Once May is here, Castellón overflows with the scent of orange blossom and music. Even though the tradition of May Day and serenading is not exclusive to the city, in Castellón (the capital of La Plana), it reaches another level which transforms the town in a genuine manifestation of a passion and love for the arts.
La Festa de la Rosa (Rosehip Festival) is a festivity established in 1928 when the city council decided to include the tradition of serenading in the month of May within the Our Lady of Lledó commemorative events, where all the groups had to start their serenades under the city hall balcony.
Under the name of Festa de la Rosa, numerous serenading groups meet on the first Saturday of May to offer the best of themselves before a jury. They compete for La Rosa d’Or (The Golden Rose) and La Rosa d’Argent (The Silver Rose). Thousands of people attend the performances (two songs each) of the participating groups and collaborators. These are the ones who, with a recognized trajectory, do not want to stop supporting the event, the oldest of these type held in Castellón, as there is evidence of it since the beginning of this century.
After the contest in the main square, and throughout the early hours of every Saturday during the month of May, Castellón is filled with romantic songs that invade the city with serenades.