The parties to honour the patron saint of Vilagarcía take place during 10 days around the 16th of August, festivity of San Roque. That day, two parties are consecutively held. The first one, deeply religious, begins with the High Mass and the procession, in which the image of the saint is moved from the parochial church to the chapel of San Roque. Thousands of faithful accompany the saint of Montpellier in this way while the band plays the paso doble “Triunfo”. In the afternoon, the procession goes all the way back way, in a much slower pace.

The popular party begins at the end of the morning procession. In that moment, the Festa da Auga (Water party) starts. Thousands of children, young and not so young people go over the streets, asking to the neighbours in the windows to refresh them with some water. They respond them using all kinds of devices: buckets, hoses, bottles... For if this were not enough, the firemen use their vehicles and hoses to soak the participants, which welcome them with their hands up. The party finishes early in the afternoon.

The wet area, where any downpour is well received, includes most of the town centre. Year by year, it is getting more frequent that young people begin the party the night before, going out with a print T-shirt and a handkerchief, which identify each group of people. Usually, between 20.000 and 30.000 people enjoy the Festa da Auga every year.

But there are much more to do in the Semana Grande of Vilagarcía: you can attend free concerts, see folk music and dance exhibitions, take part in the Flower Battle, taste the typical products of the area, and so one.

One of the most crowded events in the fiesta is a firework festival, called Combate Naval, known in the whole Galicia, which takes place the last night of the parties. Thousands of visitors come to Vilagarcía to see the sea fight between a ship and a castle settled in the passengers’ wharf. The show is completed with spectacular fireworks and an aquatic fire display.