Nothing sets the tone for the summer like a good old al fresco street party, and nobody knows this better than the carefree citizens of southern Spain’s sunniest town, Marbella. After all, if Puerto Banus’s neighbours can’t throw a party, who can?
The streets of Marbella are awash with colour during the second week of June as the annual feria sweeps into town. The weeklong homage to San Bernabé - Marbella’s party-loving patron saint – begins with a dazzling fireworks display by the beach on the Paseo Maritimo, and follows with a sangria-soaked party (Marbella Fair) that continues in the centre of town until the small hours. While the youngsters prefer to go wild on the rides at the fairground (on the east side of town) and finish their evenings with a house party or at one of Marbella’s late-night discos, the older crowd tend to gravitate towards the atmosphere in the bustling squares of the old town, which are pulsing with music and dancing. Bars spill out onto the streets, the drink flows and locals expect very little sleep indeed.

Throughout Marbella Fair visitors can also enjoy traditional bullfights, equestrian displays, an open-air market, games, verdiales, art exhibitions and the various casetas dotted throughout the town (marquees in which locals eat, drink and socialise).

If you hadn’t noticed, Spain takes its fairs very seriously, and Marbella Fair is no different. Women and children typically go to the fair in flamenco dresses, strangers shake hands to show friendship and mutual respect, and it’s a time for locals to cut loose and truly enjoy themselves in good company.
The last day of the Marbella fair is by far the most important, and begins with a procession in the morning in honour of the Reconquista, the conquering of the then Muslim-occupied Iberian peninsula by the Christians. The Marbella Fair draws to a close on the same evening with a second procession in honour of San Bernabé himself, with statues of him being paraded down the winding streets.

With a number of free pop concerts by famous performers to check out throughout the week, and the ludicrously low prices of the food and drink at the various stands, what’s not to love about the Marbella fair? So get those dancing shoes on, brush up on your Spanish (even if it is just the ever-essential phrase, ‘una cerveza, por favor’) and head to Marbella this June for the time of your life with people who really know how to have a good time. Bailamos!

For more information about the Marbella Fair get in touch with the Costa del Sol Tourist Board
Tel: +34 952 058 694