The Quintos (EN)
In Cantavieja, the Los Quintos festival remains one of the most unique and cherished traditions on the local calendar—a celebration that, despite having lost its original connection to military service, retains its power as a rite of passage, a festive expression, and a hallmark of the town.
A living tradition that accompanies the youth of Cantavieja through music, serenades, Easter, and the town’s main festivals.
The celebration of Los Quintos is part of that folk heritage that continues to give character to many villages in the Maestrazgo region. In Cantavieja, this custom has remained alive far beyond its original meaning and continues to mark the symbolic transition of young people into a new stage of life. Here, being a quinto is not merely about belonging to the same generation, but about taking on a leading role within the community throughout an entire festive cycle.
The tradition begins on New Year’s morning, when the quintos—eighteen-year-olds—go out through the town to ask for the aguinaldo. They do so accompanied by guitars, bandurrias, songs, and their distinctive cornets, parading through the streets on a day that blends music, fellowship, and that sense of shared ritual that continues to make this custom something very special. It is a festive way to introduce themselves to the town and to begin a year in which their presence will be a constant feature at various celebrations.
The big moment:
One of the most striking moments comes around the feast of Saint Lambert, patron saint of the quintos, when the tradition is filled with parades, music, and scenes as unique as the quintas dressed as manolas or the arrastre, a festive display of strength and the rite of passage into adulthood.
At Easter, the quintos once again take center stage. They participate in religious and popular events that blend devotion and custom, such as the Stations of the Cross, the placement of the Alleluia, or the processions accompanied by traditional music. It is precisely this combination of the solemn and the festive that is one of the keys to the tradition: the quintos do not appear in isolation at a single festival, but are integrated into the ritual life of the town throughout the year.
This prominence reaches its peak during the festival of San Lamberto, held in June, when the quintos organize and experience one of Cantavieja’s most distinctive weekends. There, Mass, music, traditional ceremonies, and popular celebrations come together around a figure who remains central to local culture. They are also present at other times of the year, such as the patron saint festivals, where they take on the roles of ladies-in-waiting and escorts and actively participate in numerous public events.
What makes this tradition particularly valuable is its continuity. Although the context that gave rise to it has disappeared, Cantavieja has managed to preserve the communal, symbolic, and festive significance of the Quintos, maintaining it as a form of cohesion between generations and as one of the most genuine expressions of its identity. For visitors, attending one of these events offers a deeper understanding of the richness of local folklore and the way in which a town continues to breathe life into its customs.