The Malaga Fair 2013

La Feria de Malaga, or the Malaga fair, takes place every year during the month of August to commemorate the taking of the city by the Catholic Monarchs on the 18 August 1487 during the Reconquista.

The festivities consist of 10 nights and 9 days of celebration starting on a Friday night, and kicking off with a magnificent firework display, and ending on a Sunday. Different events go on throughout the city during the feria, categorized mainly into “feria de noche” (night) and “feria de día” (day). The night time fair takes place at the big fairground on the edge of the city, and lasts from 9pm until sunrise. In true Spanish style, there is food, drinking, dancing and live music. Traditional flamenco outfits are worn and there is a very fun and happy atmosphere. There is also an impressive firework display every night.

In the day time, people take to the wonderfully decorated streets of the city centre, which are filled with colourful flags and paper lanterns. They can enjoy traditional Spanish food, such as tapas and churros, drink the famous sweet Malaga sherry and wine, and marvel at horse drawn carriages. This is also the height of the bullfighting season in Malaga’s bullring, La Malagueta, which takes place over the summer, but the feria brings in even more people from traditionalist fans to first-time viewers.

This year is no exception. The Feria de Malaga 2013 will kick off on the night of Friday 16^th August with crowds gathering before the famous firework display commencing at midnight. There will be a music concert at 00:20 on the beach Playa de La Malagueta, starring Vanesa Martín. For the rest of the festival, exhibitions are held at certain museums throughout the city during the day. You will also find an arts and craft fair in Plaza de la Merced at 12pm, followed by a flamenco show. Throughout the city you will find entertainment for children, as well as music concerts with famous artists, such as Andy & Lucas, Merche, El Sueño de Morfeo (this year’s Eurovision performers), and Chambao. The bullfights start at 7pm at the Malagueta bullring, and they will run from Sunday 18^th to Sunday 25^th August. Not forgetting the feria ground every night, where the party will continue late into the night. The festival ends on Sunday 25^th August at 7pm with a recreation of when the Catholic Monarchs arrived in Malaga.