In August 2026, traditional Spanish folding hand fans, known as abanicos, became ubiquitous in crowded subway cars and sun-drenched plazas across Spain due to blistering summer heat. ^[1] Intense summer heatwaves have driven the widespread adoption of the traditional Spanish folding hand fan, known as an abanico, across crowded metro carriages and sunlit plazas in Western Europe. ^[2] Ana Feliu, a 20-year-old woman near Madrid's Puerta del Sol square, stated that she carries her paper abanico everywhere in the summer and plans to use it as temperatures in the Spanish capital are forecast to climb to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit). ^[3] Javier Llerandi, who has sold abanicos out of Casa de Diego in Madrid for more than a century and a half, stated that heat waves are good for his business and that his fans range in price from 30 euros to 6,000 euros. ^[4] The abanico is small enough to fit inside a handbag and opens into a semicircle, producing a surprisingly strong breeze with a simple flick of the wrist. ^[5] Carmen Torres, a 44-year-old flamenco dancer in southern Spain, stated that the fan evokes the heat and humidity of Cuba and helps bring out a seductive, coquettish quality in the dance. ^[6]