Marbella enjoys annual spring fair in honour of San Bernabé

The feria continues until Tuesday 11 June - which is a public holiday in Marbella and one of the most important days on the town's cultural calendar.

The festivities, which commemorate the reconquest of Marbella by the Catholic Monarchs in 1485, take place in the Parque de la Alameda, where, daily from 1pm, the gaily-decorated marquees will present a programme of entertainment.

The day fair is a time to relax with family and friends, while participating in the dancing of the sevillanas and enjoying typical cuisine, especially 'fritura malagueña', a selection of fried fish and seafood traditionally washed down with plenty of manzanilla wine.

Local dance academies will offer performances on the main stage throughout the afternoons, while various children's attractions will be held in the Auditorio del Recinto Ferial La Cañada from 7pm. Live music can be enjoyed in the Caseta Municipal de Juventud each night from 10pm and this will include flamenco, copla, hip-hop, pop and rock and is free.

A list of celebrated bands and solo musicians will also perform in the main auditorium: these will include award-wining Spanish singer Rosario Flores (daughter of the legendary Lola Flores); Madrid-based rock band Tequila, and Lola Indigo, currently one of Spain's most popular singers.

The feria will finish on Tuesday with a special performance by Cantores de Hispalis, held on the stage in Avenida Ramón Cajal. The group first shot to fame in 1978 with it's debut album, Cosas de mi Tierra, a collection of protest songs recorded in Zurich. Due to the content of the lyrics, the album could not be recorded in Spain, but it brought the band considerable success in the rest of Europe.

www.marbella.es