The religious festival of Saint Catherine is a key event in A Guarda’s calendar, paying tribute to the saint in an atmosphere filled with spirituality and local culture.
This is one of the most spectacular Nativity scenes in Galicia due to its dimensions: it has more than 3000 pieces covering an area of 250 m². It is also famous for not only incorporating religious figures, but elements from the present as well. The Nativity scene is handcrafted but also uses technology to provide movement to about 300 figures, water pumps and lighting. It started in 1995 with some Christmas craft workshops, and every year it became larger and more original. It was declared an attraction of Tourist Interest in 2013.
On January 7th, a bank holiday in the municipality, Illa de Arousa gets decked out to celebrate its patron saint San Julián (Saint Julian). This is one of the most important festivities for the islanders, even more so than New Year's Eve.
Festivity honouring San Amaro in the parish of Aldán.
The festivity in honour of San Vicente (Saint Vincent) is celebrated in the parish of Oubiña. Besides religious services, there is a chickpea stew sampling and an out-door dance at nightfall.
Religious festivity honouring "Virgen de la Calendaria" celebrated in the Hospital Chapel in the municipality of Cambados.
Festivity in the chapel of Santa María Magdalena in honour of San Blas.
It's the first Festival gastronomic of International Tourist Interest in Spain. It takes place on the Sunday before Carnival and celebrates the traditional local stew and pork products. In the morning there is a parade of floats through the main streets of the town, usually representing the ethnographic elements of the region and important events that took place over the year. Additionally, there are many stands with typical products from the area, among others, on the fair grounds.
The Easter celebrations in Cambados begin with the solemn worship of the image "Jesus of Medinaceli" (popularly known as "the Nazarene"), in the chapel of the former hospital, on the first Friday of March. On this day various masses, one of them chanted, are celebrated. There is also a procession at sundown.
On 21 March, the traditional Pilgrimage of "San Benito de Inverno" is celebrated in Cambados. Many devotees come and offer themselves to the Saint in order to heal their skin diseases.