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Estepona, in common with most of the other coastal
towns, has always been a fishing village.
Apart from the beach and long, scenic promenade
which stretches the length of the town, the main
feature is the port. The port combines the new
sports marina, with its leisure cruisers and the
old fishing port with its more modest wooden boats
which are still very much in use today.
In Andalucia the fiesta forms an important part
of one of its most deeply entrenched expressions,
and nowhere is this more so than in Estepona.
As a town with strong
Andalucian roots, several religious and even pagan
traditions are relived
enthusiastically throughout the year.
2nd week of February
Carnavales, or Carnival Week.
All types of fancy dress costumes can be seen
on the street throughout this week. The rivalry
between the different costumes is electric!
March-April - Holy Week
Religious processions organized by the local religious
brotherhoods, are demonstrable sentiments of a
town which is devoted to religious tradition.
May 15 - Saint Isidro the Peasant Farmer
Rural Estepona celebrates its most important fiesta.
This begins a week before, with a pilgrimage to
the chapel of the peasant farmers' Patron Saint
at Los Pedregales. Livestock contests, agricultural
machinery, farm produce shows, bull fights, and
a
cavalcade with many wearing traditional dress
and accompanying an effigy of the Saint through
the picturesque streets.
June 23 - The Burning of Saint John's Moustache
Several small shrines appear on this evening in
different parts of the town, with effigies in
the form of small mannequins. These are eventually
consumed by the flames, with the exception of
the winner which is granted the privilege of being
burnt
24 hours later. Saint John's night is a delightful,
fun evening, full of good humour.
1st or 2nd week of July - The Fair Town's main
festivity music and colour pervade the town for
a week, when the most important thing to do is
enjoy oneself, at the fair ground, listening to
music, dancing, drinking, etc. Processions of
floats and traditionally dressed horsemen, extravagant
musical folk attractions,
July 16 - La Virgen del Carmen Events organized
by the fishermen of Estepona in honour of their
patron saint. The procession leaves from the Church
of La Virgen del Carmen and travels along the
seaside promenade to La Rada Beach, where the
effigy is hoisted aboard the boats which take
her to the port.
August 15 - Tourists' Day Numerous events are
organized for the amusement of the visitors including
competitions, gifts, concerts...
Even to this day, very late in the evening, it
is possible to hear the haunting sound of one
of the most spontaneous and pure forms of flamenco
song, the Cante Hondo.
The local Flamenco Club actively promotes this
art form, organizing several competitions throughout
the year, some of which are renowned throughout
the country.
As a curiosity we should add that the Esteponan
Fandango, in its two manifestations of song and
dance, is preserved in an ancient and local form
of the verdiales malagueños - dances of
great artistic beauty.
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