NAVARRA – For the second time in a row, the San Fermín festivities in Pamplona, Spain, are cancelled. An emotional mayor made the announcement on Monday. “Our health is more important than cultural tradition and in 2022 we will celebrate the festival three times as big!”
During a press conference on Monday, Mayor Enrique Maya of the Spanish city announced that due to Covid-19, the San Fermín celebrations cannot take place. The festivities were scheduled for July 6-14.
Health situation in Navarra very worrisome
The decision to cancel the San Fermín event was taken unanimously by the Pamplona City Council. According to the latest data, Navarra is one of the communities in Spain with the highest incidence (361) in the number of cases of corona per 100,000 inhabitants.
Furthermore, the vaccination rate in Navarra is slower than in other Spanish regions, much to the frustration of the mayor. And as such, he estimates that by summer, only 40% of the residents of Navarra will have been vaccinated.
San Fermín festivities three times bigger in 2022!
However, although the event has been cancelled, it does not mean other activites cannot be organised in the summer. Mayor Maya was visibly moved by this decision, but says he prefers public health to cultural traditions. And besides, the mayor shouted, “In 2022 we will celebrate the San Fermín festivities three times as big.”
No festival, but activities in Pamplona this summer
With the budget allocated for the San Fermín festivals, the Pamplona City Council plans to schedule a wide range of activities from June to September. However, the running of the bulls will not be part of these activites as it always attracts a lot of people. And for Pamplona, that is not desirable given the current situation
Tribute to San Fermín parties and care workers
In an effort to soften the bad news, the city council has released a song and a short video in tribute to the San Fermín celebrations. The song “Me importas tú” (I care about you) not only shows beautiful highlights of the festival, but also conveys the message that health is more important at the moment. It also thanks the healthcare staff for their endless efforts.
