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This February 28 is a festivo – a public holiday – in the Andalucía region for the annual occasion of ‘El Día de Andalucía’ or Andalusia Day. The entire autonomous community, including the Costa del Sol and the Costa de Almería, normally celebrates this occasion with a day off work and school, and there are various official events to mark the day.

 

 

Also known as ‘28-F’, Andalusia Day marks the day in 1980 of the referendum that took place to call the region by the name of the ‘Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía’ or Autonomous Community of Andalusia.

 

To celebrate Andalusian identity, many people put the green and white flag of Andalusia on their homes and in public places, while there are often dances, shows and activities for children and young people to teach them pride in their local identity.

 

Town halls generally fly the flag, too, and there are ceremonial acts in which medals and awards are handed out to noteworthy individuals.

 

 

Some people use this day as an excuse to eat ‘Mollete antequerano’, a kind of soft bread that is often accompanied by olive oil and is an essential part of Andalusian breakfasts. It is normally eaten with grated tomato, garlic and jamón ibérico.

 

It’s also common to see people dressed up in typical regional costumes, such as the spotted sevillanas dresses and flamenco outfits which are associated with Spanish culture but which are mostly an Andalusian custom.

 

 

As it is a public holiday or ‘festivo’, many supermarkets and shops are closed in Andalusia on February 28. Businesses give employees the day off work and children get a day off school.

 

However, some food shops will stay open, as will many bars and restaurants, to cater to customers, so it’s worth contacting your local establishment directly to find out if they will be open on February 28.

 

This year, as February 28 falls on a Saturday, educational establishments taking Friday February 27 off instead, and in some places even Monday March 2 is a holiday, too, meaning that many school children will have a four-day weekend.