The San Fermin Event Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The San Fermin Event - Essay Example It is said to be one of the most spine-chilling events and extraordinary experience in the lives of those who attend it. Although bull running is the main attraction, there are other traditional events (Simonis, 2009). Historically, the event has a religious connotation spanning from the medieval epoch. Fermain, who is said to have had Roman ancestry, was converted to Christianity and baptized at Navarre. Having been ordained as a priest, he returned to Pamplona as its first Bishop. However, he was beheaded on preaching voyage and has since been regarded as a martyr in the Catholic Church. Some legend has it that he met his death after being dragged by enraged bulls on the streets of Pamplona. The event has since been held in his honor. Traditionally, the religious honoring of Saint Fermain was held in October but were later rescheduled to be held in summer when the weather was much better. The rescheduled event coincided with the bullfighting event. The bullfighting event had a commercial origin. Commercial trade fairs were organized in summer when merchants and their associates gathered in town with their cattle for business, and this led to the organization and staging of bullfighting events as a commemoration of the activities of the fair and hence became a tradition. At inception, the event was supposed to last two days but was later extended until the 10th and later to 14th, which is still observed. Many occasions were held at the festival, these include dancing, musical performance, theatre, orations, fireworks, and bullfighting (Tuchman, 2009). However, it was not until the 17th and 18th Century that the first bull-running event was witnessed and popularized. This coincided with the overwhelming presence of tourists and foreigners. It was also at this period that, concerns and alarms were raised about the excessive alcohol drinking and obscene disturbing behaviors exercised at this festival, which had a religious background and was held in honor of a saint.