<Tr> <Th> Begins </Th> <Td> 6 July; 12 p.m. (noon) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Ends </Th> <Td> 14 July; 12 a.m. (midnight) </Td> </Tr> <P> The festival of San Fermín is a week - long, historically rooted celebration held annually in the city of Pamplona, Navarre, Spain . The celebrations start at noon on the sixth of July, when the party starts with the setting off the pyrotechnic chupinazo, and continue until midnight, on the fourteenth of July, with the singing of the Pobre de Mí . While its most famous event is the encierro, or the running of the bulls, at 8: 00 AM from the 6th of July to the 13th July, the festival involves many other traditional and folkloric events . It is known locally as Sanfermines and is held in honor of Saint Fermin, the co-patron of Navarre . Its events were central to the plot of The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, which brought it to the general attention of English - speaking people . It has become probably the most internationally renowned fiesta in Spain . Over 1,000,000 people come to participate in this festival . </P> <P> Fermín is said to have been the son of a Roman of senatorial rank in Pamplona in the 3rd century, who was converted to Christianity by Saint Honestus, a disciple of Saint Saturninus . According to tradition, he was baptised by Saturninus (in Navarre also known as Saint Cernin) at the spot now known as the "Small Well of Saint Cernin" Fermín was ordained a priest in Toulouse, and returned to Pamplona as its first bishop . On a later preaching voyage, Fermín was beheaded in Amiens, France; and is now considered a martyr in the Catholic Church . It is believed he died on 25 September, AD 303 . There is no written record of veneration of the Saint in Pamplona until the 12th century . Saint Fermín, as well as Saint Francis Xavier, are now the two patrons of Navarre . In Pamplona, Saint Fermín is now sometimes said to have met his end by being dragged through the streets with angry bulls running after him, hence the tradition . </P>

Where does the san fermin festival take place