Gijón Natural Cider Festival

If one drink defines Gijón, it is natural cider – and once a year the city throws it an entire festival. In late August, the Natural Cider Festival (Fiesta de la Sidra Natural) fills streets and squares with markets, competitions, tastings and music, building up to a unique spectacle: thousands of people pouring cider at once on Poniente beach. It is an officially recognised Festival of Tourist Interest of Asturias.

What it is

A popular celebration of Asturian cider culture: the apples, the llagares (the cider houses where cider is made), the expert pourers and the sidrerías (cider bars). It has been running for more than three decades and is now one of the highlights of summer in Gijón, alongside the Semana Grande and its fireworks.

Asturian cider culture was added to UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024, so this is a good moment to discover it.

When and where

The festival runs in the last part of August, for a little over a week. Events are spread across streets and squares in the city, with the centre and neighbourhoods such as Cimavilla, packed with cider bars, as a natural setting. The headline event happens on Poniente beach.

The 35th edition, in 2026, ran from 20 to 30 August: according to the Turismo Asturias listing, the Cider and Apple Market was set up in the Jardines de la Reina, the contests and cancios de chigre took place in Plaza Mayor, and the simultaneous-pouring record was held on Poniente beach. The 2027 dates have not been announced yet. Check Gijón City Council’s website or our What’s On listings.

What to expect

The programme varies each year, but these activities come up regularly:

• The cider-pouring world record on Poniente beach – the busiest moment of all.
• A cider and apple market with producers and cider makers.
• Pouring competitions and courses where you can learn the technique.
• Visits to llagares and public tastings.
• Cancios de chigre: traditional sing-along songs from Asturian cider bars (chigres).
• Street theatre, urban art and entertainment.

How cider is drunk (the basics)

Asturian natural cider has no added gas. It is served in small measures called culinos, poured from above head height – a technique called escanciar – so that it splashes against the glass and briefly comes alive. You drink it straight away in one or two gulps, leaving a drop at the bottom to rinse the rim, as the glass is often shared. Bars will pour for you; you never need to do it yourself. Read more in our guide to cider in Gijón.

Tips

• Book accommodation early: late August is still high season. See where to stay.
• On record day, arrive early. Beach access is organised in advance and there are usually rules about the glass you need to bring. Check that year’s official instructions.
• Get about on foot. Almost everything happens in the centre and around Poniente; a car will only slow you down.
• Eat in a sidrería. It is the perfect finale: cachopo (a large breaded veal steak filled with ham and cheese), fabada (bean stew) or Cantabrian fish with cider. Get ideas in what to eat in Gijón.

Tip: take it slowly and drink water in between. Cider goes down easily, but it is roughly as strong as beer.