Unique Pedro Romero fair in Ronda recreates the ambience of the late 18th century

The Pedro Romero Feria in Ronda got under way this week; the popular summer gathering dedicated to one of the town’s most celebrated figures. The fair, the only one of its kind dedicated to a bullfighter, is characterised by the emblematic Corrida Goyesca, a bullfight where participants dress in typical costumes inspired by the era of Francisco Goya, considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The bullfight, the highlight of the week for many, will take place on Saturday in the Plaza de Toros de Ronda and will include celebrated matadors such as Morante de la Puebla, Manzanares and Roca Rey.

The festivities, which kicked off on Tuesday with the traditional parade and lighting of the illuminations, will continue until Sunday 3 September.

The event will present flamenco recitals, folkloric shows and concerts by some of the top national performers, along with the fairground attractions and the brightly decorated ‘casetas’.

The daytime activities are held in the town centre and will include live entertainment and dance shows, typical cuisine, and an exhibition of mantillas and shawls, which can be viewed at the Santo Domingo convent.

The daytime activities are boosted by other attractions, such as the selfie points that the town hall has installed in iconic areas of the town, children’s attractions and stalls offering local produce.

Declared a festivity of National Tourist Interest in Andalucía, the fair is one of the most unique in Spain and reproduces the ambience of the period of the 18th century romantic travellers, whose observations inspired the works of Ernest Hemingway and Orson Wells, among others.