San Fermin en Nueva Orleans (Running of the Bulls)
July 12-15, 2012
It's not as dramatic as its counterpart in Pamplona, Spain but, then again, it's not as dangerous, either. And it's probably more fun! And, it's FREE!
"It" is the Annual Running of the Bulls through the streets of the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans over the weekend of July 12-15. Set to coincide with the world-famous Encierro (Running of the Bulls) at the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Spain, the popularity of the New Orleans event has mushroomed since it was first staged here in 2007. Last year an estimated 10,000 people took part in the run.
The main event, the "Encierro," begins at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 14. Starting and ending locations are expected to be announced soon.
The "Bulls," in case you're wondering, are the young ladies from the New Orleans-based all-female flat-track derby team, the Big Easy Rollergirls, led by "Archbishop Pummel!" These "RollerBulls," wearing rubber bull horns on their helmets, skate behind the runners and, as they catch up with the slowest runners along the route, they are allowed to "gore" them by whacking them with soft foam-core wiffle ball bats. The girls will be accompanied by The Rolling Elvi (the plural of "Elvis"), a group of Elvis look-alikes who ride on Segways.
Some participants consider it an honor to be "gored" by the "bulls." They allow themselves to get whacked several times and no one has ever been hospitalized. It's all in good fun, taking the famous New Orleans saying "Let the good times ROLL" to its literal extreme. And, in typical New Orleans fashion, it begins with a party and ends with a party!
As the popularity of the festival has grown, so has the number of days on which it is celebrated. It has now grown from one to three days, encompassing a wide diversity of fun events.
The Route
In 2011 a new route for the Encierro was mapped out, taking in more of the downtown area while skirting the edge of the French Quarter between Canal and Bienville streets. As of early May 2012, it hasn't been announced if last year's route will change or remain the same. Updated details will be published as they are announced.
Both before and after the run the host venue (to be announced) will be serving sangria, daiquiris, beer, Spanish wine, food and good cheer. There will also be live music by a still-to-be-announced local Latin Rock band.
Other San Fermin Events
The following is a list of events being scheduled for the San Fermin weekend:
- Thursday, July 12: Annual Wine Dinner, 6:30 p.m.
- Friday, July 13: El Txupinazo (a special Spanish-themed dinner), 6:00-9:00 p.m.
- Saturday, July 14: La Fiesta de Pantalones (The Pants Party), 8:00 p.m.
- Sunday, July 15: El Pobré de Mi (Poor Me) Contest testing knowledge of Ernest Hemingway, 11:30 a.m.
Venues for the abovementioned events will be announced as the dates get closer and tickets for those events will go on sale at that time.
Donations are strongly recommended to help defray some of the costs involved in Encierro and other free San Fermin events. Early arrival is also strongly recommended.
The main requirement for all who plan to participate in the run is to wear a white shirt, white pants or shorts and have a red scarf or long red cloth tied around their waists and necks. Of course, this being New Orleans, many of the participants take it even further, showing up in clever and imaginative costumes, especially dressed up as matadors and bulls.
Other rules for the run are:
- Run at your own risk
- Do not touch the Bulls
- If you go down, stay down
- Do not stand still
- Children under ten (10) use sidewalk.
For further information go to the group's website www.nolabulls.com.
|
When: July 12-15, 2012
