5 tips for celebrating Les Comadres in Asturias

Have you ever heard of les comadres? Well, if you come or are in Asturias you will be able to attend this ritual celebration live and direct, which probably has its ancestral roots in Roman times, when the Matronalias, festivities dedicated to married women, were held on the calends of March.

In the Matronalias, and exceptionally, women had the same privileges as men... Many centuries have passed since then, and the festival has been de-sacralised, although it continues to fit in with the Christian calendar and with dates not far from the calends of March.

Well, for some reason for which there are no written documentary sources, the Matronalias became the feast of the comadres, and this feast has survived to the present day in very few places in Spain and the world, and one of them is Asturias.

In Asturias, where it was most popular from the beginning of time was in Pola Siero, and from here the tradition spread to other parts of central Asturias such as Langreo, Gijón, Oviedo and Avilés.

This festivity, which used to be celebrated in people's homes or in the countryside, has now been extended to cider houses and restaurants since the 1980s. And after that snack or dinner for girls only, the night is long and full of atmosphere.

So on the Thursday before the start of Carnival, les Comadres are always a party worth seeing and very participative, and they are a prelude to Carnival, which is just around the corner...

Here are 5 practical tips to celebrate Les Comadres intensely in Asturias!

After all this history about the ancient origin of the festival, you may wonder how you can enjoy it. Very simple: if you're a girl, join a group of friends and go for a snack-dinner, and to have a few laughs, which will always be more enjoyable with cider. If you are a guy, go and have a few culinos, if you like, and after the girls have finished their snack-dinner, enjoy a splendid party.

Suddenly, and as if by magic, you will be on the Comadres planet, where there is only joy and celebration, and to round off the evening, the best cider, and of course all this around a good and tasty table, with traditional Asturian delicacies.

You will find yourself being the protagonist of one of the oldest traditions in the world, which by mysteries of fate has preserved an incredible strength in Asturias...

Don't miss this unique opportunity!

Les Comadres is not a festival exclusively for women, although it is true that it is a celebration in which women play a healthy role.

What's more, we're going to tell you an open secret: nowadays, at some of these succulent snacks and dinners, it's completely natural for men to be present, so you know, it's up to your social skills to be able to celebrate like one of the comadres.

And if you don't make it in time for the snack, don't worry, because there's always time to join the party that's coming up next.

At Comadres you'll feel right at home!

History and stories aside, les Comadres are also a great gastronomic festival. They signify the cult of traditional Asturian cuisine and traditional delicacies. The same ones that you enjoy when you go to an espicha, or to a picnic, or to dinner with friends.

Ummm... Everything is so good! Both sweet and savoury, make the snack-dinner an unforgettable ritual where the "bollos preñaos " (filled with homemade chorizo sausage) become the kings of the moment. Freshly baked, with crusty homemade bread and homemade sausage, they are a delicacy that will almost make you delirious, and what's more, you can quench your thirst with a glass of cider.

And you can also pair the festive gastronomy with Cangas wine, soft drinks or whatever you prefer, because the delights of comadres are easily adaptable to your preferences.

You will fully enjoy the simplicity of Asturian gastronomy!

And just as we anticipated at the beginning of this story, after these joyful dinners on Comadres day, the party continues and gets bigger, the night is long and magical, and is set in the smell of crowds, with music, performances and entertainment in the street.

Undoubtedly, a mythical note of les Comadres is this great party that goes on until the small hours... or rather, until the body can take it.

On a curious note, I will tell you that in les Comadres de la Pola Siero the body lasts so long that the day after Comadres, they celebrate les Comadrines, and the day after les Migalles, and they finish off with les Migallines... In other words, the Polesos and visitors spend four days making the most of the "leftovers" from Thursday's frugal snack... Incredible but true! And so their partying, and yours, is linked to the carnival itself.

You're sure to experience a great festive atmosphere!

In view of the above, you will have realised that the festival of the Comadres is not only attractive because of its mysterious origins, its boisterous staging, its tasty table, or its abundant joy, but also because it is the ideal prelude to the Antroxu or Carnival, which is celebrated throughout Asturias with great enthusiasm and joy...

In fact, the Comadres are the best training for the Antroxu in Asturias!