Our Lady of the Snows, patron saint of La Palma, is celebrated every 5 August and is an island holiday on that Canary Island, although not in the rest of the archipelago or in Spain as a whole.
Other regions: 1 · 1 municipality
Verified data
In 2026, the dataset records Virgen de las Nieves as a local holiday in 26 municipalities, accounting for 49,102 residents in the 2025 register. The most common date is 5 August 2026. 5 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.
49.5% / 50.5%
13.2%
67.7%
19%
7.4%
10.4%
43.9 years
Comparison with Spain and with the aggregate of the 7 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 7 regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 0–14 | 13.2% | +0.3 pp | +0.4 pp |
| Aged 65+ | 19% | -1.7 pp | -2.8 pp |
| Foreign citizenship | 7.4% | -6.7 pp | -2.9 pp |
| Born outside Spain | 10.4% | -8.8 pp | -3.4 pp |
| Weighted mean age | 43.9 years | -0.7 years | -1.3 years |
The largest difference from Spain is in “Born outside Spain”: -8.8 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.
The day is dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows, also known as Our Lady of the Snows, one of the most deeply rooted Marian devotions on La Palma. The celebration is closely linked to the Royal Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, located near Santa Cruz de La Palma, and is part of the religious and cultural memory of the island.
This is an island holiday, specific to La Palma, and not a regional holiday common to the entire Canary Islands; That is why it is advisable to distinguish in the working calendar between the holidays of the entire archipelago and those of each island. The festival usually includes religious events, processions and popular gatherings linked to the sanctuary and palm tree tradition.
The great tradition associated with this dedication is the Descent of the Virgin of the Snows, a lustral celebration that takes place every five years and attracts thousands of people. During these festivals, religious acts, music, popular performances and cultural events are combined, in one of the best-known celebrations of the La Palma calendar. It is striking that a festival dedicated to the Snows is celebrated in the middle of summer, on 5 August.
Patroness of La Palma (Canary Islands).
When
In 2026 it falls on Wednesday 5 August in most municipalities. 5 move it to another date (when it lands on a weekend or by local agreement).
| Year | Main date | Municipalities |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Monday, 5 August | 11 |
| 2025 | Tuesday, 5 August | 14 |
| 2026 | Wednesday, 5 August | 26 |
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 49,102 residents in the INE municipal register at 1 January 2025.
Castilla y León11
Castilla-La Mancha4
Andalucía2
Comunidad Foral de Navarra1
La Rioja1
FAQ
In 2026, Virgen de las Nieves is mainly celebrated on 5 August 2026 (Wednesday). Some municipalities move it to another date on the working calendar.
It's a local holiday in 26 municipalities in 2026, accounting for 49,102 residents in the 2025 register; mostly in Castilla y León (11 municipalities).
No. Virgen de las Nieves 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.