If the running of the bulls represents the most adrenaline-fueled side of San Fermín, the Giants and Bigheads parade is its gentle counterpart: music, color and a tradition passed down through generations of Pamplona families.
Who the giants are
The parade is made up of four pairs of giant kings, each representing a different ethnicity or continent — European, African, American and Asian — in a gesture of universal outlook very much in keeping with the cosmopolitan spirit the festival has attracted for over a century. Each figure stands several meters tall and is carried by a person inside it, following a distinctive choreography of turns and spins.
The Bigheads and the Kilikis
Accompanying the giants are the cabezudos (bigheads) — figures with oversized heads and mischievous attitudes — and the kilikis, who chase after children who get too close, armed with their iconic foam "whips," to a chorus of laughter and friendly shrieks.
With children
This is by far the most family-friendly event of the entire festival. Unlike the running of the bulls or the Chupinazo, the atmosphere is relaxed and geared toward the youngest visitors' enjoyment, though it's wise to keep a close eye on children in the crowd.
When and where to see them
The parade winds through the streets of the Old Town every morning from July 7th to 14th, usually around 10:00 a.m., accompanied by Navarrese bagpipes and txistus. Check the official calendar for the exact route each day, which tends to vary slightly from one day to the next.