RUNNING WITH THE BULLS


RUNNING WITH THE BULLS.

The Running with the Bulls, or "Encierro", in Pamplona, Spain, was made famous by Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises. The running is oly a part of the week-long party that turns the town of Pamplona upside down, from the 6th to the 14th of July every year: the "Fiesta of San Fermin"; San Fermin being the patron saint of Navarra, the province in which Pamplona is located.

The Running with the Bulls, is one of the events held in Spain that commands international attention. The parties are night long affairs, and thousands of gallons of wine are consumed, in an exciting, devil may care attitude.

The Fiesta is declared open by the Major of the town, and the firing of a rocket at the Town Hall Plaza; the crowd erupting in cheers, while being sprayed with dozens of bottles of champagne.

The first run starts at 8:00am. on the 7th, and the red scarfed runners - mainly young men - will run in front of the bulls, leading them from the pen to the bull ring. The spectators must remain behind the wooden double fence, just built along the streets of the runners route.

A rocket goes off at the time the bulls are released, and a second rocket announces that all the bulls are in the street. Shortly after, the runners appear followed by the bulls; some of them overtaking the runners, and serious situations develop.
Very professional Para-Medics are always at hand when needed, but injuries, some times fatal, occur. Seems that as the popularity of the Fiesta and the crowds increase, so does injury and death. The 1947 run, tragically stands out in the "Encierro's" history; with a bull named "Semillero" killing two persons on the same run. A similar double killing happened again in 1980.

Tourists from other European countries and parts of the world - some Americans included - arrive in droves, some of them participating in the running, and all of them in the partying. The general "have a good time" attitude of the people in the streets, bars and everywhere, is contagious and incredible. No doubt there is not a Fiesta anywhere in the world that could rival San Fermin.

As the Fiesta comes to an end, the "Sanferminians" are partied out and ready to go home and recuperate; but you can be certain that a very high percentage of them will return to Pamplona the following year.