More than 1.5 million people participated in Sanfermines 2018 – confirming the upwards tendency of the last few years. The trash that was picked up was less by 7.3% and 600.000 of reusable plastic glasses distributed by the Town Hall, avoiding the 3 million glasses that are usually disposed on the ground.

Twelve hours after the “Pobre de Mí” ceremony ended Sanfermines 2018, the Town Hall of Pamplona has the first numbers collected by the different municipal services that have been working these last nine days of fiesta. The balance shows that more people have participated in acts and actividades programmed by the Town Hall, upwards of 1,5 million people (50,000 more than last year); and with an important reduction  of 7.3% of collected trash, that increased from 1,094.660 to 1,014,460 kilos and the increase of recyclable glasses, up to 600,000 glasses; and Sanfermines free of sexist aggression. The point of information against sexist aggressions in the Plaza del Castillo attended 14,620 people with explanations, 25 incidentes and it was not necessary to activate the service of accompaniment, offered by the Area of Social Action.

The Mayor of Pamplona, Joseba Asiron and the Concejalas delegadas of Seguridad Ciudadana and Convivencia, Itziar Gómez; and from Education and Culture, Maider Beloki.  In the Mayorś opinion, this balance consolidates the work carried out in the last three years so that Sanfermines returns to be a popular, family fiesta with more people participating.

Popular fiestas

One of the areas that has increased has been that dedicated to children and families – un 5% compared to last year.  This includes the festive areas that the Town Hall has opened for the youngest ones.

More people also participated in the concerts of the Plaza de los Fueros.  The most important filled the area around stages with younger people. The most popular actividades were the fiesta of Bollywood, the fiesta Holy, Yellow Humor or master classes of dance.

Yet again, the most popular acts of all were the fireworks- followed by 434,000 people and the Giants and their entourage with 190,000 followers.

A cleaner city, less trash on the ground and more recycling

Thanks to the Town Hall and its green, reusable glasses, fewer glasses have been thrown on the ground, and citizens have become more aware of the impression a cleaner city makes on visitors, for example. The Town Hall of Pamplona distributed this year 7,000 glasses of which 600,000 were used and 450,000 were washed.  

As for the encierro, five sanction  were given: two for recording the encierro, two for touching and trying to catch the attention of the bull, and one for carrying a backpack.  Four of them were sanctioned in the bullring. There were fewer runners in the encierro this year – close to 3,000 fewer. The decrease is owed to the way of counting, which is now much more precise and more runners have been taken off the course due to their own personal conditions and for the safety of others.

Option of moving the fair to the center of the city

At the end of the press conference, the Mayor of Pamplona, Joseba Asiron, put on the table the idea of moving the fair again to the center of the city for Sanfermines 2019.  The location would be in the moats of the Ciudadela. The mayor explained that this change permits the inclusion of the fair in the city and its attractions. This would also make parking easier.

This debate will begin in September with the participation of the Town Hall, the MECA that is in charge of the fair area, the Mesa de los Sanfermines y  citizens. The goal is to have more time to work with care for Sanfermines 2019.

Everything that is commented on the balance of the fiesta – thousands on Twitter.  The most talked about have been the Chupinazo and the encierros. The fiesta has also been commented on by 400 professionals photojournalists and other journalists accredited from 130 medias.

The Mayor congratulated “all those from Pamplona as well as all our visitors for the wonderful Sanfermines that we have had and every social group and private sectors for making this balance of Sanfermines 2018 so positive.