Mijas brings together local bars and Málaga cheesemakers for its Cheese and Wine Festival

Mijas Pueblo will once again turn Plaza Virgen de la Peña into one of the Costa del Sol’s main food and drink meeting points. From Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October, the town will host the eighth edition of the Cheese and Wine Festival, bringing together local hospitality businesses and cheesemakers from across Málaga province.

A total of 20 exhibitors will take part, offering food and local products throughout the weekend in the heart of the historic centre.

The event will also include live music and a special transport service designed to make it easier for visitors to reach Mijas Pueblo during the three-day festival.

Three days of food and drink in Mijas Pueblo

The Cheese and Wine Festival has become one of Mijas’ regular autumn gastronomic events.

The 2026 edition will once again take over Plaza Virgen de la Peña, one of the best-known and busiest public spaces in Mijas Pueblo.

Over three days, residents and visitors will be able to move between the different stalls and discover both local hospitality businesses and cheeses produced in different parts of Málaga province.

The event brings together part of the culinary diversity of Mijas and inland Málaga in one location.

Twenty exhibitors taking part this year

Organisers have confirmed 20 exhibitors, including local bars, restaurants and cheesemakers.

Mijas Town Hall highlights this combination as one of the festival’s main attractions.

On one side will be bars, restaurants, cafés and other local businesses.

On the other, cheese producers from across the province will bring their products directly to consumers.

The result will be a compact food route where visitors can move from tapas and local dishes to different types of cheese without leaving the square.

Mijas businesses joining the festival

Among the local hospitality businesses confirmed for the eighth edition are:

• Bodega del Pintor
• Coffee Art
• Radikal
• Corte de Autor
• Confusión
• Alboka
• Las Terrazas
• Las Tablitas
• Confitería Maru
• La Muralla
• Plaza de Toros
• El Cañuelo
• Salvador Alarcón

They will be joined by cheesemakers from different parts of Málaga province.

Málaga cheesemakers also take centre stage

A significant part of the festival will be dedicated to local cheese production.

Although the municipal announcement does not list every participating cheesemaker, it confirms that producers from across Málaga province will be represented.

Artisan cheese has become an increasingly visible part of local food fairs and markets.

Goat’s milk, sheep’s milk and mixed-milk cheeses offer a wide range of fresh, semi-cured and cured varieties, along with more specialised recipes.

The festival gives visitors the chance to discover these products directly from the people who make them.

Local hospitality meets local produce

The event is designed as more than a simple food market.

One of its main aims is to connect two parts of the local and provincial economy.

On one side are the hospitality businesses that operate throughout the year in Mijas Pueblo.

On the other are small and medium-sized food producers from Málaga province.

For visitors, it is also an easy way to discover several local businesses and products in the same place.

The festival begins on Friday 23 October

The first day will be Friday 23 October.

The stalls will open at 12:00 pm and activity will continue until 1:00 am.

This allows visitors to attend at lunchtime, during the afternoon or later in the evening.

From midday onwards, Plaza Virgen de la Peña will become the centre of the weekend’s food programme.

Saturday will be the longest day

Saturday 24 October will have the longest opening hours.

The festival will begin at 11:00 am and continue until 2:00 am.

That means visitors can enjoy the event from late morning until well into the night.

The timetable also makes it easy to combine the festival with a walk around Mijas Pueblo and other local attractions.

Sunday continues until midnight

The final day will be Sunday 25 October.

Stalls will again open at 11:00 am and remain active until midnight.

The festival will therefore complete three consecutive days of activity in the centre of Mijas Pueblo.

Mijas Cheese and Wine Festival 2026 opening times

The announced opening hours are:

Friday 23 October

• 12:00 pm to 1:00 am

Saturday 24 October

• 11:00 am to 2:00 am

Sunday 25 October

• 11:00 am to 12:00 am

Live music throughout the weekend

Food will not be the only attraction.

Mijas Town Hall has confirmed that the festival will also include live music in Plaza Virgen de la Peña.

This format has already been used in previous editions.

The aim is to keep the square lively throughout the day and combine food tasting with entertainment.

That makes the festival a plan that can easily last several hours.

An event for visitors as well as residents

Mijas Pueblo is one of the most visited inland destinations on the Costa del Sol.

Its historic centre, views towards the coast and its shops and restaurants attract both residents and tourists throughout the year.

The Cheese and Wine Festival adds another reason to visit during the final weekend of October.

Those spending the day in the area can combine the event with a walk around the old town.

Shuttle bus from La Cantera to Mijas Pueblo

One of the most useful practical details concerns transport.

Mijas Town Hall has announced plans for a shuttle bus from La Cantera to the centre of Mijas Pueblo.

The service is intended to make access easier during a weekend when higher visitor numbers are expected.

This can be especially useful during the busiest hours, when parking close to the historic centre may be more difficult.

Why using the shuttle may be a good idea

Mijas Pueblo has a distinctive urban layout.

Its narrow streets and high visitor numbers can make driving and parking more complicated during major events.

Leaving the car in the designated area and continuing by shuttle can help reduce traffic in the historic centre.

It also avoids the need to search for parking close to Plaza Virgen de la Peña.

Plaza Virgen de la Peña becomes the festival hub

The entire event will be concentrated around Plaza Virgen de la Peña.

The square is strategically located in Mijas Pueblo, with restaurants, shops and tourist services nearby.

This means the festival becomes part of the normal activity of the town instead of taking place in an isolated venue.

For participating businesses, it also offers a way to showcase their food to people who may not usually visit their premises.

A chance to discover cheeses from Málaga province

One of the main attractions will be the opportunity to sample local cheese.

Málaga province is home to numerous artisan cheesemakers, particularly in rural and mountain areas.

Many work with goat’s milk, a product closely linked to the province’s farming tradition.

Food festivals like this make it easier for small producers to reach consumers who might not usually find their products in larger supermarkets.

Málaga’s cheesemaking tradition

Cheese production has strong roots in several inland areas of Málaga.

The Málaga goat is also one of the province’s most distinctive livestock breeds.

Around this farming tradition, a varied artisan cheese sector has developed, producing everything from fresh cheeses to long-aged varieties.

These products are becoming increasingly important in the promotion of Málaga’s local gastronomy.

A different autumn weekend on the Costa del Sol

The festival takes place at a time of year when the Costa del Sol begins moving away from its summer rhythm and towards a programme focused more on gastronomy, culture and local events.

October weather often still allows outdoor events to be enjoyed comfortably during much of the day.

For residents and visitors, the Cheese and Wine Festival offers an alternative to the usual beach-based plans.

Eighth edition of an established festival

The event reaches its eighth edition this year.

Its continuity has made it a regular feature of Mijas’ municipal calendar.

The formula remains simple and effective: local businesses, Málaga producers, music and a central location.

Previous editions have also brought together around twenty exhibitors and several cheesemakers from across the province.

How to get to the Mijas Cheese and Wine Festival

The festival will take place at:

Location: Plaza Virgen de la Peña, Mijas Pueblo
Dates: 23, 24 and 25 October 2026
Admission: free
Special transport: shuttle service planned from La Cantera

Visitors travelling by car may particularly want to consider using the shuttle during the busiest times.

A showcase for local Mijas businesses

The event also has an economic dimension.

For three days, small hospitality businesses will have a direct showcase in front of hundreds of residents and visitors.

Trying a dish at the festival may also lead people to discover businesses they return to later.

The Mijas Association of Traders and Industrial Businesses is involved in organising the event alongside the Town Hall.

Food, commerce and tourism in one event

The Cheese and Wine Festival combines several important parts of the local economy.

Hospitality attracts visitors.

Local producers bring food made in Málaga province.

And Mijas Pueblo provides a tourist setting capable of drawing people from across the Costa del Sol.

From 23 to 25 October, these three elements will come together again in Plaza Virgen de la Peña.

With 20 exhibitors, live music and a shuttle service from La Cantera, the eighth edition is set to be one of the main food events taking place in Mijas that weekend.