Carnival of Herencia

The Carnival of Herencia is the town's most important celebration, declared a Festival of Regional Tourist Interest in 1987, National Tourist Interest in 2017, and a Cultural Heritage Asset (BIC) in 2025. Held over roughly two weeks in February, it begins a full week before other Spanish carnivals on the 'Sunday of Yearning' (Domingo de las Deseosas). Among its most distinctive elements are the jinetas (pairs of children representing local guilds), giants and big-heads, local marching bands (Axonsou, Miriñaque, Los Pelendengues), and the figure of El Perlé. The Ofertorio Grand Parade on Shrove Tuesday is the centrepiece, with over 3,000 participants in 2026 from 31 groups representing 19 towns across four provinces. The evening Perlé de Honor awards ceremony recognises those who have contributed to Herencia's identity.