On August 22, 2026, the 57th Descenso Folklórico del Nalón will take place in Pola de Laviana, one of the most unusual and recognizable folk festivals in Asturias. Huge homemade “boats,” dozens of peñas, costumes, music, humor, a descent down the Nalón River, and a large audience turn this day into a mix of carnival, river adventure, and a grand folk fiesta.
📅 Main day: Saturday, August 22, 2026
📍 Pola de Laviana, Laviana, Asturias
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🏅 Fiesta de Interés Turístico Nacional
In 2026, the festival will become even larger: the main events will begin on August 21, and the festival program Regodón Llaviana will last four days, from August 20 to 23.
What is Descenso Folklórico del Nalón
Descenso Folklórico del Nalón takes place in Pola de Laviana and traditionally falls on the third Saturday of August, unless the date coincides with the national holiday on August 15.
The essence of the event seems simple at first glance: local peñas, which are teams and friendly associations, spend months building huge thematic constructions that must simultaneously look like carnival floats and be capable of navigating part of the river route.
The themes can be anything from satire on current events to characters from comics, movies, and fantastical plots. Here, imagination, teamwork, and a sense of humor are highly valued.
Today, around 40–50 embarcaciones usually participate at the start.
Peñas: the true driving force of the festival
Without peñas, Descenso simply would not exist.
Each team is responsible not only for building their construction but also for:
- costumes;
- musical accompaniment;
- decorations;
- preparing performances;
- logistics;
- feeding participants;
- transporting the huge construction through the streets of Laviana.
The work continues for months, and the boats themselves are the result of the collective effort of dozens of people.
That is why Descenso is seen here not just as a festival, but as part of the local identity.
How boats are built
The constructions can be made from almost anything: from recycled materials to modern lightweight building elements, including polystyrene.
The techniques for making them have become significantly more complex over time. In 2017, participants even took a special course from masters of the famous Valencian Fallas to improve their methods of creating large figures.
In 2022, such activities were repeated.
But the main test for any construction remains the same: it must survive the Nalón.
How the main day goes
The celebration can be conditionally divided into three parts: Predescenso, Descenso, and Postdescenso.
Morning: Predescenso
From early morning, Pola de Laviana begins to gradually transform into a huge festive venue.
Participants in costumes appear on the streets, bars and terraces are open, charangas are playing, and children’s events are taking place.
Meanwhile, boats start arriving at the starting point.
And this is already a spectacle in itself.
The constructions have no motors, so they have to be moved manually, sometimes literally squeezing through the streets of the town. Often, not only the participants of a specific peña help, but also other teams, local residents, and traffic organization services.
Before being allowed to participate in the event, the constructions must pass through a special frame that confirms compliance with the maximum allowed dimensions. Inspections begin around 10:00.
In fact, even before the official start, the streets turn into an exhibition of huge homemade boats.
15:30: Descenso begins
By midday, participants take their places in the area of Calle Mariano Menéndez Valdés and the surrounding streets.
By around 15:30, everything is ready.
This is when the Descenso Folklórico del Nalón officially begins.
One by one, the constructions pass through the streets of Pola de Laviana, while participants showcase small performances and acts related to the theme of their boat.
For the spectators, this is a huge street carnival, where the main stage moves right through the town.
Puente de La Chalana and El Chalaneru
After the urban section, participants continue for about another kilometer to Puente de La Chalana.
Here, one of the symbols of the celebration, the song El Chalaneru, which has practically become the anthem of the Descenso, is played.
Then the craziest part begins.
Into the water!
Participants reach the area of Puente de Arco, where the boats begin to be lowered into the river.
Before the start, the Xana of each team throws roses or carnations into the water.
And then the real battle with the Nalón begins.
The length of the water section is about 1.5 kilometers, from Puente de Arco to the area of La Chalana.
In some places, the current picks up the construction and carries it for dozens of meters, while in others, the water is so shallow that participants have to literally lift their vessel and drag it between the stones.
This water section is considered the heart of the celebration.
Finish at La Chalana
In the final, the boats come out of the water at Prado de La Chalana.
There, they are displayed for the audience and the jury.
Moreover, not only the appearance is evaluated: it is also interesting to see how well the structure has survived the collision with the river.
Awards and the famous Sopera
Late in the evening, the time for the awards arrives.
The organizers present about fifteen main trophies and special awards:
- Asturianía
- Disfraces
- Folixia
But the main prize is called La Sopera.
Yes, literally “soup pot”.
This humorous trophy appeared in the early years of the festival as a parody of the “salad bowl” of the Davis Cup.
Over time, the joke turned into the most prestigious award of Descenso.
For children’s teams, there is a version called La Soperina.
There are no cash prizes: the peñas once decided to forgo them.
New for 2026: the boat parade on August 21
This year, the festival will officially start a day earlier.
📅 Friday, August 21
For the first time, there will be a separate presentation and parade of boats through the streets of Pola de Laviana.
This will allow for a closer look at the constructions before they head to the Nalón.
After the parade, the boats will remain in a closed park until the main day.
📅 Saturday, August 22
The 57th Descenso Folklórico del Nalón will take place.
Regodón Llaviana 2026
The main festival is accompanied by a separate music festival Regodón Llaviana, which takes place in Parque de los Príncipes.
Entry is free.
Thursday, August 20
18:00 — opening of the venue
18:00–21:00 — Pozo Creativo, market of local designers, artists, and craftsmen
19:00 — Los Trimendos
20:00 — Pregón “La Pandorga”
21:00 — Los Trimendos
22:00 — Trujas
00:00 — Mojinos Escozíos
02:00 — closing
Friday, August 21
12:00 — opening
17:00–21:00 — Pozo Creativo
17:00 — children’s games
18:00 — Mariachis
20:00 — Angel Machine
22:30 — Muñeca Rusa
00:00 — Comandante Twin
02:00 — closing
Saturday, August 22
12:00 — opening of the gastronomic zone
22:00 — DJ
23:00 — awards ceremony for Descenso participants
00:00 — Afónica Naranjo
01:30 — DJ
04:00 — closing
Sunday, August 23
12:00 — opening
13:30 — Juanillous
18:00 — Los Juanes
20:00 — Mundo Chillón
22:00 — A3
01:00 — closing of Regodón 2026
Food, music, and Pozo Creativo
On the territory of Regodón, there is a gastronomic space with a food truck and a bar.
Also, part of the program features Pozo Creativo, a market for local artists, illustrators, designers, sustainable fashion artisans, and unique items.
Thus, Descenso has long become not just a one-day river adventure, but a full-fledged festival lasting several days.
Cashless: how to pay at the festival
The Cashless system is used on the territory of Regodón.
A special bracelet is required for payment.
You can:
- get it at CIDAN or on the festival grounds;
- top up with cash, a bank card, or online;
- use it for payments on site;
- request a refund of any remaining balance after the festival.
Top-ups are made in amounts that are multiples of 5 euros.
You can request a refund of the remaining balance from August 24 to 30 until 23:59.
Where to stay
For those arriving for several days, there are two zones available.
⛺ Free camping
Located next to the pista finlandesa. No prior reservation is required: you can come and set up a tent.
However, there are no toilets or showers in this area.
🚐 Camper van area
Tents are also allowed here.
The following will be available:
- mobile toilets;
- regular cleaning;
- showers without hot water.
Additionally, the showers of the sports complex will operate from 19:30 to 22:30.
Espacio Tresdé
Descenso also has an educational aspect.
Alongside the entertainment program, Espacio Tresdé hosts lectures, discussions, and meetings on various social and cultural topics.
This way, the organizers try to make the celebration interesting not only as a mass fiesta but also as a space for communication and idea exchange.
Why you should see Descenso Folklórico del Nalón at least once
It’s hard to find another festival where several dozen teams spend months building giant fantastic structures, parade them through the city, put on a carnival show, and then voluntarily send it all down a mountain river.
And it is in this slightly crazy formula that the character of Descenso lies.
Here, there is simultaneously:
🎭 carnival;
🚣 river descent;
🎶 music;
😂 humor and satire;
👨👩👧👦 participation of several generations;
🛠 months of collective work;
🍻 a large popular fiesta.
In 2026, the 57th Descenso Folklórico del Nalón will take place on August 22, and thanks to the new boat parade and the four-day Regodón program, the celebration will actually begin on August 20.
If you want to see one of the most unusual traditions of Asturias, Pola de Laviana is definitely worth adding to your itinerary these days.
