April’s Fair in Seville, Spain is an annual festival that dates back to 1847. It is held in April or May and celebrates the arrival of spring. The fair takes place around the city and is a time for festivities with bullfighting, open-air concerts, nightly fireworks, rides, lottery booths, and much more. Traditional folk costumes […]
Cultural Calendar for Spanish Class
The cultural calendar is a free tool that we have created for Spanish teachers to incorporate important cultural events and holidays into their class plans. This calendar provides a comprehensive list of cultural celebrations and events that take place throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
By using a cultural calendar, teachers can plan lessons and activities that are related to these events, which can help to make the class more engaging and culturally relevant. In addition, incorporating cultural celebrations into the classroom can also provide students with a deeper understanding of the cultures and traditions of the Spanish-speaking world.
By incorporating our free cultural calendar into your class planning, you will provide students with a well-rounded education that not only focuses on language skills but also on the cultural context in which the language is used.
Ekeko: Talisman of Luck and Wealth
An ekeko is a traditional good luck charm originating from the Aymara culture of several South American countries including Bolivia and Peru. It is believed to promote abundance and prosperity, and often takes the form of a small cloth figurine filled with items believed to bring luck like food, coins, coca leaves, cotton balls, and […]
Cinco de Mayo Spanish Class Activities: Vocabulary Builder and Mexican Traditions
Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday that commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is celebrated throughout Mexico and in many other parts of the world, both as a patriotic holiday in Mexico and as an international symbol of Mexican culture. While Cinco de […]
Spanish Language Day and International Book Day Spanish Lesson Plan and Class Resources
Spanish Language Day on April 23rd is an annual event dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the importance of the Spanish language, which is spoken by millions of people around the world. On this day, events are organized all over the globe to celebrate and promote the language. It is a great way for Spanish speakers […]
Christmas Spanish Lesson Plan and Class Activities: La Navidad en los Países Hispanohablantes
Christmas is an important holiday in Latin America. It represents the birth of Jesus Christ, a religious figure that is celebrated by Christians around the world. For many Latin Americans, Christmas is a time of joy and celebration with family and friends. During this season, it is tradition to exchange gifts, prepare traditional meals, decorate […]
Halloween Spanish Vocabulary Builder Activities
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31st, which typically involves activities such as trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, and consuming seasonal treats. It is commonly believed to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming […]
Thanksgiving Spanish Vocabulary Builder Activities: El Día de Acción de Gracias
Thanksgiving is an American holiday that is traditionally celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It is a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and the preceding year. Families typically gather to share traditional Thanksgiving foods, such as turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Other activities that are […]
Chile’s Fiestas Patrias Spanish Cultural Activities
Fiestas Patrias is an important national holiday in Chile celebrated each year on September 18th. This holiday honors the Chilean Declaration of Independence that took place on this day in 1818. (Not to be confused with Independence Day on February 12th.) It is a day of remembrance, reflection, and celebration throughout the country. During this […]
Day of the Dead Lesson Plan and Vocabulary Builder Activities: El Día de los Muertos
Day of the Dead is an annual holiday celebrated in Mexico and other countries throughout Latin America. It is a multi-day celebration that honors family members who have passed away. The holiday is held on November 1st and 2nd each year, coinciding with Catholic All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Throughout the holiday, people […]
Spanish Class Activities for 12 de octubre: Día de la Raza, Día de la Hispanidad, Descubrimiento de América, Fiesta Nacional de España, Pueblos Originarios
In Latin America, October 12 is celebrated as Dia de la Raza, which marks the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. October 12 is celebrated as “Day of Indigenous Resistance” in Latin America. It is a day to commemorate the struggles and achievements of indigenous people throughout the region, to promote indigenous […]
Carnavales en América Latina y España: Spanish Lesson Plan and Class Activities
Carnivals are festivals and celebrations held regularly, usually to mark the change of seasons or other important events. The origin of word “carnival” is from the Latin “carne vale” which translates as “farewell to the flesh” and was associated with feasting and merriment before fasting during Lent. Carnivals can generally involve parades, music, dance, costumes, […]
Día de las Américas: 14 de Abril Spanish Class Activities
Dia de las Americas, or Day of the Americas, is an annual holiday celebrated in Latin America on April 14th. The holiday celebrates the political and cultural solidarity among Latin American countries. It commemorates the establishment of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocity signed in 1890 by the United States and various countries in Central and […]
Easter and Holy Week in Latin America Spanish Lesson and Vocabulary Builder Activities
In the Spanish-speaking world, Holy Week and Easter go hand in hand. In Latin America and Spain, this is a religious celebration. Your students can compare the religious and secular ways to celebrate this holiday and its origin. Next are ready made Spanish class activities and a resource sheet. Easter and Holy Week Traditions Spanish […]
Independencia de México: Cultural Spanish Class Activities
Mexico celebrates its independence each year on September 15th and 16th. On September 15th, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo launched a movement to free Mexico from Spanish rule. This movement grew into a revolution, which led to the official declaration of independence from Spain on September 16th, 1810. Today, Mexicans celebrate their independence with parades, festivals, and […]
Valentine’s Day Spanish Class Activities: Día de San Valentín o Día de los Enamorados
Help students understand the traditions associated with Valentine’s Day in Spanish and foster a better understanding of the language as it relates to the holiday. Additionally, teaching Valentine’s Day vocabulary can be beneficial for students who are learning Spanish by using it as an opportunity for them to practice their conversational skills in Spanish. Valentine’s […]
Spanish Class Activities for Día de Reyes
Three Kings Day, or the Feast of the Epiphany, is a holiday celebrated mainly in Latin American countries and Spain as a commemoration of the three wise men’s visit to baby Jesus. It is celebrated on January 6th and marks the end of the Christmas season. This day often sees people exchanging gifts, just as […]
Las Fallas de Valencia: Cultural Presentation and Activities
A traditional festival, the Falles, is celebrated each year in Valencia, Spain in honor of Saint Joseph. The five main days of celebration are March 15–19, and fireworks displays (Mascletà) are held every day between March 1- 19. Generally, the term falles refers both to the celebrations and to the monuments set ablaze during these […]