El Desarme culinary and cultural festivities in Oviedo

The city of Oviedo is celebrating ‘El Desarme’, a historical culinary tradition dating back to 1836 that originated as a meal of fraternization following military conflicts. Now recognized as a Festival of National Tourist Interest, the event serves as a symbol of peace.

During the festivities, approximately seventy restaurants in the Asturias capital offer a traditional ‘Peace Menu’ consisting of chickpeas with cod and spinach, Oviedo-style tripe, and rice pudding. The celebrations include historical reenactments, parades, and the Grand Chapter of the Cofradía del Desarme.

As part of these festivities, the city held its fifth edition of the El Desarme Period Clothing Contest. Participants wore 19th-century attire to recreate the era’s fashion, an initiative aimed at connecting citizens with local heritage and promoting Oviedo as a starting point for historical routes.

Recent celebrations commemorated the October 1836 attempt by Carlist troops to take the city, which was defended by liberal forces. Historical reenactments featured participants portraying both Isabelinos and Carlists, who gathered for the traditional ‘Menú de la Paz’ (Peace Menu). This symbolic meal serves as a gesture of reconciliation, where former adversaries share regional dishes to blend the city’s historical identity with its culinary traditions.