With a spectacular fireworks show that illuminated the city’s sky, Madrid brought an end to the San Isidro Festival 2025. Thousands of citizens and visitors have enjoyed a varied and high-quality program, marked by a festive atmosphere, high participation, and the excellent reception of each of the proposals organized by the Department of Culture, Tourism, and Sports of the City of Madrid during the seven days of celebration.
In total, 57 musical performances and 24 activities dedicated to promoting the most popular and traditional Madrid have been offered. Among them, the workshops of chotis and floral arrangements stood out, which sold out their spots and allowed participants to learn more about the history of the city’s most traditional dance and the pilgrimages in honor of its patron. The program was complemented with initiatives such as Chulapeando, a proposal promoted by the City Council in collaboration with the Association of Fashion Designers of Spain (ACME), which provides the patterns of the chulapa and chulapo costumes to encourage their use during these dates.
Additionally, 760 people participated in the second edition of the free chotis workshops, taught by the Federation of Traditional Madrid Groups at the Círculo de Bellas Artes, bringing the quintessential traditional rhythm to new audiences, both locals and visitors.
One of the highlights of the popular and traditional program was the parade Dancing through Madrid, which brought together 450 people dressed in the traditional chulapa and chulapo costumes at Puerta del Sol. To the rhythm of chotis, the parade went through the streets of the center, culminating in Calle de Bailén with a massive dance led by the Dance Academy Date un Respiro, with the collaboration of the Moratalaz Music Band.
Music, folklore, and great artists at Plaza Mayor
At Plaza Mayor, the performances of the Municipal Symphonic Band of Madrid and the Embrujo Flamenco company were highly applauded, as well as those of the different folk groups that participated in the 41st edition of the Festival of Madrid Dances, with a demonstration of the folklore and dances of the capital and the region. In addition, the regional houses paid their traditional tribute to San Isidro. A large number of people also attended Plaza Mayor to enjoy performances by Ángeles Toledano, Amistades Peligrosas, Muchachito Bombo Infierno, Los Brincos, and La Orquesta Mondragón. Another highlighted event, with a large audience, was the ‘Vive Dial en San Isidro’ party by Cadena Dial, featuring artists like Antonio Orozco, David de María, Merche, Conchita, and Huecco.
Tradition, music, and fashion at the Vistillas Gardens
The Vistillas Gardens have once again become one of the cultural and festive epicenters of San Isidro, hosting a program marked by folklore, traditional music, and contemporary creation. The Federation of Traditional Madrid Groups filled the space with typical costumes and popular dances, and five associations of Madrid dances offered participants of all ages the opportunity to learn traditional choreographies in a new edition of Madrid: dance with us to the sound of our music! Popular music also had its space with concerts by Olga María Ramos and Mari Pepa de Chamberí, who delighted the audience with cuplés, zarzuelas, and coplas from the most traditional repertoire.
One of the most anticipated moments was the celebration of the 45th edition of the Rock Villa de Madrid Awards, which once again garnered great participation with nearly 1,000 registered in a call that stood out for its artistic diversity and high attendance. Winners Paco Pecado, cryymm, and mariagrep, along with the guest group Guadalupe Plata, performed on stage, reaffirming the relevance of the competition as a showcase for emerging talent and new musical trends.
The stage at the Vistillas Gardens also hosted a program focused on female creation, with a day featuring Las Furias, a musical proposal that for the second consecutive year celebrated the diversity of female voices in art and urban culture. Artists like Las Ninyas del Corro, Tribade, Huda, Cristina Len, and poets Elsa Moreno and Emma del Crimen participated.
In the realm of fashion, the Vistillas hosted the second edition of the contest Reinventing Chulapos, where young designers reinterpreted the traditional chulapa and chulapo costumes, demonstrating that tradition can engage in dialogue with creativity and innovation. Additionally, this space also attracted a large audience to concerts by Soleá Morente, Amor Líquido, Nusar3000, Guadalupe Plata, Ylia, and Merca Bae, establishing itself as one of the most dynamic and diverse stages of these San Isidro Festivities.
Activities for all tastes at the San Isidro Meadow
The San Isidro Meadow once again became one of the most crowded and emblematic spaces of the festivities, with a varied program designed for audiences of all ages. Over several days, family activities such as theater, circus, magic shows, games, and participatory proposals were offered, not forgetting the traditional popular dances, including the classic ‘Vermouth Dance’, led by the Federation of Traditional Madrid Groups.
Music also played a leading role in the program at this space, with concerts ranging from pop and rumba to techno-pop or urban flamenco. Artists and groups like OBK, Modestia Aparte, Los Manolos, La Húngara, Kokoshka, Gipsy Power Band, Marina Carmona, Paco Pil & Brisa Play, Locoplaya, Rasel, Calequi and Las Panteras, Lorena Castell, and Vinila Von Bismark performed on the stage of the Meadow, making it a festive and diverse meeting point to celebrate the patron saint of Madrid.
Matadero Madrid, the epicenter of the most traditional fair
Matadero Madrid once again became the heart of the popular fair during the San Isidro Festivities, with several days of live music, dance, and festive atmosphere for all audiences. The square was transformed into a stage full of tradition and color, with a barrel organ and organ grinder, lanterns, decorative garlands, and a typical gastronomic offer evoking the most traditional flavor of the capital. As part of the program, the audience also enjoyed the Automata Theater of the City Council, a unique jewel of Madrid’s cultural heritage in the world.
Additionally, five large orchestras —Vulkano, Krypton, Alaska, Diamante, and Maremagnum— set the rhythm for the fair with powerful live performances, choreographies, costume changes, and repertoires designed for all tastes and ages.
Matadero Madrid once again became a space for intergenerational gatherings, where locals and visitors danced and celebrated the city’s patron saint festival. /
More information at: www.sanisidromadrid.com
