8000 attend Sayalonga's Nispero Day

EIGHT THOUSAND people attending Sayalonga’s Nispero Day ate two tons of the fruit (loquats) and drank 500 litres of wine.

The fiesta, now in its 28th year, received funding of €10,000 from the Diputacion and was officially opened by Celia Villalobos, an MP in the national parliament.

The wine and nisperos – a fruit variously translated as medlar or loquat – were provided by the Ucopaxa cooperative.

Members of the El Moral association made nispero jam and liqueur for the public to sample.

The fiesta centred on nisperos but there was also an open air market with craftwork and artisan goods as well as folk dancing, flamenco, singers and choirs.

This year’s Nispero of Honour awards went to Sayalonga’s twinned town of Otivar (Granada), the Trops cooperative and local growers.

Supporting events like the nispero fiesta helped to boost tourism, said Malaga Diputacion vice-president Ana Mata, and complemented the Costa del Sol’s coastal attractions.