Saint Isidore the Laborer, patron of Madrid and of farmers, falls every 15 May and is one of the most widespread local holidays in inland Spain.
Other regions: 6 · 24 municipalities
Verified data
In 2026, the dataset records Saint Isidore the Laborer as a local holiday in 399 municipalities, accounting for 809,911 residents in the 2025 register. The most common date is 15 May 2026. 3 municipalities set it on another date.
This comparison uses only the official working calendars incorporated into the dataset for each year.
Demographic profile
Age, citizenship, birthplace and average-age structure from the 2025 Annual Population Census.
50.2% / 49.8%
13.9%
66.5%
19.6%
12.8%
17.5%
43.9 years
Comparison with Spain and with the aggregate of the 12 regions where it is observed. All five comparisons are population-weighted and use only the 2025 Annual Census. A positive sign means the covered population has a higher value than the benchmark.
| Demographic profile | Covered population | Compared with Spain | Compared with its 12 regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 0–14 | 13.9% | +1 pp | +0.9 pp |
| Aged 65+ | 19.6% | -1.1 pp | -1.4 pp |
| Foreign citizenship | 12.8% | -1.2 pp | -0.3 pp |
| Born outside Spain | 17.5% | -1.8 pp | -0.2 pp |
| Weighted mean age | 43.9 years | -0.6 years | -0.8 years |
The largest difference from Spain is in “Born outside Spain”: -1.8 pp.
Sex comes from the 2025 municipal register; all other metrics come from the 2025 Annual Census. Each percentage uses the total from its own statistical operation. INE municipal tables 68535 and 68541.
Isidore de Merlo y Quintana (Madrid, c. 1082–1172) was a farm labourer who worked the lands of the Vargas family on the outskirts of the town for decades. Tradition paints him as a man of simple, deep faith: it is said that angels ploughed in his place while he prayed, that he made water spring from the ground to save his son who had fallen into a well, and that his food multiplied so he could share it with the poor. Married to María Toribia —Saint Mary of the Head— he embodies the everyday holiness of the countryside.
Beatified in 1619 and canonized in 1622 by Gregory XV —in the same ceremony as Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier and Teresa of Ávila— he was set as the patron of Madrid and of farmers. His feast, 15 May, opens the spring pilgrimage season: in the capital it spills onto the meadow of San Isidro, with chulapos, the chotis dance and the saint's water; in hundreds of inland towns it is the main festival, tied to the farming cycle and to prayers for good harvests.
Patron of Madrid, of farmers and field workers. Invoked for rain and a good harvest.
When
In 2026 it falls on Friday 15 May in most municipalities. 3 move it to another date (when it lands on a weekend or by local agreement).
| Year | Main date | Municipalities |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Wednesday, 15 May | 290 |
| 2025 | Thursday, 15 May | 382 |
| 2026 | Friday, 15 May | 399 |
Traceability
Official documents linked by the 2026 records. Dates can vary by territory; each municipality page preserves its specific source.
Population: official municipal-register figures at 1 January 2025. INE.
INE municipal tables 68535 and 68541.
Where it's a holiday
Its local holiday in 2026, by region. Each municipality links to its annual record and the available official source.
Together, they account for 809,911 residents in the INE municipal register at 1 January 2025.
Castilla y León206
AbajasAdradasAguilafuenteAlaejosAldealafuenteAldealcorvoAlentisqueAlfaraz de SayagoAliudAlmajanoAltableAmeyugoArcenillasArcos de la PolvorosaArenillasArevalilloArevalillo de CegaArraya de OcaAspariegosAusines, LosBaquerín de CamposBaraonaBárcena de CamposBarcial del BarcoBarconesBarrio de MuñóBarrománBecilla de ValderadueyBelbimbreBeloradoBeratónBoadilla de RiosecoBozoóBuenavista de ValdaviaBunielBustillo del OroBustillo del PáramoBusto de BurebaCaballarCabañas de SayagoCabezón de ValderadueyCabrejas del CampoCabreros del RíoCacabelosCalabazas de FuentidueñaCaltojarCampo de San PedroCandilicheraCarbellinoCardeñajimenoCastilfrío de la SierraCastillejo de MesleónCastrillo de la GuareñaCastro de FuentidueñaCastrodezaCastrojimenoCebanicoCerratón de JuarrosCervera de PisuergaCiguñuelaCogeces de ÍscarCogeces del MonteCollado HermosoCondado de CastilnovoCongosto de ValdaviaCoomonteCoresesCorral de AyllónCozuelos de FuentidueñaCubillo del CampoCubo de BurebaCuevas de ProvancoDehesa de MontejoDonhierroDurueloEscarabajosa de CabezasEscobar de PolendosEscobosa de AlmazánEspirdoFlores de ÁvilaFrechillaFresno de la RiberaFuente de Santa CruzFuentepiñelFuentepinillaFuentesecasFuentestrúnGallegos del PanGavilanesGeriaGranja de MoreruelaGutierre-MuñozHerrera de ValdecañasHiguera de las DueñasHormazas, LasHuertos, LosIbeas de JuarrosIglesiasJambrinaJuncianaLabajosLaguna DalgaLaguna de NegrillosLangaLlanos de Tormes, LosMaderal, ElMaire de CastroponceMalvaManganeses de la LampreanaMartín MiguelMata de CuéllarMedina de PomarMelque de CercosMerindad de Cuesta-UrriaMerindad de MontijaMerindad de SotoscuevaMerindad de ValdivielsoMicieces de OjedaMigueláñezMiño de MedinaceliMonfarracinosMonterrubioMoradillo de RoaNavares de AyusoNavas de San AntonioNavatejaresNoviercasOlmillos de CastroPajares de los OterosPalazuelos de MuñóPartido de la Sierra en TobalinaPedrosa de Río ÚrbelPeleas de AbajoPereruelaPiedrahita de CastroPinarejosPozaldezPozalmuroPrádanos de OjedaPuebla de Arganzón, LaQuintanaélezQuintanilla de OnsoñaQuintanilla de TriguerosQuintanilla de UrzRábanos, LosRelloRevilla y Ahedo, LaRiba de Escalote, LaRivilla de BarajasRoales de CamposRoelos de SayagoSan Agustín del PozoSan Cebrián de MazoteSan Pedro de GaíllosSanta María de la VegaSanta María del CampoSantibáñez de VidrialesSanto Domingo de PirónSasamónSauquillo de CabezasSebúlcorSequera de FresnoSequera de Haza, LaSoto de CerratoSuellacabrasTábaraTardajosToral de los GuzmanesTorlenguaTorrecaballerosTorreiglesiasTrévagoUrueñasVadillo de la GuareñaValdefinjasValdegeñaValdepradosValderrodillaValdevacas y GuijarVallarta de BurebaValle de LosaValle de TabladilloValluércanesValsecaVeganzonesVegas del CondadoVelayosVilladiegoVillaescusa la SombríaVillafáfilaVillafranca de DueroVillafruelaVillalba de la LampreanaVillaldemiroVillalubeVillamandosVillamejilVillamor de los EscuderosVillanueva de la CondesaVillárdigaVillares de Soria, LosVillaveza del AguaVillazalaVillazopequeYanguas de EresmaZaelCastilla-La Mancha78
AbánadesAgudoAlarillaAlatozAlbaladejoAlbaladejo del CuendeAlbalate de las NoguerasAlberca de Záncara, LaAlcubillasAlmendral de la CañadaAlmonacid de ToledoAlmonacid del MarquesadoAlmuradielArandilla del ArroyoArcasArcicóllarArenas de San JuanArgamasilla de AlbaArmuña de TajuñaBuenache de AlarcónBurguillos de ToledoCampillo de AltobueyCamuñasCanalejas del ArroyoCasarrubios del MonteCasas de BenítezCasas de Juan NúñezCasasbuenasCasasimarroCastejón de HenaresCogolludoCózarCuervaEnguídanosEscaricheFrontera, LaFuente de Pedro NaharroFuentelespino de HaroGálvezHerrera, LaHinojosos, LosHorcajo de los MontesManzanequeMarchamaloMascaraqueMota de AltarejosMuneraNavas de JorqueraOlivares de JúcarOlmeda de la CuestaOsa de la VegaParedesPozo CañadaQuintanar de la OrdenQuintanar del ReyRecueja, LaSacecorboSalobreSanta María de los LlanosTemblequeTorre de Juan AbadTorrenuevaTotanésTribaldosTurlequeValdearenasValdepeñas de la SierraValderrebolloValenzuela de CalatravaValverdejoVilla de Don Fadrique, LaVillaconejos de TrabaqueVillalgordo del JúcarVillamaleaVillapalaciosVillar del InfantadoVillatoyaVillavalienteLa Rioja25
AlfaroAlmarza de CamerosArenzana de AbajoArenzana de ArribaAzofraBaños de Río TobíaBobadillaBriñasCárdenasCeniceroCihuriFonzalecheGimileoHervíasLedesma de la CogollaOchánduriOcónPedrosoRincón de SotoSan Millán de YécoraSan TorcuatoTudelillaUruñuelaVillamediana de IreguaVillarta-QuintanaAragón23
AinzónAlbalatilloAlcampellAlfaménAlmonacid de la CubaAlmudévarAranda de MoncayoBailoBárcaboCandasnosCapellaCastigaleuCodoCubelFabaraMoyuelaPedrolaPerdigueraPlenasSangarrénSariñenaVera de MoncayoVillanueva de GállegoComunidad de Madrid23
AjalvirAlcobendasBustarviejoCampo RealColmenarejoCorpaCosladaGalapagarGuadalix de la SierraHorcajo de la Sierra-AoslosMorata de TajuñaNavalcarneroQuijornaRivas-VaciamadridSantos de la Humosa, LosSevilla la NuevaTielmesTorrejón de VelascoValdepiélagosValverde de AlcaláVenturadaVillanueva de la CañadaVillar del OlmoExtremadura20
Burguillos del CerroCalamonteGranja de TorrehermosaGuareñaLobónMirandillaMonterrubio de la SerenaOliva de MéridaPuebla de la ReinaPueblonuevo del GuadianaRoca de la Sierra, LaSanta AmaliaSantos de Maimona, LosSiruelaTalavera la RealTorremayorTorremejíaValdelacalzadaVillafranca de los BarrosVillalba de los BarrosOther regions
Comunitat Valenciana6
País Vasco4
Andalucía3
Comunidad Foral de Navarra3
Principado de Asturias1
FAQ
In 2026, Saint Isidore the Laborer is mainly celebrated on 15 May 2026 (Friday). Some municipalities move it to another date on the working calendar.
It's a local holiday in 399 municipalities in 2026, accounting for 809,911 residents in the 2025 register; mostly in Castilla y León (206 municipalities).
No. Saint Isidore the Laborer is a local-level holiday: it's only a non-working day in the municipalities that set it as their local festival; each keeps its official source.
Other holidays
Per-municipality data with its official source (regional gazette). Every date is verifiable on the municipality page. Data from festivos.io — CC BY 4.0.