Les Comadres: Comadres Thursday in Gijón

Comadres Thursday is the gateway to Asturian carnival. On that day, groups of women of all ages get together for lunch or dinner and then head out to celebrate. In Gijón it marks the start of Antroxu and is one of the liveliest nights of the winter.

What it is

Comadres (roughly “godmothers” or “close female friends”) is an Asturian tradition held on the Thursday before carnival. Its historic heartland is Pola de Siero, a town near Gijón known for huge open-air gatherings, but the custom has spread across central Asturias.

Traditionally, women met to share food, chat and dance. In Gijón the get-togethers mostly took place at home, and the public celebration came back strongly in the 1980s. Today the usual thing is to book a table at a restaurant or cider bar and carry on into the night in the bars of the centre.

There is also a “men’s” version, Compadres Thursday, held a week earlier, though it is much lower-key.

When it takes place

As carnival follows Easter, Comadres moves every year:

• 2027: Shrove Tuesday falls on 9 February, so Comadres Thursday is 4 February 2027.

If the City Council programmes related events, they will appear in the carnival programme and in our What’s On listings.

What people eat

Comadres meals have their classics:

• Bollu preñáu: a bread roll with chorizo baked inside – the undisputed star.
• Spanish omelette, cured meats and breaded meat to share.
• Frixuelos: thin sweet pancakes, a carnival favourite.
• Cider, naturally.

If you are curious, see Asturian desserts and our guide to cider in Gijón.

What to expect in Gijón

• Restaurants and cider bars packed from lunchtime with groups of women celebrating.
• A festive night-time atmosphere in the centre, Cimavilla and the bar districts, with many groups in costume or wearing a carnival touch.
• The unofficial start of Antroxu, which continues over the weekend with brass bands and the parade.

Tips

• Book a table well ahead if you want to eat out that day: it is one of the busiest nights of the winter for group bookings. Remember that in Spain dinner rarely starts before 9 pm.
• As a visitor, just go with the flow: it is an open, friendly atmosphere and a great way to see Gijón at its most festive.
• Stay for the weekend to catch Antroxu and, if the dates line up, a show at FETEN. See the festival calendar.

Tip: in a cider bar, let the staff pour your cider and order dishes to share – that’s the Asturian way.