The Santiago Apóstol Festivities in Collado Villalba will take place from Wednesday, July 22, to Sunday, July 26. The Plaza de los Belgas will be the hub for large-scale free concerts, featuring performances by Café Quijano, De Marco Flamenco, and Gonzalo Hermida. The program also includes the Granitorock festival and the DJ Fest.
The Plaza de la Estación will host tributes to Sabina and Dúo Dinámico, as well as a children's show. The opening speech, on the 22nd at 9:30 PM, will be delivered by the Club Voleibol Collado Villalba. Pre-festival events will include padel and chito sports tournaments, and the Granitorock festival on Saturday, July 18, at Plaza de Los Belgas.
The fairground attractions will open this weekend with a single price of 1.50 euros. An hour from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM will be kept without music, out of consideration for individuals with sensory hypersensitivity and autism spectrum disorder, a measure expanded due to popular demand.
The fireworks display, traditionally held at Laguna del Carrizal, will change location this year. Following considerations regarding the Animal Welfare Law and the Infoma Plan, they will be moved to the parking lot of the Sports City, a safe location away from fire risk areas.
The bullfighting fair, organized by Rafael Ayuso, will have a strong solidarity focus with free tickets and a 3-euro donation per season ticket, benefiting the Fundación TEAmo. It will take place on July 24, 25, and 26, promoting young bullfighting talents. The popular bull runs will be held daily at 11:00 AM, except on Saturday the 25th, when they will be at 9:00 AM.
Regarding security, 785 police services have been planned, including reinforcements from the Civil Guard and specialized units. Alcohol and drug tests will be conducted, along with access controls at major events to prevent the entry of glass, following an incident last year.
The Civil Guard will restrict airspace for drones, allowing only the use of drones by the Local Police. Private security will be enhanced at the Youth Tent and for events organized by the Peñas (local associations).
A Violet Point for information will be set up, and a portable alarm device will be distributed for situations of assault. Civil Protection will deploy a Field Hospital.
The City Council will promote the use of the Green Cup, a system of reusable cups for 1 euro to reduce glass consumption. The mayor, Mariola Vargas, has expressed gratitude to all the groups involved in the smooth running of the events.
