Are you planning on attending a bullfight in Pamplona, Spain at the Running of the Bulls festival this year?
If so, you may be wondering if you should bring your children to the bullfights, or if it will be too much for a child to watch. As a family-owned company, we’ve had all the same conversations. We understand your worries, and we would love to help you make a decision that’s right for your family.
To begin, we’d like to reassure you that it’s perfectly okay to bring your children to bullfights. Most of our team members first attended bullfights between the ages of four to nine. In fact, if you ask almost any local in Pamplona, they'll tell you that they've been attending bullfights for as long as they can remember. Needless to say, we turned out alright.
Watching bullfights can be difficult and painful, at any age — especially if you’ve never seen one before. No matter how much of an avid bullfight fan you may be, watching an animal die can be heartbreaking. However, six bulls fight each evening, and by the second or third bull, an audience member of any age will likely come to appreciate much of the art, tradition, and danger that defines this experience. The dramatic cape-work of the bullfighters is especially exciting for children; your children may even beg you to buy them a mini cape so that they can practice some of the bullfighters’ moves.
If you are traveling with an infant or toddler, you may want to book tickets in the “shade” side so that you can keep your young one out of the sun and away from loud noises. We’d also recommend that you bring noise-cancelling headphones for your young children, since the sound of the trumpet, drums, and cheers at a bullfight can get very loud.
However, if you’re traveling with a child that’s a little older, you may want to consider buying tickets in the “sun” side of the bullring. Here, brass bands play lively music throughout the fight, and strangers throw cheap sangria and water in a good-hearted celebration (Yes, your child can throw sangria without drinking it!). This is the “fun” section, whereas the “shade” section is more of a quiet and traditional experience. Your seats in this section will also be higher up, so you and your children will be unlikely to see any blood during the fight. In fact, for the most part, you’ll be enjoying the incredible atmosphere of the upper-deck more than watching the fight at all, so this is certainly a great option if you’d like to watch a bullfight without all the gore.
Whether or not you choose to bring your kids to the bullfights, remember that the bullfights are just one element of the Running of the Bulls festival. This festival has so many amazing events outside of bullfights that are designed for children and families - including bull-related events! Your children will have a magical and unforgettable experience at this world-famous festival. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about experiencing the San Fermín festival with your children.