Las Nueces in Fustiñana 2026 takes place on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November, as part of the fiestas of the Virgen de la Peña, which run from 14 to 17 November. On both nights a huge bonfire is lit in the Plaza de los Fueros and walnuts are thrown from the balconies of the Casa de la Villa (the town hall) onto the crowd waiting below: around a tonne over the whole fiesta. It is our village's winter festival, quite different from the patron saints' fiestas in August, and we tell you about it from the inside, from Casa Bardena Negra.
When is Las Nueces in Fustiñana in 2026
- Virgen de la Peña fiestas: from Saturday 14 to Tuesday 17 November 2026. They are held every year on the third weekend of November, from Saturday to Tuesday, with Sunday as the main day.
- Walnut throwing: on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15, at night, after the bonfire. They are thrown whole, still in their shells, so everyone takes theirs home to eat later.
- The novena: nine days of prayer in the parish church, starting nine days before and ending on the Saturday of the fiestas.
These are the dates the Town Council has set in the rules for the 2026 poster competition. The times don't change from one year to the next: the bonfire at around 21:15 and the walnuts at 21:30.
What Las Nueces is and where it comes from
It's a simple and beautiful custom: the village gathers round the fire and the walnuts rain down from the Town Hall. According to the Town Council, the earliest records of walnuts being bought for the fiesta date from 1840, and the mayor tells how, around 1842, a handful of brotherhood members celebrated the Virgin with walnuts and home-made wine, because in those days there was nothing more to be had. Not even the villagers know for sure why they are thrown rather than handed out. It has simply always been done this way.
The quantity has kept growing: around 800 kilos in 2006, more than 1,200 in 2019 and 1,000 kilos in 2024, according to the Town Council's figures. Since 2020 the village has had its own orchard of 225 walnut trees, so that more and more of the walnuts come from Fustiñana. Since 2017 the festival has even had its own brand, “Las Nueces de Fustiñana”, and the village hopes the Government of Navarre will declare it a Festival of Tourist Interest.
The Virgen de la Peña and the Depositarios
The Virgen de la Peña is Fustiñana's co-patron and has her baroque chapel inside the parish church of the Asunción. Her fiesta is organised each year by the Depositarios (literally “the custodians”): traditionally a local family, who take care of the firewood, the wine, the walnuts, the fireworks and the ingredients for Monday's ranchos (communal stews). In 2026, for the first time, the Depositarios are a peña (a local club), the Peña Los 40.
In 2025 the Depositarios were us, the family behind the house: the photo above is from that night, on the balcony. Watching the walnuts fall from the balcony of the Casa de la Villa onto a square full of neighbours, friends and children in helmets is something you never forget.
It is all paid for by the villagers. On the third Sunday of September, the Depositarios go round the streets with the Virgin's mantle so that people can kiss it and make their contribution: in 2026, 16,832.77 euros was collected. That's Fustiñana for you.
What each day is like
The times are always the same: they repeat every year.
Saturday: rocket, bonfire and the first shower of walnuts
At 12:00 the rocket is set off from the balcony of the Casa de la Villa. In the afternoon the novena ends and, at dusk, there are fireworks. At around 21:15 the Depositarios and the Town Council light the bonfire in the Plaza de los Fueros and the parish priest blesses the walnuts and the wine. At 21:30 the walnut throwing begins from the balconies of the Casa de la Villa, with the town band playing, and in the “camporta”, the ground floor of the Town Hall, wine is handed out to everyone. Afterwards, an open-air dance in the square.
Sunday: auroras, procession and a second night of walnuts
The main day begins at 8:00 with the auroras (dawn hymns) sung by the Auroros de Fustiñana and the dianas from the town band; the Depositarios welcome them with a hearty breakfast. At midday the procession of the Virgen de la Peña sets off through the streets, followed by mass. In the evening the fireworks, the bonfire and the walnut throwing are repeated, and afterwards the square sees the night out with a fire show in honour of the Virgin.
Monday: the calderetes
It's the day of the ranchos or calderetes, stews cooked in big pots. In the morning, the Depositarios hand out the ingredients in the square and each family or group of friends makes its own stew: some years more than 120 have been counted. In 2024, 146 rabbits and 900 kilos of potatoes were cooked over 2,000 kilos of firewood. In the afternoon, a café concert.
Tuesday: for the children
The last day is for the little ones, with lunch at the sports centre and a children's show, and for the elderly, with their own communal meal.
The 2026 poster
Every year, a competition chooses the Las Nueces poster. The 2026 one is still under way: entries can be handed in at the Town Hall until Wednesday 28 October at 13:00, and the winner takes home 250 euros and becomes the image of the festival. Once it's announced, we'll link to the official publication here and tell you who made it.
Tips for coming with children
- Helmet and bag: the walnuts fall whole, in their shells, and from a balcony they sting. Lots of children go to the square wearing a protective helmet and the grown-ups bring sacks or bags to gather them. If you're coming with little ones, bring their bike helmet.
- Properly warm clothes: the walnuts are thrown at night, in the middle of November. The bonfire keeps you warm, but only up close.
- The youngest in your arms or off to one side: the square fills up; for the first few minutes, it's best to watch from the edges.
- A photo with the sculpture: the Las Nueces sculpture, with its silhouettes of children gathering walnuts, is in the Plaza San Isidro, opposite the health centre.
- The Bardenas in the morning: the village is about 10 minutes from the Bardena Negra. In November it gets dark early and the park can be visited until an hour before dusk, so the perfect plan is desert in the morning and walnuts at night. The practical details are in our Bardenas Reales guide.
- Stay in the village: the house is in Fustiñana itself, less than a 5-minute walk from the Plaza de los Fueros, with heating and room for 8 people. On those nights, it's best to go on foot: there is parking near the square, but it fills up during the fiesta. More ideas with little ones in our family guide, and the rest of the village in things to do in Fustiñana.
FAQ
When is Las Nueces in Fustiñana in 2026?
The walnut throwing is on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November 2026, at night. The Virgen de la Peña fiestas continue on Monday 16, with the calderetes, and Tuesday 17, children's day.
What time are the walnuts thrown?
At 21:30 on Saturday and Sunday, after the bonfire is lit at around 21:15. The times are always the same: they repeat every year.
How many kilos of walnuts are thrown?
Around a tonne: the Town Council counted 1,000 kilos in 2024, and in other years more than 1,200 have been thrown. They are thrown from the balconies of the Casa de la Villa, in the Plaza de los Fueros.
Who are the Depositarios of the Virgen de la Peña?
They are the people who organise and pay for the fiesta each year with the money raised in the collection: traditionally a local family. In 2026, for the first time, it is a peña (a local club), the Peña Los 40.
If you'd like to experience Las Nueces from the inside, with a whole house to yourselves in the village, ask us for a price for that weekend.