XXI FERIA INTERNACIONAL DE LOS PUEBLOS, FUENGIROLA

Spring is in the air and so are the ferias

The Costa del Sol is bustling with excitement. Spring has arrived, and even though we’ve had to endure bouts of rain and wind, nothing can deter us from our excitement that summer is almost here. We are expected to have another record breaking year in tourism, and property on Costa del Sol seems to selling faster than mojitos.

Property for sale in Marbella is making more waves as the weeks pass by. The future for once seems positive, and all will once again return to normal here in southern Spain. Real estate on Costa del Sol is a hot commodity, but the deals won’t last forever. For now, let’s enjoy a bit of interesting information about the Feria in Fuengirola.

Journey around the world in five days

Going around the world in just five days is possible… or at least discovering small parts of over 30 countries, that will be represented this year in one of the most important regional fairs that Andalucía has to offer.

Coming up at the end of this month, locals and tourists will get to experience the one event that cannot be missed this spring: the Feria Internacional de los Pueblos (FIP), which translates to the Village’s International Fair.

The event, hosted annually at Fuengirola’s fairgrounds, will start on the 29th April and run through until the third of May. The daily events begin at 1pm and go on until the early hours of the morning, giving visitors plenty of time to see everything that this sensational event has to offer. And what’s more…entry to the fair is free.

It was first created in 1994 to celebrate the customs and traditions of people from diverse nationalities that call home to one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Costa del Sol: Fuengirola, as well as its surrounding areas. When it was first started by the Partido Popular just over twenty years ago, the event only managed to entice 8 countries and regions to participate, and today, only two of them remain at this spectacular annual fair: Asturias and Argentina. Now, the widely-attended event has around 35 countries and regions coming together and participating this year, from Spanish autonomous regions such as Galicia and our very own Andalucía, to foreign countries such as Greece or Japan, which are just as keen to celebrate their multi-ethnic coexistence on the Costa del Sol.

Along with the growing amount of countries that participate, the fair has become more popular over the years, having over 100,000 visitors in 2011. This year, the event is expected to attract around one million visitors and 1,500 overnight stays at local hotels, also creating some 500 jobs for the duration of the fair. The increase in tourism will also provide a boost to other local businesses in the beautiful beach town of Fuengirola.

The colourful fair is made up of uniquely decorated booths, which represent a different country or region, with each one offering exhibitions that provide a taste of their very own customs, culture, dance, music and gastronomy. At each booth, visitors are able to sample food and drink from every culture and learn about their history and folklore. Attendees will also be able to experience their traditional music and dancing. The booths also offer a great variety of local products and handcrafted items at reasonable prices for visitors and tourists to take home as souvenirs.

Several street bands will be performing at the five-day event and to make the experience even more fun, every attendee gets their passport stamped by each different country they visit. At this year’s fair, just as in previous years, there will be rides at the Village’s International Fair, which will be located close to the fairground’s entrance.

This year there will be a new addition to the itinerary. In order to understand the impact of tourism on the local community and possible measures of innovation, a large forum will be held where international experts will discuss the main factors that enable tourism to remain the main economic engine of the Costa del Sol and how to promote the industry in the future.

The fair is now an important regional and national event, and has even gained international recognition. With its extensive program of activities, from sampling German beer to Cuban music and dance, it’s guaranteed that there will be something for everyone to enjoy at this year’s annual XXI Feria Internacional de los Pueblos.

The event is popular with locals, as well as attracting tourists who have nothing but great things to say about the annual fair:

“There are performances for everyone to enjoy; great entertainment and excellent food and refreshments. You have the chance to party the night away with traditional food, musical entertainment and performances. Great fun and free entry!”
– Trip Advisor
The Feria Internacional de los Pueblos will be hosted at the Recinto Ferial, located on Avenida Jesús Santos Rein in Fuengirola. The location is outdoors and located in an urban area, and is adapted for people with disabilities. Due to the area’s great public transport system, it’s possible to reach the fairground through bus or train.

https://www.andalucia.org/en/events-calendar/international-fair-of-peoples-fip/