Os Maios, Festival of Tourist Interest

Springtime in Ourense has a special charm, as the temperatures are warmer, the days become longer and nature reaches all its splendor. Nature is precisely the protagonist of the celebrations with which the city welcomes this season: the festival of Os Maios, which has been declared a Festival of Tourist Interest in Galicia.

OS MAIOS, NATURAL SCULPTURES

In the morning of the first Sunday of the month of May, the streets of Ourense’s historic centre are filled with colour and joy with the appearance of the ‘maios’, unique vegetal sculptures made by hand and created expressly for this day.

Their frame is made of fabric and wood, but its exterior is profusely decorated with moss, leaves and wild flowers from the nearby mountains, including the emblematic necklaces of ‘carrabouxos’ (oak galls). Tradition dictates that everything be sewn by hand, infusing each piece with a unique character.

This festival of uncertain origin announces the splendor of the flowers and the farewell to the harsh winter. It has been celebrated since ancient times in various places in Galicia, although in Ourense it has a prominent and unique character.

The most traditional creations can be higher than 1,5 metres, with a conical or pyramidal shape, evoking the silhouettes of the mountain; but there are also crosses that give a Christian flair to these figures of pagan origin. Nowadays you can also find more artistic maios, designed with free themes, ranging from traditional characters and scenes to monuments or even current topics. Imagination rules, especially when competing for one of the prizes offered by the City Council for the best creations.

OS MAIOS’ COUPLETS

Children and adults stand by their maios and accompany their creations with the singing of couplets, which tradition requires to be sold in exchange for a tip.

These are stanzas of four verses that normally replicate a traditional melody, specific to this celebration. They rhyme second with fourth, and the first verse of each stanza picks up the end of the previous one. All the couplets must begin with a salutation to the maio and end with a farewell. They present a satirical theme that changes every year, focusing on current political and social events and displaying the famous Galician irony.

Os Maios are, without a doubt, one of Ourense’s most deep-rooted and colorful traditions, guaranteeing a day of celebration and fun for everyone. The festival is also enlivened by parades accompanied by bagpiper music. Furthermore, that same day, because it is the first Sunday of the month, the Main Square hosts the antiques market, a flea market that will charm lovers of curiousities and nostalgia: furniture, ceramics, philately, numismatics…

Cultural and leisure activities such as the Crafts Fair, the Spring Jazz Festival, the University Theatre Festival or the Spring Snacks Contest flourish during this time, making the city of Ourense an ideal destination for a getaway in spring.