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Walk along Calle Larga in Jerez this week and you will already see the Christmas lights taking shape. Workers from Iluminaciones Ximénez SA have been busy along the main pedestrian artery of the city centre, fitting the decorations that will transform the street when they are officially switched on next month. The Christmas trees are already visible, giving passers-by a preview of what is to come, and plenty of people have been stopping to take pictures.

 

The official lighting ceremony is set for Friday November 20, the same date that marks the start of the zambomba season, the traditional Jerez Christmas carol celebrations that draw thousands of visitors to the city every year. The giant Christmas tree in Plaza del Arenal will be one of the centrepieces, as it has been in previous years.

 

The preparations actually started much earlier than this week. Wiring work began in September, requiring the removal of the awnings on Calle Larga to make way for the infrastructure. The current visible installation phase follows the formal signing of a contract with Iluminaciones Ximénez SA, which will be responsible for the festive lighting across the city for the next four years. The contract covers the 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029 Christmas seasons and has a total value of €2,367,447, covering the city centre and outlying neighbourhoods and rural areas too.

 

Alongside the lights, the Jerez Ayuntamiento has approved its annual municipal order regulating the zambombas, which run officially from Friday November 20 to Thursday December 25. The zambomba is a recognised Asset of Cultural Interest in Jerez and the city's Christmas festivities hold the status of a Festival of Tourist Interest in Andalucía.

 

The rules distinguish between celebrations that need prior authorisation and those that do not. Family gatherings, events in neighbourhood centres, venues with existing licences and bars and restaurants hosting traditional sing-alongs without amplification or a stage are all free to go ahead without permission. Larger events in public spaces, organised by associations or companies, or those featuring professional performers, require a permit from the Ayuntamiento, submitted at least ten working days in advance for indoor events and fifteen for public spaces.

 

The Ayuntamiento has also confirmed that this year's zambomba competition will return, with judging criteria focused on authenticity, traditional style and contribution to keeping the custom alive across the city's neighbourhoods.

 

With the lights going up and the rules in place, Jerez is quietly getting itself ready for what is one of the most atmospheric Christmas seasons anywhere in Andalucía.

 

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de Jerez