If you’re not familiar with the name of this historic festival, you may recognize it by the slightly more colloquial “running of the bulls”. Yes, this is the festival where men pit themselves against mad bulls in a frantic dash for their lives. The famous bullrun is of course, the top tourist draw in Pamplona but it comprises just one element of a very sacred event. San Fermin, held in early July, is a folk festival first and foremost and commemorates the patron saint of Pamplona. It all kicks off with a huge fiesta that involves the entire town and thousands of tourists. There are plenty of traditional folkloric events to enjoy and it all climaxes of course, with the big run.