Every year from April to October almost all of the cities, towns, and villages of Andalucia hold a summer fair. Although the origins, size, and duration of the events may vary, the people of Andalucia see their summer ferias as the best means by which they can collectively express their passion for the province and its popular culture; not so much celebrating it as flaunting it.

Traditional costume is widely in evidence: more Sevillana dresses - long associated with flamenco dancing - are sold in the days leading up to the summer fairs than at any other time of the year. Proud, groomed and tutored horses parade along with impeccably presented carriages. Bullfights are staged. Sherry and tapas are sold from food and drink stalls. Revellers dance to live music and lend their voices to traditional songs. At the larger fairs hospitality facilities (casetas) are sponsored by families, clubs, or groups of business associates. With the exception of fairgrounds such as that of Fuengirola with its numerous meeting halls of bricks and mortar, the casetas are usually temporary marquees. Though ostensibly for private parties, all-comers are usually made welcome in the pervading atmosphere of generosity but for any who fail to gain admittance there will be a larger municipal facility though the drinks may well have to be paid for. There are funfair attractions aplenty: gentle swings and roundabouts for the children, and white knuckle rides designed to separate the unwary from their tapas and sherry. There are alluring sideshows offering cuddly toys and other prizes for the appropriate exercise of a variety of skills. The events may start and/or end with a lavish fireworks display and during the typically week-long festivities the party spreads throughout the town with the bars opening at midday until long into the night to accommodate the needs of revellers of all ages. Shops and even banks may close to ensure the involvement of the whole of the community.

Historically, most of the fairs are rooted in the middle ages. The words “feria” and “fair” both have the same Latin root meaning feast day, but over the years the meaning changed to cover not only those events arranged for the purpose of leisure – “funfairs” – but also business – “trade fairs”. During the medieval period it is clear that the annual markets set up throughout Europe for the exchange of goods and produce embraced both these senses of the word. Some of the fairs have religious associations. One such is that of Fuengirola which celebrates the town’s patron saint, the Virgen del Rosario. The fair is preceded by a romerio (pilgrimage) to Her shrine. In Malaga the fair began in 1487 to mark the re-conquest of the city, whilst that of Seville dates back to 1847 when a livestock fair was inaugurated. This may bear comparison with the famous Goose Fair of Nottingham.

The timetable for summer fairs in the larger cities and towns of Andalucia is as follows:

Algeciras: First week in June
Almeria: Last week in August
Baeza: Second week in August
Conil: First week in June
Córdoba: Last week in May
Estepona: First week in July
Fuengirola: Second week in October
Huelva: First week in August
Jerez de la Frontera: First week in May
La Linea: Second week in July
Los Barrios: First week in July
Málaga: Third week in August
Marbella: Second week in June
Mijas: Second week in September
Olvera: Last week in August
San Lucar: Third week in May
Santa Maria: Second week in May
Seville: Two weeks after Easter
Tarifa: First week in September
Torremolinos: Last week in September
Ubeda: Last week in September

The committed partygoer can easily contrive to attend a different fair every day during the summer. What a challenge!