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Zambombas of Jerez
The zambomba is Christmas in Jerez: neighbors who sing Christmas carols in courtyards, squares, peñas and bars, share sweets and keep going until the early hours. Here, what it is, where it comes from and when to go in 2026.
Christmas in Jerez · Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz · Updated on 10/15/2026
What a zambomba is
According to the decree that declared it an Asset of Cultural Interest (BOJA no. 240, 14/12/2015), checked on 15/10/2026.
- Instrument
A drum that sounds when a reed is rubbed
The celebration takes its name from the zambomba, a drum that sounds when a reed is rubbed.
- Festival
A gathering to sing and share
Neighbors, friends and families who sing Christmas carols, share sweets and wine, and keep going from evening into the early hours.
- When
Between the Inmaculada and Christmas Eve
It builds up as Christmas approaches. The City Council sets the exact period each year in its order.
History of the zambomba
- Origin
Neighborhood courtyards and country estates
It was born in neighborhood courtyards and in the homes of country estate workers.
- It is said
Since the late 18th century
It is said to have existed since the late 18th century, but the decree states that there is no documentary evidence of its origin.
- 1965-1975
Nearly died out
In those years the tradition nearly died out. It came back in the 1980s thanks to the Cátedra de Flamencología and the peñas.
- 2015
Asset of Cultural Interest
The Junta de Andalucía registered the Zambomba of Jerez and Arcos de la Frontera as an Asset of Cultural Interest by Decree 503/2015 of 9 December.
- 2021
Festival of Tourist Interest
Jerez's Christmas has been a Festival of Tourist Interest in Andalusia since 2021.
Christmas 2026 dates in Jerez
Only what the City Council has published as of 15/10/2026. What is missing, we will add.
- Official
Zambombas: 20 November to 25 December
This is the period of the 2026 order, signed on 30 September. In 2025 it ran from 21 November to 25 December.
- No official date
Switching on the lights
The contract places it on the first weekend after 15 November. In 2025 it was lit on 21 November, around 19:00, at the end of calle Larga.
- 5 January
Three Kings Parade
In 2026 it set off at 16:30 from Ifeca, with 15 floats and a quiet zone for people with ASD, and ended at the Belén Monumental. The 2027 route has not yet been published.
- In 2025
Nativity scenes and Christmas market
In 2025 the Nativity scene at the Palacio de Villapanés opened to the public for the first time, free of charge, and there was a Christmas market in plaza del Arenal. The 2026 program has not yet been published.
What is sung and what is eaten
- Christmas carols
Folk and flamenco
Christmas carols, popular songs and romances. You hear "Los peregrinos", "Campanilleros", "Madre, en la puerta hay un niño" or "Ande, ande, ande", and others from here such as "En Jerez, en Jerez".
- Instruments
Zambomba, guitar, cajón and timbales
In the street it is accompanied by tambourines, zambombas, anís bottles and pitchers, always without speakers or a stage.
- Sweets
Pestiños, buñuelos and roscos
They are made together by everyone and handed out free, even at the zambombas in bars and venues.
- Noon
Tips for going to a zambomba
Data from the 2025 orders and the Local Security Board; the 2026 measures will be known closer to the dates.
- Where
San Mateo, San Miguel and Santiago
These are the neighborhoods with the most prestigious zambombas. They are also organized by peñas, brotherhoods, associations and bars, increasingly in other neighborhoods.
- Schedule
From afternoon to night
In bars and venues, from 15:00 to 00:00; in the street, never later than 02:00.
- When
The busiest days
In 2025: Fridays and Saturdays from 21 November, the long weekend of the Inmaculada and 24 and 31 December. Weekdays are calmer.
- Directions
Shuttle or taxi
In 2025 there were shuttles from the Explanada de Feria and the Estadio Pedro Garrido, and the center was closed to traffic on Saturdays and public holidays from 15:00. Taxis at Alameda Cristina, plaza Esteve, Calzada del Arroyo and calle Puerto.
- Restrooms
Public restrooms
In 2025 there were public restrooms in plaza del Banco, plaza Esteve and plaza Belén.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a zambomba in Jerez?
A gathering, in a courtyard, a square, a peña or a bar, where Christmas carols are sung somewhere between folk and flamenco, sweets such as pestiños and buñuelos are shared, and it goes on until the early hours. It takes its name from the zambomba, a drum that sounds when a reed is rubbed.
When are the zambombas in Jerez in 2026?
The 2026 municipal order allows zambombas from 20 November to 25 December. The busiest days tend to be Fridays and Saturdays, the long weekend of the Inmaculada and Christmas Eve.
Where are there zambombas in Jerez?
In the neighborhoods of San Mateo, San Miguel and Santiago, which have the most prestigious ones, and in peñas, brotherhoods, associations and bars all over the city.
Why is the zambomba an Asset of Cultural Interest?
The Junta de Andalucía registered it as an Asset of Cultural Interest, an activity of ethnological interest, by Decree 503/2015 of 9 December, together with that of Arcos de la Frontera.
What is eaten at a zambomba?
Pestiños, buñuelos and roscos, handed out free. At the midday zambombas, berza jerezana and ajo caliente with Jerez wines.
When are Jerez's Christmas lights switched on in 2026?
As of 15/10/2026 there is no official date. The contract places it on the first weekend after 15 November; in 2025 it was on 21 November.
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