Holy Week
- Why go
- Huge floats carried by hundreds of bearers, the Legion with the Christ of Mena and the release of a prisoner.
Festivals and calendar
The province's most important festivals, month by month.
Key points
- The two big events are Holy Week and the Málaga Fair in August.
- In summer, San Juan night and the Virgen del Carmen sea processions fill the beaches.
- Villages have unique celebrations: Cómpeta's Wine Night, Guaro's Moorish Moon Festival and the verdiales folk music.
Festival calendar
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January
- Three Kings parade5 Jan · everywhere
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February
- Carnival and Burial of the AnchovyMálaga
-
March
- Málaga Film FestivalMálaga
- Holy Week (2027: 21-28 Mar)Málaga, Antequera, Ronda…
-
April
- Holy Week (some years)everywhere
-
May
- May CrossesMálaga and many villages
- San Isidro pilgrimagesEstepona, Nerja, Vélez…
-
June
- Midsummer Night (San Juan)23 Jun · beaches
- San Bernabé FairMarbella
-
July
- Virgen del Carmen sea processions16 Jul · coastal towns
- Estepona FairEstepona
-
August
- Málaga Fairmid-August
- Wine Night15 Aug · Cómpeta
- Frigiliana Three Cultures Festivallate August
- August Royal FairAntequera
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September
- Pedro Romero Fair and Goyesca bullfightearly Sept · Ronda
- Grape Harvest FestivalMoclinejo
- San Miguel FairTorremolinos
-
October
- Rosario FairFuengirola
- Nerja Fairaround 12 Oct
-
November
- Chestnut festival (tostón)1 Nov · Genal Valley
- Christmas lights switch-onlate Nov · Calle Larios
-
December
- Migas DayTorrox
- Verdiales Festival28 Dec · Málaga
Approximate dates: they change every year (Holy Week follows Easter). Check each town hall before travelling.
The big festivals
Málaga Fair
- Why go
- By day in the centre, by night at the Cortijo de Torres fairground, with marquees, verdiales and fireworks.
Málaga Film Festival
- Why go
- The festival of Spanish-language cinema, with a red carpet by the Cervantes Theatre.
Summer festivals
- San Juan night (23 June)Bonfires on the beach, burning of the "júas" (effigies) and a midnight dip for luck.
- Virgen del Carmen (16 July)The patron saint of fishermen is taken out to sea in boats at El Palo, Torre del Mar, Fuengirola, Estepona and many more towns.
- Wine Night (Cómpeta, 15 August)Free Muscatel wine, grape treading and verdiales.
- Frigiliana Three Cultures FestivalMusic, market and food recalling the coexistence of Christians, Jews and Muslims.
Village traditions
- Verdiales (28 December)Folk bands in flower-covered hats compete at the Verdiales Festival in Puerto de la Torre.
- Pedro Romero Fair (Ronda)In early September, with the Goyesca bullfight.
- Moorish Moon (Guaro)In September the village is lit by thousands of candles.
- Migas Day (Torrox)In December, free migas for every visitor.
- Chestnut tostónIn the Genal valley villages, around All Saints' Day.
Exact dates
Dates change every year: check the events calendars of Málaga Turismo and Costa del Sol Tourism or our festival news.