized historical recreation will revive their final moments before being shot by the Napoleonic army. The representation will start from the Plaza next to the city’s patron saint hermitage, where their remains rest, and a floral offering will be made, then it will tour points such as the Plaza of the National Police, until reaching the Plaza Mayor, where this emotional journey will end.
The historical recreation is growing in participation and sets, and during the parade, military marches will be performed by the AC Fénix de la Esperanza band, the band of the Christ of the Three Falls of Madrid, and, for the second consecutive year, the Civil Protection Band of Leganés.
Mayas Festival, Cultural Interest
Already at the Plaza Mayor, the institutional act in homage to the Rejón Brothers will be joined by the long-awaited Mayas Festival (from 7:15 p.m.), where the Regional Houses of Leganés will adorn the square with spectacular floral altars in honor of their «queens,» girls and young women dressed in traditional costumes symbolizing the welcome of spring.
The day will be enlivened by performances by folklore groups from the Regional Houses and will feature a popular distribution of typical sweets. The end of the festive day will come with a DJ who will set the rhythm at the end of the night.
«We celebrate the Mayas Festival with special affection, declared a Cultural Interest, because as its name suggests, it is an asset that we must preserve, care for, and enhance. It is a unique tradition that pays homage to spring and where the Regional Houses, to whom we deeply appreciate their involvement, fill their girls with flowers and prepare altars that beautify our Plaza Mayor. It is one of the most unique and emotional celebrations that we are proud to represent in Leganés,» stated Almudena Jiménez.
«We invite all residents to join this festival»
«In short, it will be a weekend to enjoy on the streets, in the community, and with good weather if it accompanies us, and it has been prepared with great care from the Delegation of Celebrations. Therefore, we invite all residents to join this celebration that combines history, tradition, and popular culture, and that every year highlights the legacy and roots of the municipality,» concluded the Councilor of Celebrations.