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Malaga Fair

The annual Malaga fair in August is an exuberant week-long street party with plenty of flamenco and 'fino'(sherry).The fair commemorates the re-conquest of the city by Isabella and Ferdinand in 1487 and lasts for ten full festive days. This castanet-clicking fiesta starts off with a bang, literally, with an impressive firework display in the park which can be seen for miles around. The best view is from the Port if you happen to be on a cruise ship or can persuade a sailor friend to drop anchor there for a few hours. The following day the people take to the streets, the women in flouncy flamenco dresses, to dance, drink and, generally, make merry.

The traditional dance of Andalucia is called 'Sevillanas' comprising four distinct dances with plenty of finger-clicking, foot-stomping and, above all, feeling. This is where 'dancing in the street' can be appreciated spontaneously 'en vida' which is really the only way Spanish dancing should be performed. This city fair is concentrated around Malaga's equivalent to London's Bond Street - Marques de Larios which is decorated with paper lanterns and flags and where horses replace cars as the means of transport. Millions of people visit the fair, although very few tourists seem to even know about this intrinsically Andalusian traditional fiesta which, in Malaga, is two distinct events, in the centre during the day and at the fairground from around 9 pm until dawn.

The Feria celebrations date back to 1487, when Los Reyes Católicos, Isabella and Ferdinand re-conquered the city. Over time, it has evolved into a huge event and it has two distinct facets – day and night. ‘La Feria de día’ warms up around midday and cools off around 7 p.m. Hundreds of people take to the streets of the city’s historic centre, which are beautifully decorated and food, drink and trinket stalls are set up. Shops and businesses close and the classy pedestrian shopping street, Calle Marques de Larios, and surrounding area are transformed for the duration of the celebrations.

Soak in the wall-to-wall swishing flamenco dresses, gleaming Andalusian horses, music and spontaneous dancing and you understand something of the Andalusian love of life and ability to party. By night the place to be is the big purpose built Fair Ground, set just on the edge of the city. From rides, to live music and dancing and endless food, drink and entertainment, the choice is vast. If you do nothing other than people-watch, you will enjoy a sense of theatre when you see the stunning elegance and beauty of some of the women and men milling around or dancing traditional Sevillanas, till dawn.