David Otero and Sofía Cristo DJ (May 9), a tribute to Extremoduro (May 11), Rubén Pozo, Miguel Ríos, Alejo Stivel, The Refrescos, Sole Giménez, Celtas Cortos, Amistades Peligrosas, Nena Daconte, Marilia from Ella Baila Sola and OBK (May 14), Nuria Fergó, Las Ketchup and Los Chunguitos (May 15), Fangoria, La Bien Querida and Triángulo de Amor Bizarro (May 16) will provide the soundtrack in San Isidro, which “will be ablaze with festivities from May 7 to 17,” affirmed the mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, at the presentation of the celebrations for the capital’s patron saint festivities.
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Music will take over “the most traditional stages,” such as the Pradera de San Isidro, Las Vistillas, Plaza Mayor, or Matadero, with nods to the classics, like Mari Pepa de Chamberí (May 16) and Olga María Ramos (May 17), but San Isidro is much more; it is also popular dances, giant and big-headed parades, contests, exhibitions, fashion, and gastronomy.
Almeida presented Madrid’s festivities from the History Museum. Accompanied by the voice of Nuria Fergó, who performed ‘La violetera’ in tribute to Sara Montiel. He invited Madrilenians and visitors “to chulapear” in celebrations that embody the DNA of a “humble city and its patron.”
Surprise concert by international artist
The mayor also paraphrased Emilia Pardo Bazán “when she said Madrid was a bold, lively, curious city.” “The one who has sung us best is someone from Linares, Joaquín Sabina. The one who has best defined us is Tomás Bretón, and the most famous chotis was made by a Mexican like Agustín de Lara,” highlighted Almeida about the open character of the capital.
The San Isidro festivities are held between May 7 and 17, and journalist Sonsoles Ónega will mark the start of these festivities with her proclamation from the balcony of the Casa de la Villa this afternoon.
After the proclamation, a surprise concert by an international singer has been prepared, who will present their album exclusively.
A commitment to gastronomy
In addition to the traditional rosquillas – the simple, the smart, and the San Clara ones – the Madrid chef Javi Estévez, who holds a Michelin star, will offer his take on the traditional entresijos sandwich, whose recipe will be available on the website sanisidromadrid.com.
Another option will be the tasting of the Madrid cocido on the saint’s day in the Carabanchel neighborhood of Abrantes, as well as the various gastronomic activities organized in the municipal markets.
And in the pre-festivity activities, designers Juan Duyos and Miguel Becer and fashion specialist Anitta Ruiz have given a twist to traditional fashion at the Serrería Belga Cultural Space with a reinterpretation of the chulapo costumes. The costumes lead to the chotis: there will be workshops to learn to dance it at the Daoiz and Velarde Cultural Center, led by the Federation of Traditional Madrid Groups.
Main stages
Plaza Mayor is the chosen space for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of ‘LOS40’, with the participation of key names in Spanish music such as Miguel Ríos, Alejo Stivel, Sole Giménez, The Refrescos, or Celtas Cortos.
In the same square, a tribute will be paid to Sara Montiel. The Madrid Municipal Symphony Band, together with the singer from Málaga Nuria Fergó, will perform the most remembered songs of this figure considered the universal chulapa.
The program is completed with the 42nd Festival of Madrid Dances, starring five folk associations and with the San Isidro tribute, in which ten regional houses will showcase the dance and typical costumes of their places of origin.
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New musical trends
Las Vistillas, for its part, will become the stage for new musical trends with Camellos, Hens, Las Dianas, or Triángulo de Amor Bizarro.
Joining this proposal is ‘La hora del vermú’, one of the novelties of this edition, which will combine DJ sessions with performances linked to the most traditional universe, with names like Mari Pepa de Chamberí and Olga María Ramos, who will invite the audience on a musical journey through the most traditional Madrid.
Rock Villa de Madrid Awards
The Rock Villa de Madrid Awards, organized by the City Council in collaboration with Radio 3 and the Society of Artists, Performers and Executants (AIE), return in their 46th edition to their appointment at Las Vistillas to continue promoting new promises in the music scene.
Dear Joanne, Jike, Dura Calá, Carmen Lillo, and Catuxa Salom will compete in the final on May 15 on the stage of the Madrid gardens of Las Vistillas, returning to the original format of the contest.
On the great stage of the Pradera de San Isidro, Fangoria, Las Ketchup, Los Chunguitos, Amore, Vicente Calderón, or Rubén Pozo, who will perform accompanied by Los Chicos de la Curva, will be seen. The pradera, the traditional stage of the festivities, will again be the heart of the celebration and will host the mass in honor of the saint, parades, and performances by traditional Madrid groups. As a closing, the nights of May 15 and 17 will culminate with spectacular fireworks displays.
Matadero Madrid, for its part, will become a fair at dusk with music from the dance orchestras Nuevo Versalles, Invictus, Gran Rockset, and Panther Show. Its Design Center will host the exhibition ‘El botijo revisited’ from the innovative perspective made by the students of the Moncloa Municipal School of Ceramics.
Once again, it will host the Automata Theater, designed and built in the 1940s, where moving mechanical figures will represent everything from costumbrista pieces to cabaret shows.
Children and adults will enjoy a program with exhibitions, circus performances, workshops, and games. Thus, the little ones will have the opportunity to learn the basics of pottery in free workshops within the framework of the 44th edition of the Cacharrería Fair.
2,300 municipal police on the front line
The deputy mayor and delegate of the Security and Emergencies Area of the Madrid City Council, Inma Sanz, announced this Thursday the deployment of the security and emergency device for the San Isidro festivities, which this year will be made up of 2,300 municipal police officers and 300 Samur health workers to especially cover the Pradera de San Isidro and the Las Vistillas park.
In addition to police and health workers, firefighters will be involved. The deputy mayor explained that security will focus especially on the surroundings of the park and the Pradera de San Isidro in Carabanchel, as well as in the Las Vistillas park in the center. Attention will also be paid to other locations with programming, such as Plaza Mayor or Matadero Madrid.
The Madrid digital artist Laura Floris is the author of the poster for the San Isidro 2026 Festivities, “an image that captures the emotional essence of the celebration,” with a chulapo and chulapa couple dancing in the pradera and behind them you can see stalls with traditional rosquillas, another with entresijos and gallinejas, and the great concert stage among barquilleros, churreros, carnations, and parpusas. “The scene is a declaration of love to Madrid and its traditions,” detail the City Council.
