An international affair: tourists join in the fun at Malaga's summer fair

If you have been in Malaga city this week, its annual ‘feria’ has been impossible to miss, with thousands of people gathering in the centre for the daytime festivities. Calle Larios hosts performances of traditional live music, and activities for children have been set up in Plaza de la Merced. Meanwhile, a San Miguel ‘caseta’ has taken over the Plaza de la Constitución this year, equipped with a bar, and using the square as a makeshift dance floor.

While official events in the city centre end at 6pm, with police closing off certain areas to allow for cleaning, crowds migrate to the ‘Feria Real’ at the Real Cortijo de Torres to continue the party. Here, they enjoy fairground rides and ‘casetas’ where they eat, drink and dance through the night.

The atmosphere is one of celebration. Women walk down the crowded streets in their flamenco dresses, flowers in their hair and, of course, with fan in hand to beat the August heat. Supermarkets, restaurants, bars, cafés - even some bakeries - sell Cartojal, the cold, sweet wine from the Axarquía region of Malaga traditionally enjoyed during the fair. Everywhere you look, people are holding bottles, with the famous pink cups to match.

Although traditional elements are central to the festivities, it’s not just locals taking part. Tourists flock to Malaga for the fair not only from all over Spain, but from all over the world. SUR in English spoke to non-natives on the streets of Malaga to find out how they have been getting involved in the celebrations.

Ursula and Veronika, from Poland, weren’t aware that the fair would coincide with their holiday in Malaga. “We heard music” and decided to walk towards it to see what was happening. They have been joining in with the festivities in the city centre, and are pictured enjoying an iconic bottle of Cartojal.

Another group of tourists, from Denmark, also planned their trip during the ‘feria’ by chance, but said, as they bought flowers for their hair from one of the many stalls on Calle Larios, that they were “so excited” to learn that it was taking place.

Meanwhile, at the nighttime fair in Cortijo de Torres, Hannah and Martyna, from England and Poland, knew their weekend in Malaga would coincide with the celebrations, which was “so exciting”. Hannah said that, after learning about ‘feria’ traditions in Spanish lessons at school, she was surprised that parts of the fair were “much more of an attraction park”. “The night feria was not what I expected at all!” But the pair enjoyed the fairground rides, “seeing everyone’s beautiful flamenco dresses” and wearing flowers bought from a stall in the centre, where elements of Malaga’s traditions, with live flamenco and verdiales (folk bands) performances, bullfights, and the parade of the Catholic Monarchs, are on full display.

The last days of the fair - today Friday 23 and Saturday 24 August - are expected to remain busy as people make the most of the celebrations. For a full programme: www.malaga.eu/feria-de-malaga.