Castellón: From March to June

Bullfighting program Castellón de la Plana Fair 2025

In 2025, Castellón promises an exciting line-up that goes beyond the traditional Magdalena festivities. Take a look, plan your visit, and prepare to be tempted by an irresistible proposal.

From Magdalena to San Pedro – or, in other words, from March to June – that’s the length of this year’s bullfighting season in Castellón de la Plana. The company Funtausa has curated an impressive programme, culminating in a grand bullfight on the doorstep of summer. This event will not only mark Cayetano‘s farewell in this arena but also pay tribute to local entrepreneur Manuel Colonques Moreno, the owner of Porcelanosa.

Before the grand finale, however, comes the Magdalena cycle, which in 2025 will run from Sunday, 23rd March to Sunday, 30th March. The programme includes four bullfights, one novillada with picadors, one rejoneo event, and two promotional bullfights without picadors. It’s a schedule packed with highlights, from established matadors to the most artistic performers and a unique line-up of banderillero bullfighters, who seem poised to reclaim their place in the spotlight.

The series kicks off on Sunday, 23rd March, with a thrilling banderillero bullfighter line-up: Antonio Ferrera, El Fandi, and Manuel Escribano. These three masters of the second tercio will compete with their exceptional skills with the banderillas. But it’s not just about the banderillas – each matador has a unique style and charisma that promises to captivate the audience. The bulls will come from La Quinta, a celebrated breeder of the Santa Coloma – Buendía bloodline, a favourite in this region renowned for its deep-rooted respect for the bull. This event is undoubtedly one of the most exciting of Castellón’s bullfighting week.

On Monday, 24th March, the spotlight shifts to rejoneo. Andy Cartagena, Diego Ventura, and Duarte Fernandes – a trio combining established talent and rising stars – will take on a murubeño bull selection from Bohórquez. Youth takes centre stage on 25th and 26th March, with a practical class and a novillada without picadors, leading up to a novillada with picadors on Thursday, 27th March. Promising local bullfighter Javier Aparicio will make his debut with picadors alongside Javier Zulueta and Christian González, facing bulls from the renowned Montalvo ranch.

The finale is reserved for the weekend. On Friday, 28th March, aficionados of artistic bullfighting will be treated to performances by Manzanares, Juan Ortega, and Pablo Aguado with bulls from Puerto de San Lorenzo and La Ventana. Saturday, 29th March, brings a mano a mano between Daniel Luque and Tomás Rufo, two matadors who have consistently triumphed in Castellón. They’ll face bulls from Domingo Hernández, last year’s standout breeder in major arenas such as Seville, Valencia, and Madrid. This is a must-see for any bullfighting enthusiast.

And then, on Sunday, 30th March, Morante returns to Castellón. This is the highlight of the fair. Audiences always expect the best from this singular artist of the 21st century, who will share the ring with two iconic figures: Castella and Talavante. The bulls from Juan Pedro Domecq complete what is undoubtedly the most prestigious line-up of the fair.

But there’s more! As we mentioned, in June, the Pérez Galdós Avenue arena will reopen its doors. This time, it’s to bid farewell to Cayetano, who is retiring this season, and to welcome Andrés Roca Rey, the global star of bullfighting, who adds prestige to the occasion. Manzanares, making his second appearance in Castellón this year, completes the stellar line-up to face bulls from Domingo Hernández. From now on, travelling to Castellón for bullfighting will no longer be limited to the Magdalena festivities!