University New Year's Eve in Salamanca
The university community celebrates New Year's Eve in advance in the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca, two weeks before the actual New Year's Eve date. Instead of grapes, they eat the traditional jelly beans.
The event has become a real party that has nothing to envy to the real New Year's Eve, with large-scale concerts and lots of fun. The city of Salamanca turns to this celebration that continues afterwards through the streets and venues of the city until the wee hours of the morning.
Origin of New Year's Eve in Salamanca
It is said that the origin of Cotillón Salamanca dates back to 1999 when a group of university students got together to celebrate New Year's Eve in advance before leaving for their home cities.
There is a theory in which it is said that the celebration comes from further back, from an event that was prohibited and that was called the Christmas champagne of the Faculty of Journalism in which only 10 or 12 students participated.
Be that as it may, every year, New Year's Eve in Salamanca has had the participation of more students, becoming a party of great importance in the university environment.
In 2005, New Year's Eve in Salamanca became official.