Festival of San Martín, or the Humanitarians’ Festival

Every 11 November, the village of Aller (in Moreda, Asturias) celebrates one of the most popular autumn folklore festivals in Asturias.

The festival is organised by the San Martín Humanitarian Association, and begins with the traditional sung mass of San Martín, accompanied by the sound of the typical Asturian bagpipes. Then, the auction known as the puya del ramu begins, where people are invited to bid for emmer bread (so-called because of the flour used to make it) which has been previously blessed in the religious ceremony. Later, there is a parade of floats accompanied by bands of bagpipers, dance groups and the xandas (groups of people who follow the procession behind the floats, usually wearing traditional local dress). The high point of the festivity is the feast of San Martín, which consists of fabada (typical Asturian white bean stew) casadiellas and panchón (typical sweets from Aller).