Not long to go ...
If you find out about something, or are confidentially told something, or you overhear it on the bus or in the bar...and above all, if they tell you not to tell anyone...send your secrets into us and tell us all the gossipy details: confidencial@sanfermin.com
23rd May
According to yesterday's news by Euskalerria irratia radio station, which broadcasts entirely in basque for Pamplona and its region, Iñaki Cabasés, Nafarroa Bai party's town councillor, will fire the"chupinazo" (firing of a rocket) in Sanfermin 2012.
22 de febrero
Estamos intentando confirmar un chivatazo de última hora llegado desde Garés que nos dice que los días 3/4 de marzo se rodará un spot inspirado en Sanfermin para VISA en Puente la Reina. Utilizarán reses de la ganadería Reta de Casta Navarra. No es la primera vez que Visa realiza algún anuncio inspirado en Sanfermin, ni siquiera la primera vez que una marca de pago a crédito se interesa por Sanfermin. Master Card grabó en Tarazona en 2007 este anuncio simulando la fiesta y VISA este otro, fuera de Sanfermin donde un mozo se hacía el corredor, sin toros, ni fiesta, ni nada, pero con mucha imaginación.
14 de noviembre
Próximamente el carillón de la parroquia de San Lorenzo de Pamplona, donde se cobija la capilla y la efigie de San Fermín, podrá emitir en las horas principales del día y celebraciones el tono "A San fermín Pedimos" interpretado con sonido de campanas. La letra y la música de esta letra que se canta antes del encierro es obra de Joaquín Zabalza Boruell, miembro de los Iruñako y parroquiano de esta iglesa, cuya residencia se encontraba a escasos metros de la misma. Esta idea es otra iniciativa del párroco, Santos Villanueva, por promocionar y potenciar la imagen de San Fermín como Santo y ejemplo de vida cristiana además de las ya conocidas.
9th of September
The film Legend 17, by Russian director Nikolay Lebedev, part of which is soon to be shot in Pitillas, Navarre, is to include a bullrun. Several San Fermin bullrunners, dobladores and cowherds have been contracted for the more complicated scenes. Exteriors and scenes in private property are to be shot to recount the early years of the late Russian ice hockey star Valeri Kharmalov.
7th of July
The parish priest of San Lorenzo has installed a frequency jammer alongside the Saint so that tourists, visitors, councillors and journalists cannot pester him with Twitter.
17th of June
A prestigious national newspaper is to devote its cover to the San Fermin fiesta and publish an extensive, eight-page report on the event the weekend before the Txupinazo. The report will be illustrated with pictures by Jordi Cohen, a photographer from the Sanfermin.com gallery and for the smartphone app Sanferphoto.
13 de junio
The "Incordión" runs a serious risk of not being able to participate in this year's fiestas. This popular Sanfermin event has had popular support from the general public over the past few years.. Having a DJ -on top of a float and moving round the streets of Pamplona might not happen this year. There are financial problems as well as organizational ones and this could mean the end of one of the most spontaneous and fun-loving events of these past few years. Read more here.
2 de junio
Ánima Naturalis convoca a participar en la protesta contra el maltrato a los toros en Sanfermin a través de su campaña En la Piel de Toro el 3 de julio. http://enlapieldeltoro.org/#registro
24th of March
Several different sources from the world of the Peña clubs tell us that the Federación de Peñas (Peñas Association) is preparing a book on the hisotry of the different Peña clubs that will become the definitive reference book on the clubs. Good news and we look forward to seeing it.
15th of March
We hear from the town of Puente la Reina Garés that, starting on the 20th of March and during nine days, there will be a shooting of a TV commercial for a Japanese coffee brand in main street which will include a running of the bulls with young bulls( Novillos). The bull-ranch that provides the young bulls will be the nearby Macua bull-ranch which is located in Larraga
LATEST NEWS: The Japanese company has called off the shooting due to the situation in Japan at the present time.
14 de enero
Nos envían un mensaje a la cuenta de Twitter de Sanfermin @sanferminlive advirtiéndo de que las peñas de Pamplona pretenden ausentarse de las corridas de la Feria del Toro del 11 y 12 de Julio.
Nos envían otro correo diciendo que esta información es una patraña y que estaban hablando de fumar y no de sanfermin y que no era eso sino lo otro.
06 de diciembre
Un grupo de rock de referencia y primer nivel está preparando la logística para incluir en un videoclip de su próximo disco escenas con toros y un encierro.
26th of July, 2010. Statement from the Movimiento 15 de Julio Group
The Movimiento 15 de julio Group have issued a statement on their web page assessing the "running of the bulls" of the 15th of July, 2010 and making an appeal for some comprehension and discernment from the institutions and other bodies in order to put an end to the disagreeable incidents which arose after the event was over "It would be better not to comment on the incidents at the end of this year's event. Let each one examine their own conscience and their own attitude. What we can say from within the Group, is that none of us want a Fiesta with such a fine tradition of goodwill and with such a historic background behind it, to finish each year with blows, not to mention the bad atmosphere it creates afterwards. We believe that with a bit of willingness from everyone concerned, this question can be peacefully solved".
Check out the original source.
22th of July, 2010
A member of the Oberena Peña club writes to tell us that their web page contains a message from the Peña Club in which they clarify and qualify their position about the protests made this year by the Federation of Peña Clubs. She feels that these protests were "incomprehensibly silenced by the media". In that case, the only thing we can do is mention the fact and provide a link-up for anyone who wishes to read about it at. http://bit.ly/cA4w7l
22th of June, 2010
Yet again this year the Peña Mutilzarra will be left without season tickets for the bullring unlike the rest of the Peña clubs. The silence from among those who do have season-tickets is significant. For that reason, some members have proposed the idea of making a demonstration with a black banner asking for a democratic share out for all members from among all the Pamplona Peña Clubs and not only for the Federated and historical ones.
17th May, A Casting is being held for the Museum of The Running of the Bulls
The casting announced in CinemaVip for the 20th of May was for the production company behind the Museum of The Running of the Bulls and not for the Bollywood film set to be filmed in June. Those candidates have been given an appointment at the address of Prouductora Arena for that date at a different time. Contrary to what had been generally assumed, the casting announcement made by castingpamplona@gmail.com is to film some shots in a warehouse in Beriain to create the audio-visuals which will be installed in the future museum of The Running of RThe Bulls and The Sanfermin Fiestas. - The Fiesta Museum. They have absolutely no connection with the Bollywood movie being made by Excelmovies.
28th of April
The bullring could be without the Peña clubs on the 11th of July. This is one of the possible protest proceedings being considered by the Peña clubs to make their protest during Sanfermin fiestas, in addition to the idea of going ahead with carrying black banners on that day.
31st of March
It will be very difficult to find Juan Pedro Lecuona, one of the habitual runners to be seen on the Telefonica stretch, in this year's running of the bulls. He has had a serious accident to one of his legs and it seems that it will take about four months to be put right again. This habitual and excellent runner says he will do all he can to be ready for these coming 2010 running of the bulls but the medical evaluation makes that very unlikely. Get well soon, Juampe!
14th of March
Javier Sanchez relates in an article from the newspaper EL Heraldo, under the title " San Fermin, the universal fiesta" (http://bit.ly/cdSeiB) that in Switzerland " the fact of visiting the San Fermin fiestas and watching the people running in front of the bulls seems very proper to the Swiss. This is so because the bulls do not suffer (although they do not go into the controversial question of what to the bulls before and after the runnings). They see the running of the bulls as something very exciting although they have been brave enough to take part themselves."
22nd January
A photo of the Sanfermin running of the bulls is being used to promote the tourist stand of the town of Ayora from Valencia. This town is renowned for its honey, its bulls tipped with wooden balls during fiestas and its good people. So why use a photo from Pamplona to promote their town? Perhaps some kind of coordination error and it has its funny side to it although some people might not think so. Phermin Bello has sent us the video and here are the photos which are on the official web page of Ayora Town Hall.
21st of January
Security at the FITUR tourist fair turned a blind eye to the Navarra stand as the Giants from Pamplona danced for the public. These kinds of events are not allowed before the 23rd of January but an exception was made for the beloved giants. Although the dance had been scheduled in the program prepared by the Government of Navarra and Pamplona City Hall, and even by the IFEMA itself, the event still surprised many people and even the security staff responsible for the event.
21st of January
A group of "Twitters" (users of the social network web page) have organized a gathering for Sanfermin. It will be on the 8th of July and it has been convoked by @ Pacharan Twitts.
30th November
Pamplona City Hall have asked the church authorities for the free concession of images of San Fermin and other historical material so that it could be exhibited at the future Museum of Sanfermin even though there will be six million euro available for the enterprise that is going to mount the exhibition area in the museum.
20th of November
The enterprise which won the competition to set up the San Fermin Museum proposes the creation of a World Festival Day according to a report in the local newspaper, Diario de Noticias. This is the very same idea that Kukuxumusu has been advocating since Sanfermin 2009.
19th of November
The production company behind the Hollywood movie Knight and Day which is being filmed with Tom Cruise in Seville and Cadiz these past few weeks also paid a visit to Pamplona and Navarra during two weeks to check out the idea of filming on site here. They were well-received by the relevant organisms in Navarra but the weather conditions were not favorable and filming is unlikely to take place in Navarra.
6th of November
Today the staff of The International Press Office in Pamplona pulled down the shutters on their office. They have been working for the past six months and in June 2010 they will re-open their service again. Some would say that Sanfermin fiestas are important enough to merit a Press Office throughout the whole year? Both the Oktoberfest and the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro have two specific councilors to oversee their festivals all year long with their permanent cabinets while in Pamplona the specific cabinet only lasts six months of the year.
3rd of November
A fan of Sanfermin.com assures us that "the award of The Pamplona City Hall Gold Medal to the Giants and their Entourage is just a pretext and ploy of the City Hall so as not to have to give them the right to set off the txupinazo opening rocket next Sanfermin fiestas." Here at Sanfermin.com we cannot say if there is any truth in this statement but what we can be sure of is that , if the Giants are given the honor of setting off the txupinazo opening rocket, it will be the big-headed Caravinagre (‘Vinegarface') who will actually light the fuse.
2nd of November
This week the ashes of a recently-cremated American and a lover of Sanfermin were scattered from a balcony in Estafeta Street. His friends had faithfully fulfilled the last wishes of the dead man but they did not foresee that the incident could offend some of the neighbors. A complaint about the incident was made to the archbishop in person by one of the local neighbors. However, the archbishop could only listen and accept that nothing more could be done about the incident as it did not come within their means.
22nd of October. Sanfermin in NY
A couple of fans of the Sanfermin fiestas have opened some apartments in New York and baptized them with the name of San Fermin. They hope to have an official opening event in January, but they are already receiving some customers and many of these are fans of the fiestas. The rooms are decorated with themes from the Sanfermin fiestas. The apartments are located at 195 Edgecombe Avenue, New York10030 in Sugar Hill, a quiet neighborhood at Upper West Manhattan. Further information can be found here.
2nd of October
Sources close to RTVE national TV channel confirm that the Casa de Misericordia old folk's home and owner of the bullring is in negotiations with the satellite channel Digital+ for the transmission of the Sanfermin 2010 bullfights. This would include image rights so that it would be most likely that the Cuatro channel would continue to broadcast the running of the bulls along with the state channel, TVE. No details are yet known of the new contract to be signed. Perhaps it will be the state channel that is responsible for the broadcasting of the running of the bulls and it gives the signal to Channel Cuatro or the opposite may be the case which means channel Cuatro would have the rights to the images inside the bullring.
22nd of July 23, 2009
Several habitual runners who take part in the running of the bulls have been in contact with Sanfermin.com to express their annoyance at the report from TVE national television channel which shows how various "divine runners" enter the course in Estafeta Street through the kitchen entrance of the Gure Etxea bar instead of having to use the City Hall square like the rest of the runners.
21st of July
The President of the Taurino Commission from the Casa de Misericordia Marco García-Mina, states in the local Diario de Navarra newspaper that after the three year contract with Cuatro TV channel is up, it is certain that the contract for covering the running of the bulls will be renewed.
25th June
The Sanfermin circus in the IWER parking. We are lead to believe that the site for the circus this year could be on the spacious parking lot behind the IWER building in the Rochapea district.
22nd of June
A running of the bulls will be held at the children's museum in New York. The Brooklyn Children's Museum of New York, one of the few museums in the world with activities for families and children, will dedicate one of its activities on the 5th of July to the running of the bulls.
22nd of June
Six special reports on the Casa de Misericordia, Sanfermin and the bullfighting broadcasts on Digital Plus TV. Manolo Moles, director of the radio program Los Toros on Cadena Ser radio station, and presenter of the special program for Sanfermin 2009 on Cuatro TV and Digital Plus, yesterday gave details on the radio about how the Sanfermin fiestas will be covered this year. There will be less outlay on the running of the bulls and more emphasis on the bullfight coverage as TVE national television will cover the running of the bulls with their own cameras and Cuatro TV will personalize its broadcasts using the same signal, without needing to use its own network of professionals for the event.
8th of June
Pamploneses, Pamplonesas, Viva the House!
On the virtual video of Bullmusicfestival which will be held on the 10th of July, in the Amaya sports center, the voice of Uxue Barcos is dubbed to promote the House music when she set off the 2008 txupinazo opening rocket.
5th of June, 2009
The official Sanfermin program for 2009 will be presented on Monday in the City Hall. It has been designed by Guillermo Nagore and it includes photographic references to Hemingway.
5th of June, 2009
A group of fans of football captain César Cruchaga are using the social networks on the web to promote him as the candidate to set off the txupinazo opening rocket this year. They are looking for support.
4th of June,
Hemingway Lookalike Competition. A competition will be held during Sanfermin for a Hemingway lookalike in the same way as is done in Sloppy Joe's bar at Key West
2nd of June
June the 9th will be the official day to celebrate Hemingway's Day in Pamplona, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the last visit paid to Pamplona by the writer.
May. 30th. Sanfermin at the 2010 Expo
The Spanish Pavilion at the Shangai Universal Exhibition in 2010 will be called "the basket pavilion" and it is a design made by the architect, Benedetta Tagliablue. The Sanfermin fiestas will be present there. The country will be made to look like a wicker basket and the content will be composed of things from three film directors, Bigas Lunas, Isabel Coixet and Basilio Martin Patino. The main exhibit will be called "From Nature to City" by Bigas Lunas and it will deal with origins - "From Altamira to The Sanfermines. I will work with elements, icons and symbols that have always fascinated me: the atavistic, the essential, the primitive, the earth, the essence of things"...stated Bigas at the presentation.
25 de Mayo
Mundotoro.com completa su predicción para las corridas de Sanfermin. Domingo 5 de julio: Novillos de Miranda de Pericalvo; Lunes 6 de julio (rejones): Hermoso de Mendoza, Sergio Galán y otro que abra (puede ser Bohórquez); Martes 7 de julio: El Cid, Castella y Fandi o Manzanares (Ventorrillo); Miércoles 8 de julio: Fandi o Manzanares y dos más. Los posibles son Talavante y Marco (Jandilla); Jueves 9 de julio: Corrida de Cebada Gago. Viernes 10 de julio: Luis Bolívar, Salvador Cortés y posiblemente Fundi (Peñajara). Sábado 11 de julio: Corrida de Dolores Aguirre. Domingo 12 de julio: El Fundi, Padilla y Rafaelillo (Miura). Lunes 13 de julio: Perera, Luque y posiblemente Ferrera (Fuente Ymbro). Martes 14 de julio: Morante de la Puebla, El Juli y Perera (Núñez del Cuvillo). Esta semana se conocerá el cartel completo.
16th of May
The annual fair in Seville serves to reveal the first signings of bullfighters and bull-ranches for the Pamplona bullfights in July. The first surprise this year seems to be that Morante de la Puebla returns after an eight-year absence. Although the complete line-up will only be known after the San Isidro bullfights finish in Madrid at the end of May.
Rumor has it that (and according to mundotoro.com) on the 6th of July the horseback bullfighting (Rejones) will feature Hermoso de Mendoza and Sergio Galán; on the 12th Miura bulls with Juan José Padilla and Rafaelillo; on the 13th, Fuente Ymbro bulls with Miguel Angel Perera as one of the bullfighters; On the 14th, Nuñez del Cuvillo bulls for Miguel Angel Perera, Julian Lopez (El Juli) and Morante de la Puebla. Other bullfighters expected at the Sanfermin bullfights are Ricardo Gallardo, Daniel Luque, Francisco Marco, Luis Bolivar, El Fundi, Alejandro Talavante, José Maria Manzanares and Sebastian Castella, El Cid and El Fandi (with the Jandilla bulls).
30th of April
YANNAMORE from Valencia tells us that on the 10th of July, EL BARRIO will perform in Pamplona.
29th of April
Mariano Pascal tells us from www.feriadeltoro.net that someone has insinuated to him that in Estafeta Street a McDonalds or something similar is going to open at the premises of what was the Belagua café. Right in the middle of one of the most important stretches of the running of the bulls.
16th of April
Discovery Channel is making a series of "Untamed and Uncut" for its "Animal Planet" channel which features the San Fermin Bullrun. The programme uses real-life stories to show animal behaviour in extreme situations, such as when attacked by a leopard or bitten by a crocodile, etc. This part takes a look at bulls and, of course, the Bullrun, using a true story as its basis. We will keep you informed.
10th of April
According to Mikel Urmeneta's Blog "I can confirm that the actress Margaux Hemingway, who I was with on set, shared my admiration for the innovative poster -referring to Rafael Moneo's poster for the 2009 Bull Fair."
6th of April
The Minister of Tourism in the Australian state of Victoria has announced that the Bullrun is to held in Melbourne. Tim Holding played this joke on April Fools' Day. "Pamplona can't monopolise the Bullrun and we will soon be holding it in Melbourne", said Holding.
26th of March
There will be no Comparsa or Brass bands at the San Fermin fiesta. At least that is what Senator José María Chiquillo said about the cost of large-scale fiestas in copyright compensation tax. The Senator championed an initiative to deem large fiestas like Seville's April Fair, San Fermin or Valencia's Fallas exempt from paying the Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers (SGAE). The motion was not passed. The payment of these rights represented €43,000 in 2008 and, according to the Senator, the charges are set to rise so much that "The SGAE will ensure that there is no street entertainment, Comparsas or brass bands at the next San Fermin fiesta... It is no joke, it may happen". We hope not.
11th of March
The Casa de Misericordia has commissioned a well-known architect to design the poster for the Bull Fair.
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