Provincial gastronomic feasts
Discover the province of Malaga through the senses is a privilege for those who live on this abundant land and for whose who visit it. Doing it through the agrifood products cultivated in our fields, caught in our coves or made in every one of the most beautiful villages of this tourist destanation, universally known as Costa del Sol, seems to us like a kind of fortune that deserves to be shared.
A pantry full of unique prpoducts that offers a cuisine with tradition, the secret of the inherited recipes, the ingenuity of stews created out of necessity and of dishes conditioned by exceptional and surprising climate, from the warmth and temperance of the coast to the dry cold of the beautiful mountains of our municipalities. And it is here where the fennel stew, the tagarninas, the migas, the espetos, the asparagus, the raisins, the black pudding, the ajoblanco or the chanfaina, among many others, stand proudly to describe idiosyncracy of our 104 municipalities.
Therefore, we invite you to know our fairs and gastronomic feasts, many of them are distinguished with the distinctive Provincial Tourist Singularity , given by the Malaga Council , and that value the originality and diversity of traditions.
JANUARY
The beginning of the month of January is characterized by the finishing of Christmas holidays and the tradition obliges the Roscón de Reyes to postulate as typical sweet that closes with gold clasp this special and magical time of the year. Every Malaga village pays a small tribute to this sweet temptation and the local bakeries go out of their way every year elaborating their classical tasty recepes surprising in many cases with innovative fillings or gluten-free doughs, suitable for celiacs.
FEBRUARY
Soup of the Seven Branches (El Burgo)
On the Day of Andalusia (28 of February), the municipality El Burgo, located in the county of Sierra de las Nieves, celebrates the day of the Soup of the Seven Branches. A soup converted during years in the central axis of the food of laborers and families of Burgo and that was declared as Tourist Singularity in 2004. Among its ingredients are: tomato, pepper, onion, wild asparaguas, garlic, potato, and bread. A rich and conforting Burgo soup that is usually seasoned with a touch of mint.
Slaughter Feast (Ardales)
Located in the county of the Sierra de la Nieves, the town of Ardales is today known as the door of natural site of Caminito del Rey. But, in addittion to being a privileged enclave, this Malaga town stands for its traditions, being the Slaughter Feast a dignified tribute to the traditional production of sausages and pork by-products. Declared as Provincial Tourist SIngularity, the neigbours recreate during this day the traditional methods of making the sausages such as pepperoni, black pudding or chorizo.
MARCH
Tagarnina Day (Villanueva del Rosario)
In this small village of the county of Nororma, the tagarnina, or also known as golden thistle or oyster thistle, converts into the main character of the day. A typical product of the mountain used for cooking the famous stew of tagarninas and that also is used in other stews, scrambles and even salads. A Feast of Provincial Tourist Singularity where in addittion to enjoying the local gastronomy and musical performances, among other activities the manifesting of the art of the saucedeños to recolect and peel this nutritious vegetable whose technique passes from parents to children.
Hinojá (Algatocín)
The spring is a time of fennel and in the samll village of Algatocín, located in the county of Valle del Genal, is celebrated this gastronomic event that is declared as of Tourist Interest by The Provincial Council of Malaga. A feast where the villagers bring out their pots to make the authentic and traditional fennel stew, with which they entertain the villagers and visitors and where other delicious local dishes as tortillas de cuchara can be tasted.
APRIL
Black Pudding Day (Canillas de Aceituno)
On the last Sunday of April and coinciding with the patronal feasts in honour of the Virgen de la Cabeza, Canillas de Aceituno celebrates one of the most popular feasts of the whole province, Black Pudding Day, where they will share over 300 kilos of this popular sausage and ingredient of many traditional recipes. A Unique Feast, ideal for enjoying with family, and where this traditional and artisan sausage pairs perfectly with local wine.
Verdial Oil Day (Periana)
The verdial oil is a very established variety between the Montes and the Alta Axarquîa. Therefore, the Verdial Oil Day, declared as Provincial Feast of Tourist Interest Provincial, has as major objective to make known the “liquid gold” that is extracted from this variety of olive tree. The town Periana organizes every year a day that values the extra virgin olive oil made with this variety, united with a market of agrifood products and visits to the mills to make known the milling process, and where over15.000 persons visit this town to enjoy the feast and Periana oil.
County Fair (Benamargosa)
The town of Benamargosa pays tribute to its field products, totally ecological, with a big feast where all the neighbours offer the nest of their harvests coming from the valley. A feast declared in 1983 of Provincial Tourist Interest where the locals offer the best of local gastronomy offering such popular products as avocado shake or batycate, the cateta salad, the famous zoque or 'lemon pear' o ´cracked´ lemon, the tomatoes“ cherry', the callos or the garlic cod. The gastronomic day of this town of internal is visited by near 15.000 persons every year and closes in the evening with Awards to those who have been stood out during the year for their work in the town, especially, for their work related with the agriculture, traditional economic motor of the zone.
Green Festival and Bean Day (Villanueva de la Concepción)
Villanueva de la Concepción is a municipality that extends from the foot of the El Torcal Mountain to the Mountains of Málaga, though its su orographic configuration is more identifies with the Antequera zone, celebrates the Bean Day, a Singular Feast that aims to promote a typical crop of the El Torcal town - the bean. It is noted that the production of this legume varies between two millions and a half and one million kilos depending on how good or bad harvest has been. During the day, they offer to tate different dishes made with this legume heightened with a little market that has more than 30 producers of sausages, sweets, extra virgin olive oil or esparto.
Turkey Fair (Cañete La Real)
At the beginning of 2014, the Town Hall of Cañete La Real, town framed in the county of Guadalteba, launched the Turkey Fair to promote the poultry industry of the place. Today, this feast is declared as of Provincial Tourist Interest and every year, the Square of the Peace brings together numerous visitors to degustate different cooked or grilled turkey slices harmonized with live music and a market with regional products. The gastronomic offer is supplemented with other tourist-cultural offer realizing guided tours across the town with free entries to the fortress “Castillo Hins Canít”, the interpretation centre “Los Vigías del Territorio”, or the San Sebastián church and the Convento de San Francisco.
MAY
Mondeña Soup Day (Monda)
Monda is a town that forms part of the Natural Park of the Sierra de las Nieves, and in this incomparable environment, celebrates on last Sunday of April the Mondeña Soup Day. Declared as Tourist Interest by the Provincial Council of Málaga, the mondeña soup has its origin in the XIX century and was one of the ideal dishes for farm workers due to its high energetic value. On this day the inhabitants cook in every corner of the village this famous dish as everybody knows how to make it. Made with stir-fry as a base and accompanied by a slice of bread, pepper of the country, several garclic cloves, tomato, if possible “culo” due to its special taste, some olive oil and several eggs, delights everyone who visits Monda this day and can taste it for free.
Orange Fair (Coín)
Nestled in the county of the Valle del Guadalhorce, the town of Coín is known with nicknames as spring of light or paradise of water. In this unique area of high ecologic and landscape value, there are plenty of houses with orange and lemon trees that invade the town surroundings. Hence, during May and marking the end of the orange season, the town of Coín celebrates the Orange Fair, declared Singular Feast. During the day, they pay tribute to this citrus fruit, so typical of the land, among numerous activities, converting the orange into an essential ingredient for making the dishes the residents and visitors can try throughout the day. Juices, dessers, and why not, the hervía soup, typical dish of Coín, delight all the participants of the fair.
Gastronomic Sample and Orange Day (Istán)
The municipality of Istán, from Andalusí past, forms part of the Natural Park of the Sierra de Las Nieves, declared by UNESCO the Biosphere Reserve. Istán celebrates its Gastronomic Sample and Orange Day, that intends recover from the memory the old culinary recipes to make young people and visitors know the exquisite dishes such as fennel stew, fried pumpkin with cod and clams, migas and desserts such as zahínas, gachas fritas or rice pudding; all of this presented on the tables decorated with oranges, lemons and wheat bread. In addittion to offering free degustations of different typical dishes and orange juices in a festive atmosphere, they offer Tapa route enlivened with musical performances of verdiales groups and other music bands.
The Cachorreña Festival (Alhaurín El Grande)
The municipality of Alhaurín El Grande, framed in the Guadalhorce Valley region, celebrates every May the day of San Isidro Labrador, which coincides with the Cachorreña Festival , declared a Singular Festival. Fiesta Singular. It is a soup made with tomato, onion, potato, cod, bread and oranges cachorreñas, also called bitter oranges. A traditional soup from the area and from the Andalusian recipe book that becomes the starting point for other activities and a market of regional products.
Asparagus and Organic Agriculture day (Sierra de Yeguas)
The Malaga municipality of Sierra de Yeguas, located on the border between the provinces of Malaga and Seville and framed in the Antequera region, offers us a unique appointment to taste a wide variety of recipes with asparagus. Asparagus Day, declared Tourist Interest by the Provincial Council of Malaga, pays tribute to the product that represents one of the engines of the economy, and above all, to the farmer for his daily work in the field and the celebration revolves around this exquisite product, where the asparagus is cooked in traditional way, in omelette, scrambled, and grilled, along with a large paella with more than a thousand portions, which will be available to all visitors.
Agricultural and Livestock Fair (Antequera)
Antequera celebrates from 1856, AGROGANT, the agricultural and livestock fair at the end of May in the Fairgrounds and Paseo Real of the town. Currently, this event encompasses many activities such as the Malaga goat auction competition, the horse championship or the Sabor a Málaga Fair, among others.
Medlar Day (Sayalonga)
On the first Sunday in May, Sayalonga, a town in the Axarquía region, celebrates Medlar Day, a fruit that arrived in Andalusia in the 19th century from southeastern China. The festival is declared of National Tourist Interest in Andalusia.
Snail Day (Riogordo)
For three days, Riogordo shows its inhabitants and visitors one of the specialties that characterize the municipality's cuisine, snails in broth. It is a holiday declared Festival of Singular Interest of the province of Málaga that distributes over 350 kilos of snails every year. Likewise, the the festival is linked to the livestock fair. There is no shortage of music bands, the rondallas parade or awards to people and associations that have contributed to the progress of this town located in Alta Axarquía.
AUGUST
Wine Night (Cómpeta)
Competa celebrates the wine night in the middle of August. This feast was born many years ago with the aim to send people off to grape harvest that extended till October. During this celebration, in the square of Vendimia, the pressing of the grapes takes place to which the festival of Flamenco singing and artisan market join.
Muscatel Grapes Day (Iznate)
Iznate is known for the Muscatel grape plantations. A fruit from which are made dry wines, sweet wines or Malaga traditional raisin with Protected Designation of Origin. A Sngular Feast that is extended with a magnificent gastronomic route throuhg the bars and restaurants of the region to degustate local gastronomy.
Gazpacho Feast (Alfarnatejo)
Alfarnatejo is known as the Pyrenees of the South, as it is the highest town of the county of Axarquía. Here, they call gazpacho “Gazpacho of Three Strikes ” due to three ingredients: water, salt, and vinegar. They are mixed with the rest of traditional ingredients chopped manually and served in a ceramic bowl where the soup is tasted.
Zapata Gastronomic Festival (Alhaurín de la Torre)
On the first days of August, Alhaurín de la Torre prepares a huge paella with fuelwood and Malaga callos that are tasted by all participants of the event, a great tradition in the town.
Bull Egg Tomato Feast(Coín)
Every 15th of August, Coín dresses up to host the degustation, competition and auction of Bull Egg Tomato. A unique tomato of this area of the county of the Valle del Guadalhorce which, sometimes, can weight up to more than kilo, and which is grown in the open. The Bull Egg tomato has a very thin skin, that is why is has to be consumed quickly, and it is very fleshy. At the same time, they hold the Fruit and Vegetable Competition of Coín and the Malaga Fair of the Agricultural Biodiversity where a traditional exchange of seeds takes place.
‘Popi’ Ham World Competition (Estepona)
This event, declared Feast of Tourist Interest of Andalusia, hosts, every year, over 200 cutters and more than 60 agrifood exhibitors in the Paseo Marítimo Pedro Manrique of the city of Estepona. A competitions that has been consolidates as a place of encounter for both ham enterprises of whole Spain and professional ham cutters. Thus, the visitors will be able to appreciate the work of these experts live who will promote the qualities and properties of this product and its quality accompanied with live musical performances.
SEPTEMBER
Almond Day (Almogía)
On last Sunday of September, Almogía celebrates the almond day. A feast declared of Provincial Tourist Interest whose objective is to make known the traditions of this representative product of the area of the county of Axarquía. With almost two decades of tradition, during the celbration of this event you can also enjoy the satages of various crafts such as saddler, litigation or different phases of the almond: shelled, split and peeled.
Harvest Festival (Mollina)
The municipality of Mollina, framed in the Antequera county, celebrates every year the end of the grape harvest with the Harvest Fair. A Singular Feast hat will allow you to discover this beautiful and sunny town and sign up for the great mass tasting of wine with Málaga and Sierras de Málaga Designation of Origin. Likewise, other activities are scheduled such as a market for Malaga products, bicycle rides, a daytime fair and nighttime festivals.
Harvest festival (Manilva)
The first weekend of September, the municipality of Manilva, belonging to the Costa del Sol county and a meeting point between it and Gibraltar, celebrates the end of the harvest with the traditional treading of the grapes and subsequent tasting of the first wine of the season. A festival of Provincial Tourist Interest where there is no shortage of music and a great festival in the main square of the town.
Festival of Viñeros (Moclinejo)
Moclinejo is the home of grape cultivation.vin This municipality, located in the Axarquía county, pays tribute to its roots and to the women and men who work in the cultivation of vines and the production of the muscat wine that so much characterizes this town. A Singular Festival which is celebrated during the second week of September and where the Muscat grape, predominant in the area, produces great wines with the Malaga Designation of Origin. Likewise, during the festival, tastings of typical products will be offered, such as gazpacho, roscos and muscatel wine in different parts of the town, accompanied by traditional verdiales and music by local artists.
Ajoblanco Feast (Almáchar)
The first Saturday in September, Almáchar celebrates the ajoblanco festival, a traditional soup from Malaga made with almonds, garlic, settled bread, water, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt. A few years ago, chef from Marbella Dani García presented a dish of tuna with ajoblanco, popularizing this soup in the most innovative recipe book. If you visit, go with enough time, as a festival is held with a large bonfire during the night.
Victoriano Anchovy Feast (Rincón de la Victoria)
The anchovy is a fish deeply rooted in the coasts of Malaga. The Victorian anchovy or Vitoriano, as it is also called, receives this name because it is caught, mainly, during the festival of the Virgen de la Victoria, patron saint of the municipality of Rincón de la Victoria. For four days, the city presents a series of show cookings with local and national chefs where the main ingredient, as it could not be otherwise, is anchovy. Furthermore, in recent years, they have presented the Restaurant Network where establishments throughout the province of Malaga prepare dishes with this fish. The end of the party is a demonstration and tasting at the Sabor a Málaga Fair located in the city's Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
Raisin Day (El Borge)
El Borge is a small municipality located in the Axarquía of Malaga, and is the first producer of raisins in Spain. For this reason, on the third Sunday in September, the town of one thousand inhabitants receives more than 10,000 people. There is no shortage of gazpacho, ajoblanco, sausages, gastronomic workshops, hanging and drying on the pasoros, or the stomping of the muscatel grape to the rhythm of verdiales and the choirs rocieros.
OCTUBRE
Mercado Artesano del Queso (Teba)
The first weekend of October, Teba celebrates the Artisan Cheese Market. This municipality in the Guadalteba county thus becomes the "capital" of artisan cheese and this Singular Festival is a must to visit. It is one of the most important, bringing together more than fifty artisanal cheese factories from all over Spain, but especially Andalusia. Another very popular event is the contest of sweets made with cheese by the town's own residents.
Livestock Fair (Villanueva de la Tapia)
The municipality of Villanueva de Tapia, framed in the Antequera region, is pleased to be the organizer of one of the oldest fairs in Andalusia.The Livestock Fair, declared of Provincial Tourist Interest, is known as the Big Fair and dates back to 1869, and in addition to hosting the traditional livestock market, it also hosts the gastronomic fair, the Malaga goat breed morphological contest and the recipe contest with native Malaga suckling goat.
Perotas Soups Day
A day to pay tribute to another traditional Malaga dish. These are perotas soups and are prepared with tomato, onion, pepper, garlic, bread, mint and saffron. Although it is called a soup, it does not contain broth because the bread absorbs it. Some recipes add wild asparagus, cucumber, orange segments or Aloreño olives, which have a Designation of Origin. Among its ingredients are bread, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, green peppers, tomato, water and eggs. According to the neighbors, it differs from the perota soup (Álora) or the seven branches soup (El Burgo) in that it uses what is known as ass tomato, a typical variety of this town in the Sierra de las Nieves.
Tapa Feast (Pizarra)
Pizarra, in the Valle del Gudalhorce, celebrates every October its Tapa route. During a weekend the products from its gardens, among others, turn into the main characters of the feast that aims to boost and promote the culture of tapas disclosing the main bars and restaurants of Pizzara. During the day, you can acquire a ¨route map¨ and follow it completing the stamps in every participating establishment and thus opt for different awards and presents. Moreover, and based on the popular vote, the bars and restaurants of the ¨route¨ will be able to get different awards, for example, best tapa award, best service award, or award to the most original tapa.
Chestnut Feast (Pujerra)
In the heart of the Valle del Genal, Pujerra celebrates every year the end of gathering chestnuts coinciding with the day of the Virgin of Fátima, patron of the municipality. Durante the feast, a wide variety of dishes made with this dried fruit can be tasted.
NOVEMBER
Tostón Feast (Ojén)
The chestnuts take center stage on the streets of Ojén, being roasted and tasted together with different artisan liquors. Nowadays, in the street of the town, people of all ages spprosch the place where the chestnuts are roasted to take their cone and enjoy the chestnuts in the square acomppanied with various liquors. with or without alcohol.
Feast of the chestnut and wine (Yunquera)
The municipality of Yunquera occupies a privilleged territory inside the county of the Sierra de las Nieves and has many reasons to be the protagonist of gastronomic festival. The inhabitants´ attachment to the most traditional culinary customes and the quality of agricultural products of the area are strong reasons for celebrating the Feastr of the Wine and the Chestnut. Declared of Provincial Tourist Interest, the feast begins with the openning of the artisan and commercial zone where more than twenty stalls offer to the visitors different products including madroños, chacinas or oil of delicious olive of the region. Obviously, there are roasted chestnuts, chestnuts in syrup, cooked chestnuts, candied chestnuts or simply picked directly from the tree in aaddittion to a good wine: sweet, pink or white which are delicious ingredients that attract hundreds of persons every year.
Feast of the Must (Atajate)
On last Saturday of November, Atajate, located in the Serranía de Ronda, celebrates the end of the harvest with a glass of recently fermented must and a plate of migas, one of the most popular dishes of the interior of Malaga. Being a small village of Arabic origin and white houses, Atajate is known as the smallest village of entire Malaga province.
Feast of the Rabbit (Parauta)
Parauta pays tribute to the rabbit meat that plays an important role in the recipe book and its traditions. The villagers prepare the dishes that will be degustated accompanied by the performances of verdiales, flamenco, traditional pastry products and popular festival.
Feast of the Ham (Campillos)
The José María Hinojosa Park hosts every year a market of traditional products, especially, pork products coming from all over Andalusia. Sausages, chacinas or meats made in an artisan way can be baught during the feast to the rhythm of verdiales. Besides, there are wine pouring workshops.
Chanfaina Day (Totalán)
The chanfaina is a very popular dish in this small town located in the Axarquía county. Made with potatoes, garlics, breadcrumbs, olive oil, vinegar and different spices (oregano, clove, cumin, laurel), is served to the taste of the diner, with offal or black pudding. The day is celebrated at the end og November though the preparations for this Singular Feast begins one day before with the potato chopping and peeling where over six thousands portions are shared. This dish has been the sustenence of the farmers after the intense working days.
Feast of the Must and the Chacina (Colmenar)
The municipality of Colmenar, in the Alta Axarquía near the Natural Park of the Mountains of Malaga, is known for the quality of its sausages. You can taste pork sausage, black pudding, pepperoni or loin, among others, in addition to being able to buy them, during a festivity before Christmas holidays where you can also find traditional artisan sweets. Likewise, the competition of the best chacinas of the region is held.
Micological Days (Cortes de la Frontera)
Every year Cortes de la Frontera, in the Serranía de Ronda, celebrates its Micological Days. During several days they organize the guided tours through the forests of the region with the aim to collect the mushrooms; some of the coveted types are egg yolk, boletus, chanterelle, king trumpet mushroom or black chanterelle. Once the muchrooms have been collected, a tasting of the mushrooms cooked in the tents installed for this purpose is offered.
DECEMBER
Mora Carrot Festival (Cuevas Bajas)
On the first Sunday of December, Cuevas Bajas celebrates the day of the Mora Carrot. It is the fisrt carrot, since it was the Dutch who changed the color of this tuber to orange. Also its size as purple carrot can measure more than half a meter in length.
‘Sabor a Málaga’ Fair (Malaga capital)
Every year, during the bridge of December, the Council of Malaga, under the promotional brand of the agrifood products of the province ‘Sabor a Málaga’, organizes the main annual fair with over one hundred food and beverage companies coming from all the municipalities. From breads, olive oils, wines, sweets, sausages, fruits, vegetables, liquors or beers, among many others, they meet in the Paseo del Parque of the capital.
Festival of the Migas (Torrox)
According to the history, the migas date back to the origin in the Roman cuisine and among its ingredients are: bread, oil, and water. The truth is that Torrox, on SUnday before Christmas, prepares a big popular migas accompanied with salad made with tomatoes, orange and green olives. Besides, this municipality is presumed to have the “best climate of Europe”. A festival where there is no shortage of wine, music, popular dances and local gastronomic products.
Festival of the Chacina (Benaoján)
Benaojan is known for being the biggest producer of meat products that reach all the corners of the country, even the rest of the world. On the occasion of Christmas, more than 20 stands take the opportunity to sell their products, and the chacinas and sausage factories open their doors to show the entire artisanal process.
Brandy Festival(Jubrique)
Jubrique commits to this festival every year to keep alive the traditions of making brandy in a traditional way by the neighbors themselves. They use their old copper stills, reaching, years ago, more than 70. The origin dates back to the 18th century, when around three quarters of the local fields were vineyards, and it came to refer outside the borders as 'Jubrique, that of the brandy' due to the popularity of the drink.
