Almería Fair and Festivities in honour of the Virgen del Mar

The Almería Fair is the city's main festival and is dedicated to its patron saint, the Virgen del Mar, whose image has been venerated since 1502 in the former convent of Santo Domingo and who was officially declared patron saint of Almería in 1806.

The festival combines two worlds. On one side, the religious celebrations: the Virgin's proclamation, the seven-day septenary, the flower offering on the patron's day and the procession that brings the festivities to a close. On the other, the fair itself, split between the Midday Fair, with bars in the squares of the centre, and the Night Fair, with marquees and rides at the fairground.

The programme is organised by the City Council and includes more than a hundred activities: concerts, bullfights, the Battle of Flowers, sports tournaments, exhibitions and children's activities.

The Midday Fair takes place in the city centre, with bars in squares such as Plaza Flores, the Mirador de la Rambla, plaza Virgen del Mar, plaza de Tomatito and plaza Pablo Cazard, and the Paseo de Almería as its backbone, closed to traffic during those days. The Night Fair is set up at the fairground in the Vega de Acá area, next to the UD Almería stadium and near the Andarax river, with marquees, rides, the municipal marquee and the concert venue.

The religious services are held at the Sanctuary of the Virgen del Mar, and the fair's bullfights at the bullring.

Surbus runs special 'Feria Bus' lines at a special fare, linking the fairground with districts such as La Salle, calle Granada, Pescadería, Piedras Redondas, El Alquián, Retamar, Torrecárdenas and Cruz Roja. They run at night until early morning; on some days they start earlier. For drivers, fair car parks are set up on the open grounds by the stadium and around avenida Vega de Acá, and access to the fairground is closed to traffic in the afternoon and evening, except for public transport and residents.

The fair opens with the proclamation speech and the lighting of the entrance arch and the fairground illuminations. In the mornings 'dianas floreadas' with giants, big-heads and a brass band go round the districts, and at midday the centre fills with people at the bars. One of the most colourful events is the Battle of Flowers, a parade of floats along avenida Federico García Lorca. The sentencing and execution of the Coloraos, an episode from the city's liberal history, is also re-enacted in the streets.

On the patron saint's day, in the morning, Almería brings its flower offering to the Virgen del Mar. The next day the image goes out in procession accompanied by San Indalecio, the city's patron saint, and in plaza Emilio Pérez turns towards the sea before returning to her sanctuary.

The fair ends with a fireworks display from La Térmica breakwater. During those days the City Council hands out fair fans, and there are bullfights, free concerts and the Cooltural Fest music festival.