Torremolinos

Torremolinos’s Fiestas and Gastronomy

Torremolinos, being a first-class tourism municipality, has a schedule of events that barely gives time for rest. The first event is the Campeonato de Baile Retro (The Retro Dance Championship) that is held in the Príncipe de Asturias Auditorium during the last week in February. Couples over 50 years of age from all over Europe participate in this unusual competition that draws a very large attendance to the auditorium each day. The tango, waltz, two-step, salsa, rock and twist are some of the most common styles in this championship, which carries the dance to other parts of the city with schedules that do not conflict with the official tests. The championship begins with a parade through the main streets of the town that has broken two world records: the largest gypsy costume and bridal gown in the world.

The carnival during the first fortnight of March has special significance in Torremolinos for the high level of public participation in the fiesta and for the quality of the groups that participate in the Certamen de Chirigotas, Murgas y Comparsas (competition of various kinds of singing and performing groups) that is held in the municipal auditorium. There is a masquerade ball and a colourful carnival parade on the seafront promenade of La Carihuela, as well as contests to select the Dios Momo (God Momo), the Ninfa del Carnaval (Carnival Nymph) and the best disguises.

The surroundings of the chapel of San Miguel, in the Los Manantiales pine grove, are the site of the Día de los Verdiales (Day of Verdiales, a traditional style of music in Malaga) on a date between early March and early April. This day is devoted to native Málaga folklore featuring three interpretive styles: Comares, Almogía and Montes. Along with the singing and dancing there is also a gastronomic show.

Associations, booster clubs, brotherhoods and other kinds of groups take a very active part in the Cruces de Mayo (May Crosses) fiesta. Traditional ceramic and brass vessels, colourful Manila shawls, flowers-lots of flowers-and ornamental plants are used in assembling the altars, which always win praise from the viewing public.

The Noche de San Juan (Night of San Juan, 23 June) is a deeply-rooted tradition throughout the municipality, but the festivities organised by the Hermandad de Marineros de la Virgen del Carmen (Virgin of Mount Carmel Sailors’ Brotherhood) and those that take place in the neighbourhoods of San Juan and Cantarranas enjoy the greatest popularity. In keeping with tradition, bonfires are lit in various places and the younger people compete in the riskiest leaps. The saint’s procession is on 24 June, after Mass with the Rocío Choir of San Juan.

The Feria del Carmen (Virgin of Mount Carmel fair) in mid-July attracts thousands of people to La Carihuela, especially on the day that the image of the Virgin is placed on a boat for a trip along the municipal waterfront. The fiesta centres on the El Remo plaza, where there are musical performances and an extremely wide variety of dances.

In late September Torremolinos seems to be one big pilgrimage, that of San Miguel, which is held in the nearby pine groves of Los Manantiales. It is considered the second largest in terms of participants (more than 200,000) in all of Andalusia, after that of El Rocío. The entourage, with numerous carts that have been profusely decorated for the occasion and an even larger number of people on horseback, leaves the city centre en route to Los Manantiales amid the exclamations of tourists, who do not hesitate to inquire about what they are seeing.

The pilgrims camp next to the chapel of San Miguel, which can’t come close to holding all the people who want to hear Mass inside the church, and once religious ceremony concludes the party begins and lasts until dark. Singing, dancing and good food are at the heart of this massively attended pilgrimage.

The Feria de San Miguel (Fair of San Miguel, patron saint of Torremolinos) begins a few days later. As in a number of other localities in Málaga it is held in the centre of the city during daylight hours and at night at the fairgrounds, where practically all the collectives in Torremolinos and many private individuals set up booths. In spite of the thousands of tourists that come to it, the Feria de San Miguel has preserved an unmistakable Andalusian character, which has been even more pronounced in recent times because there is an earnest effort to keep the old traditions from being lost.

The town also is a beehive of activity on the Día del Turista (Tourist’s Day), which was initiated some years ago to show gratitude to the visitors who have chosen to spend their vacations in Torremolinos. The most outstanding events on that day are the folklore performances, gastronomy samplings and the selection of the Tourist of Honour.

It does not unnoticed in Torremolinos when it comes to mounting tourist promotional campaigns that "pescaíto" is one of the greatest attractions. Therefore on the first Thursday in October it celebrates the "Día del Pescaíto" (Pescaíto day), in which the local restaurants hand out servings of pescaíto to both tourists and residents of Torremolinos.

The Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Torremolinos got off to a late start (1924) in comparison to other localities in Málaga. It began with the foundation of the cofradía (brotherhood) of Nuestro Padre Jesús y María Santísima de los Dolores (Our Father Jesus and Holy Mary of the Sorrows), whose headquarters is in the Madre del Buen Consejo parish church. The brotherhood performs its processional march on Good Friday.

The event calendar also includes a summer film festival, "Torremolinos de Cine," screening family movies by the sea in July and August, whereas "Friends of Vintage Cars," in the context of the Fair of San Miguel, is one of the leading car lover gatherings in Andalusia and Spain. Car lovers meet to admire unusually elegant vehicles of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, parading from Plaza de Blas Infante to the Chapel of San Miguel. A flower offering for the patron saint is left in the chapel, and then everybody gets ready for a cookout. "Friends of Vintage Cars" draws higher numbers of visitors every year. 30% of participating cars belong to people living in Torremolinos.

The Bobbin Lace Meeting is a tribute to this sewing tradition that is also a form of art. Over 2,000 amateurs come to Plaza de la Nogalera and, under 150 gazebos, they show visitors what they can do using this techniques. Participants come from all over Andalusia to share opinions and experiences, and show their work. In 2003, the Torremolinos Town Hall launched a bobbin lace workshop at the People’s University, which has since then drawn a high number of interested students. The meeting is held in late May.

In August, Torremolinos holds its traditional Flamenco Festival, whose 20^th edition was in 2008. It’s one of the oldest festivals of its kind in Málaga Province, gathering a constellation of flamenco stars every year.