Marbella Fair 2008

Marbella´s party of the year! Feria 2008!

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Every year Marbella goes to party mode as the Marbella Feria bursts to life, it lasts a whole week from June 11th. It is a celebration for San Bernabé the patron saint of Marbella and the colourful feria explodes with a combination of flamenco music, street parades with traditional costumes, typically Spanish dance shows and lots of traditional food and drinks. Locals and visitors take to the streets and the bars and squares are bursting at the seams from early morning throughout the day and into the night. Many feria goers finish in the wee hours of the morning only to catch a little sleep before going out to play again!

There are hundreds of different fairs across Spain which take place at various times of the year, they all have slightly different local themes and activities but the colourful and welcoming nature of each fair is always the same.Marbella feria is a festival of giving, in terms of music, dance, food and drink. The traditionally dressed women and girls who sing and dance as if their lives depended on it and Flamenco reign supreme.

Fireworks are let off during the day! Bit of a waste until you know the reason why…. It’s to mark the start of the religious procession and it lets everyone know it’s on its way. The huge parade walks slowly through the streets of the famous Marbella Old Town, with huge floats carried on the shoulders of scores of men, while the crowds gather and admire.

The casetas or marquees are another feature of the feria, they are erected by the locals and traditional Andalucian food like paella, fried fish, pinchitos (meat on a stick) and other special BBQ treats are served with a choice of soft or alcoholic drinks.

Marbella fair also has a horse show, with well groomed and beautifully decorated horses and riders, hanging out or riding displays.

As you can see in the video everyone comes out to play and the live music makes the streets pulsate with people bopping, singing and classic flamenco dancing all the way until they drop! This is a date to put in your dairy for next year…..it’s not to be missed!