The Feria of Marbella and Romería of San Bernabé

06 Jun 2023 | News and Updates

The summer season begins and Marbella, like the rest of Spain’s municipalities, celebrates its traditional pilgrimage and the beginning of the week-long fair in honour of its patron saint, San Bernabé.

The feria of Marbella

The feria of Marbella celebration of the Marbella fair has its historical basis in the reconquest of the city by the Catholic Monarchs on 11 June 1485, the day of San Bernabé, who became the patron saint of the city.

The Sunday before the week of the fair is the Romería de San Bernabé organised by the Hermandad de los Romeros de San Bernabé which includes a variety of events such as a brotherhood breakfast, a procession to the hermitage of the patron saint in the Parque de Nagüeles, mass, traditional dances and a popular meal.

Initially the fair included a livestock fair, bullfights and a Moors and Christians parade, which over time and with the change in customs have been replaced by other types of events until today’s celebration of the fair.

In this year 2023 and for some years now, the fair consists of two celebration spaces, in addition to the pilgrimage, which are the Day Fair and the Night Fair.

The Day Fair is held in the areas surrounding the Alameda Park in the heart of the city centre, reaching as far as the Paseo Marítimo along the Avenida del Mar. The Day Fair starts on the 7th of June with the opening of the bars located in the Paseo de la Alameda and the Avenida del Mar where you can enjoy drinks and traditional Marbella food in a pleasant and lively atmosphere. It also includes a variety of dance performances, competitions and activities for the little ones.

The Night Fair is located in the north of the city between the Luis Teruel football pitch and the Arroyo Segundo, very close to the underpass through which you can access the La Cañada shopping centre.

The Marbella Night Fair begins on the 6th of June with the inauguration of the Arco de la Feria, the opening of the attractions, the opening of the fairground rides, the crowning of the queens, king and ladies for children and young people and the election of the Popular Queen, ending with fireworks on the Playa del Faro beach.

The Night Fair includes, of course, musical concerts in the auditorium of the Fairgrounds and popular dance performances on the stage of the Parque de la Represa.

The City Council has set up a special bus service to facilitate access to the fairgrounds at night with a frequency of 15 minutes and from various parts of the city.

The “big” day, 11 June, is the festival in honour of San Bernabé. The day begins with the procession to the Cruz de Humilladero, mass and subsequent procession in honour of the Saint through the main streets of the city.

Undoubtedly, the Marbella Fair is an event that kicks off the summer season in Marbella and turns the city into a whole enclosure where you can enjoy an excellent and lively cosmopolitan atmosphere in every corner, enjoying also the gastronomic quality of the establishments located in the Paseo Marítimo, Casco Histórico, Plaza de Los Naranjos and adjacent streets and all over the city.

The Benarroch Real Estate team, from our offices in El Pilar Shopping Centre, wishes you happy holidays and a wonderful summer.