Feria de Málaga

Celebration date

The fair is held in August and your calendar should include the 19 August, a date that commemorates the incorporation of Malaga to the Crown of Castile. The specific duration is approved each year by the Local Government Board. 19 August is a local holiday in Malaga when it appears in the municipal work calendar; Not all fair days have that condition.

Dos espacios de feria

La Feria del Centro It occupies streets and squares of the Historic Centre during the day. Larios Street and squares such as Constitución, Las Flores, Mitjana or Las Mercedarias usually host music and activities, according to the official distribution of each edition.

The night fair focuses on the Real Cortijo de Torres, where the booths, the attractions area, the municipal auditorium and the campus services are located. The Real also has daytime activity and has a monumental façade, lighting and differentiated spaces for clubs, entities, youth and family audiences.

Origin and history

The Municipal Archive traces its origin to the taking of Malaga by the Catholic Monarchs in 1487. In April 1491, the Town Council agreed to hold an annual fair on the day of the Virgin of August to commemorate that event. In 1492 the date was moved to 19 August, the day of the city's takeover.

The celebrations were irregular for centuries. In 1887, on the occasion of the fourth centenary, the celebration regained annual continuity and brought together a historical parade, fireworks, dances, concerts, bullfights, regattas, competitions and religious events dedicated to the Virgin of Victory. The contemporary fair preserves this double historical and festive dimension, although its programme changes every year.

Main events and traditions

• Official proclamation and fireworks show to open the fair.
• Pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Santa María de la Victoria, patron saint of Malaga.
• Verdiales, malagueñas, flamenco, copla and music on municipal stages and booths.
• Horses and hitches in the regulated schedules and spaces of the Real.
• Cover, artistic lighting, public access booths and fair attractions.
• Children's, cultural and sports programming distributed across different venues.

The pilgrimage and the verdiales

The pilgrimage carries the city's banner to the Sanctuary of Victory and links the fair with the patron saint of Malaga. Carts, horse riders and participants in traditional clothing accompany the route when the official programme contemplates it.

The verdiales, a musical expression typical of the province of Malaga, have a characteristic presence. The pandas perform different styles with violin, guitars, cymbals, tambourines and castanets, and bring to the fair a tradition that predates the current large stage formats.

Casetas, música y gastronomía

The Real booths are managed by entities, clubs, associations and businesses in accordance with municipal ordinance. Many are free access, without prejudice to the conditions published for each edition. The offer brings together performances and dancing with Malaga dishes, fried fish, sausages, cheeses, sweet wine and other hospitality proposals.

Organisation and participation

The Malaga City Council coordinates the fair through the municipal areas responsible for festivals, security, mobility, cleaning and public services. Clubs, associations, verdiales gangs, artists, cassette players, fairgrounds, hoteliers, residents and visitors participate. The schedules, accesses, special transportation and coexistence measures are published for each edition.

Sources

• Municipal Archive of Malaga: origin and historical evolution of the Malaga Fair.
• Malaga City Council: official portal of the Malaga Fair.
• Malaga City Council: criteria for the calendar and schedule of the Centro Fair.
• Malaga City Council: local holidays.