Fuengirola all set for annual feria

FUENGIROLA’S annual feria starts last Saturday and will continue until the following Friday. It will be held as usual at the feria grounds in Fuengirola where there will be around 32 peña’s – the little indoor houses – with food, drink, music, dancing and entertainment.

The streets between the peña’s will be filled with locals, expats and tourists, many in traditional flamenco costumes, some men and women on horseback and even a few carriages.

At the main hall at the top of the feria grounds, the ‘Palacio del la Paz’, there are various performances including the electing of the festival queen.

Meanwhile, the traditional pilgrim’s festival in honour of the Virgin Rosario was held last weekend in the El Esparragal park, the BBQ area on the Mijas Golf Road, the same as last year.

It is called the Romeria and is the pre-festival before the main event. A mass in honour of the virgin marked the start, with singers’ group Hermandad del Rocio.

A procession including typical carriages, horsemen, pilgrims and decorated vehicles accompanied the statue of the Virgin to the park.
This festival had not been held in the open for some years until the tradition was recovered in 2011. It was forbidden to have any bonfires or BBQ’s as until October 15 there is still a high risk of wild fires, according to emergency services.