Feria de Malaga: dates, events and what to expect

If you are doing a tour of Andalusia in mid-August — and perhaps you are on holiday in one of the resorts of the Costa del Sol — you will most likely know that, for no reason whatsoever, you must not miss the Feria of Malaga, the most famous and exhilarating summer event in all Andalusia, also known, quite rightly, as the Gran Fiesta del Verano (Great Summer Festival).

The excitement for the start of this feria, which is usually held in mid-August, can be felt in the air in all the resorts along the coast, but above all on the skin of Malaga, a seaside city that, by its very nature, is always inclined towards fun and cosmopolitan exuberance, as well as the festive and engaging welcome it gives to those who come to visit it.

For the whole week that the Malaga festival lasts, the most exuberant celebrations break out along the city streets and on the beach, and there is not a moment’s respite: from (late!) morning until first light, the Malagueños and the hundreds of thousands of Spaniards and foreigners who have come for the occasion let their hair down, feasting as they drink rivers of sherry and cartojal (the feria’s typical white wine), during the endless array of events held in the city, including traditional dances, live music, tapas tastings, bullfights, parades, rock and pop concerts, pyrotechnic displays, traditional performances and much more. In 2027, the Feria will take place from 14 to 21 August.

As much as I may try to tell you what the Feria de Malaga is and where it takes place – describing in detail what happens in this week of pure madness – what I will hardly be able to convey is the incredible traditional atmosphere and at the same time international one that prevails throughout the whole city and coastline. With this article you will be able to get an idea of what to expect, but the experience of immersing yourself in Malaga’s incredible whirl of colours, scents, sounds and voices during the feria… that is one you will have to experience for yourselves.

Tips on where to stay in Malaga

Contents

Málaga Fair: the events not to miss
Malaga Fairground: “the night feria”
- Other useful tips for Malaga Feria and beyond!

Málaga Fair: the events not to miss

The Malaga Fair takes place mainly in two different areas of the city, although events are spread across the whole urban area.

During the day – Feria del Día – the celebrations take place in the streets of the historic centre and inside museums, historic monuments (including the Alcazaba, which we have already mentioned in our article on things to see in Malaga) and cultural centres, where you can visit themed exhibitions and art displays and attend gala evenings, presentations, performances and conferences; whereas during Malaga’s long August nights – Feria de la Noche – the carousel of entertainment moves to the Real de la Feria, in the Cortijo de Torres district, where the fairground is located, which we will talk about later.

Cortijo is a little out of the way, but for the occasion a bus service is put in place linking the night-time celebrations area with the city centre. After giving you the main details of the August Feria, here are the events not to be missed during the week in Malaga.

Malaga Fair opening speech: music and fireworks

With the Pregón de la Feria de Malaga, the city’s annual celebrations officially begin. To attend the event, you need to head to Playa de la Malagueta on the night of the first day of the week.

The opening speech (pregón), held around midnight, is followed by a magnificent fireworks display that draws thousands upon thousands of people from all over the Costa del Sol and beyond. The show is accompanied by a concert on the beach.

Romería of the Malaga Fair: the Virgen de la Victoria

Let us not forget that the Feria de Malaga, like most festivals in Andalusia, began as a religious celebration. This one, in particular, was established in 1887 to commemorate the liberation of the city from Moorish rule by the Reyes Católicos, which took place on 18 August 1487. Since the time of the Reconquista, on 15 August – the day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – a pilgrimage (romería) has been held in Malaga to the Santuario de la Victoria, where the statue of the Virgen de la Victoria, patron saint of the city, is kept.

In 1887, to mark the fourth centenary of the Reconquest of the city, the tradition of carrying on the celebrations beyond 15 August began, and so the Feria de Malaga was born, an event that celebrates the unity between the sacred and the profane. The romería, a moment of great devotional participation, is deeply felt by the people of Malaga: there are plenty of processions of carts and horses, accompanied by popular music and figures dressed in traditional clothing and costumes.

Verdiales Festival, Malaga folklore

One of the most characteristic events of the Feria del Día takes place every day in a Calle Larios covered with sun awnings, one of the key spots in the city centre during the week of festivities, and it is the Fiesta de los Verdiales. This is a folkloric event typical of the countryside around Malaga, during which a particular variation of the cante of flamenco is performed (perhaps its precursor): the dance is accompanied by an ensemble of traditional musical instruments, usually guitars, tambourines and castanets.

Throughout the whole week, while the dancing processions of verdiales parade along the streets of the city centre, it is possible to visit the traditional market set up in every corner of the city: lose yourself among the food stalls and the little stands selling trinkets, memorabilia and traditional handmade crafts.

Feria Taurine: the bullfights of the August Feria

On the occasion of the Feria de Malaga, one of the symbols of traditional Spanish culture, the corrida, could not be absent. Every day, in the late afternoon, a bullfighting spectacle takes place at the Plaza de Toros La Malagueta: you may like it or not, but this event is worth mentioning, for the enthusiastic crowd it manages to attract.

Historical Parade: the Catholic Monarchs return to Feria Malaga

One of the final events of the week is the Cabalgata Histórica, a historical-musical re-enactment of the entry of the Catholic Monarchs into Malaga: the procession winds through the city’s streets and involves dozens of costumed horse riders.

Malaga Fairground: “the night feria”

As we mentioned, from 6 p.m. onwards, the feria moves to Cortijo de Torres, where the Recinto Ferial is set up. The fairground area coincides with the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos and, as we said, it can be reached from the city centre by a dedicated shuttle bus running 24 hours a day during the festivities.

But what does the Recinto Ferial offer? As soon as you go through its gates, you will understand why the Feria di Malaga is considered the ultimate Andalusian festival: starting with the sumptuous lighting throughout the entire Recinto, there is not a corner where your eyes will not rest in wonder.

You will spend most of your evenings in the casetas, local stands you can enter free of charge and enjoy gastronomic/cultural events and shows of every kind: flamenco performances, equestrian displays, theatrical monologues, cabaret, magic acts… Alongside all this, the Luna Park and the excellent afternoon programme of events for children are also well worth noting.

What we have told you are the most important events of the Feria de Malaga but, as you can easily imagine, this is only the tip of the iceberg of the Feria: on the beaches of Malaga the celebrations carry on unrestrained until dawn მთელი week. See for yourself!