'Giants and bigheads' return to Almeria in August with a new look

Their presence, amid the midday heat and the hustle and bustle of the streets, heralds the return of the mornings of the Feria. The dawn procession of the ‘Gigantes y Cabezudos’ through the city’s streets is a century-old tradition cherished by the people of Almeria.

To this end, the city hall has organised an exhibition open until 29 August at the Palacio de los Marqueses de Cabra. It has also published a book and updated the costumes and internal structure of the 12 Giants.

The giants were first documented in 1902 and ever since, have been closely linked to the Feria and the patron saint’s festivities. There are twelve giants on display in this exhibition, representing different cultures and traditions from around the world: the Christian Monarchs; Don Quixote and Dulcinea; figures from the East; the Arab Monarchs, two figures representing traditional Almerian dress and others representing other aspects of local culture.

The book, ‘Gigantes y cabezudos. History and Tradition in Almería’, by María Dolores Durán. Published by Almería City Council, combines historical facts with accessible texts and carefully selected photographs to revive the memory of these figures and explain how they have formed part of the city.

The mayor of Almeria, María del Mar Vázquez, presented the book and opened the exhibition on Monday 17 August where she said, "This is a project that connects us directly with our history, our festivals and above all, the collective memory of the people of Almeria, through which we aim to gain a better understanding of, document and appreciate a much-loved part of our festive heritage”.

For this reason, ahead of the 2026 Fair, the mayor announced that “the costumes of the twelve giants have been renewed, with great attention to detail, while the inner framework of each one has been restored to make them lighter and facilitate dancing alongside the brass band that accompanies them on their procession”.

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The historian María Dolores Durán also explained that the tradition of the giants "has medieval roots and in the early days, they accompanied the Corpus Christi processions, until the Church considered that these figures might be disrespectful and they were gradually separated from religious ceremonies. Since then, they have become part of the patron saint’s festivities.”

María Dolores Durán also emphasised that "the giants also have a personality of their own within our festivities. They are figures who command respect, who inspire admiration in the little ones, and who form part of the solemnity and tradition".

The ‘cabezudos’, on the other hand, according to the historian, "have a more playful, down-to-earth and popular character. They’re the ones who spark the laughter and that mix of excitement and anticipation that many of us from Almeria remember from our childhood. And how lovely it is to see that this tradition is still alive".

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