Spanish Community Comes Alive with Giants
Today was a special day. Bethany and I took the boys to see the Gigantes and Big Head Parade in Alcalá de Henares. This parade is full of giant figures and oversized heads walking through the streets. It was a happy, energetic, and loud family atmosphere.
The parade started in Plaza de San Diego, where all the different groups with their Gigantes, Big Heads, and bands from around Spain gathered. Then they began their walk through the historic streets of Alcalá de Henares. They moved to Calle Libreros, walked around Plaza de Cervantes, and then marched down the main street, Calle Mayor, all the way to Plaza de los Santos Niños. From there, they turned down a narrow street called Calle Escritorios.
This is where something cool happened. The parade took about a 30-minute break. The Gigantes and the people carrying them lined the street. It was interesting watching people interact with the Gigantes. Spectators walked right up and took selfies next to their favorite giant figures. It felt like the parade paused just so everyone could connect with these amazing creations.
Once the break was over, the people climbed back under the giant figures. The parade started up again, walking down Calle Santa Úrsula and then back through Plaza de Cervantes on their way to the starting point at Plaza de San Diego.
While Bethany and the boys stayed mostly in Plaza de Cervantes, I followed the Gigantes around to take pictures. It was really fun trying to capture the energy of the parade with my camera. The best part was seeing all the people smiling and having such a good time.
The boys really liked seeing the Gigantes up close. But there were also people in big heads who sometimes playfully hit people with foam noodles—that made the boys a little nervous at times. One of the funniest parts was seeing someone walking with a puppet stork that actually sprayed water on the crowd. Everyone seemed to get a kick out of that, especially on a hot day like today. Bethany was happy we were spending time together, doing something fun, and experiencing a piece of Spanish culture.
I learned that this parade is a really old tradition in Alcalá de Henares. It goes back over 500 years. This year, they are even celebrating the 500th anniversary. It’s cool to think about how people have been doing this for so long.
Seeing this parade felt like more than just a show—it felt like the whole community came out to celebrate. Everyone was together, laughing, dancing, and enjoying the day. It really showed me that people here are all about celebrating life together within their community. It was a great experience for our family and a powerful reminder of how important community and celebration are in Spain.
