Ardales celebrates its 29th Slaughter Festival with tastings, music, and a market

Ardales is gearing up for its popular Fiesta de la Matanza, which will celebrate its 29th edition next Sunday, February 8th. The festival, declared ... of Provincial Touristic Uniqueness, expects to receive more than 10,000 visitors.

The event will feature a market of pork derivatives and other local products, many of them under the brand Sabor a Málaga, as well as crafts. The program also includes musical performances and tastings of Ardales-style stew, cured meats, and wine.

For the occasion, volunteers involved in the preparations will cook more than 500 kilograms of pork over a wood fire to offer visitors a grand tasting. Additionally, 300 liters of white and sweet wine from the region will be available for tasting at various locations in the municipality, along with more than one hundred kilograms of cured meats such as chorizo, salchichón, and morcilla from Ardales.

The gastronomic offerings are complemented by tasting points managed by local associations and a special setup prepared by the bars and restaurants of the municipality. Moreover, the traditional market of local products will allow the purchase of cured meats, olive oil, cheeses, and the famous almond cookies, one of the specialties of Ardales' pastry.

More activities

The program also includes street parades with charanga bands, batucada, and verdiales bands, as well as a dance area. Live music will start at four in the afternoon with performances by Triana, a pioneer group of Andalusian rock, and the Andalusian rock band La Mala Hora.

Additionally, there will be guided tours through the urban center of the municipality and to the Center of Prehistory, the Castle of the Peña de Ardales, which houses the Museum of History and Traditions, and the Mudejar Church. Also, the main tourist resources of the municipal area - Cueva de Ardales, Iglesia de Bobastro, and Caminito del Rey - will remain open during their usual hours.

Furthermore, a local crafts and gastronomy exhibition will be set up at the Municipal Sports Center tracks, while a zone dedicated to the agri-food companies of the region will be located in Plaza San Isidro.