"It already smells like the Fair"
Mayor Álvarez highlighted the unique character of the event: "It is not just a fair; it is the heartbeat of Sanlúcar, a heritage we share with those who visit us." With a nod to the future, she announced: "This edition will be unforgettable," while the Hymn of Manzanilla and a toast with the city's star wine closed the event.
The Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda will take place at the fairgrounds located on Calzada Duquesa Isabel and adjacent streets, including its fantastic promenade, within an incomparable setting, where this city with its unique light and sunsets merges with the landscape of the Doñana National Park and the mouth of the Guadalquivir River, from May 27th to June 2nd, which is the so-called "Recovery Monday".
A date with tradition
The Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, true to its essence, will once again unite art, flamenco, gastronomy and that Sanlúcar spirit that crosses borders in 2025. A preview of what will be a week where rebujito, horses and fair booths will write another chapter of this century-old festival.
Another of the mandatory events of the Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda is the bullfighting at the Sanlúcar Bullring with the maestros Miguel Ángel Perera and Alejandro Talavante, who bring their classicism and maturity, being two of the great winners of last season, opening the Puerta del Príncipe of the Seville Maestranza and the Sanlúcar bullfighter Germán Vidal 'El Melli'.
At the Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda 2025, there is also room for those starting in the profession, the future bullfighters, since on Friday, May 30th, a novice bullfight in practical class will be held, belonging to the XXVII Cycle of Becerradas of the Bullfighting Schools of Andalusia. Cattle from the Diego Curiel brand will jump into the arena for the novice bullfighters Alejandro Aguado, Javier Martínez, Pablo Galván, Paco de Sara, Javier Caro and Bruno Aza.
📜 History of the Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda
More than seven centuries of tradition
To understand the greatness of the Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, one must go back no less than to 1297, when King Sancho IV granted the city two annual tax-free fairs to promote trade after the Christian Reconquest. For centuries it was fundamentally a livestock fair: horses, mules and cows were bought and sold in what is now the historic centre.
In the 17th century, in 1616, Duke Don Manuel de Guzmán authorised a fair on August 15th in honour of the Patron Saint, the Virgin of Charity. This fair began being held in the church square (today Cuesta de la Caridad), changing its location over the years.
The great turning point came in 1929, when the I Manzanilla Festival was organised, which can be considered the most remote antecedent of the current fair. It was held in the context of the Ibero-American Exposition of Seville with a very clear objective: to promote the main brands of manzanilla from Sanlúcar.
The festival consisted of a contest where eleven brands competed for the prizes for "good taste" (best aesthetic appearance) and "art" (best representation in relation to the brand). Each winery designed a representative float, and the collaboration of several Sanlúcar wineries was essential.
In 1947, an evening event in honour of the Divine Shepherdess of the Souls began to be organised in Plaza de Capuchinos, but the venue quickly became too small. Finally, in 1972, it was moved to the current fairgrounds on Paseo de la Calzada, a much larger space next to the Guadalquivir River that allowed the installation of hundreds of booths, adopting the definitive name of Manzanilla Fair.
🏛️ Who organises the Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda?
The organisation of the Manzanilla Fair corresponds to the City Council of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, through its Culture and Festivals delegation. It also has the essential collaboration of the city's wineries, especially the Association of Fair Booth Owners 'la Caña' and entities such as Bodegas Barbadillo, which keep the tradition alive and promote the event as ambassadors of Manzanilla.
📍 Where and when is the Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda held?
The Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda 2025 will be held from May 27th to June 1st at the fairgrounds of La Calzada de la Duquesa Isabel, next to the mouth of the Guadalquivir River.
The lighting, which marks the official start of the fair, will take place on June 26th at around 10:00 p.m. This location is one of its main attractions: an incomparable setting where the city, with its unique light and sunsets, merges with the landscape of the Doñana National Park.
The celebration date may vary each year, as it is linked to the calendar of the Rocío Pilgrimage and Corpus Christi. As a general rule, if Rocío falls early, the fair is usually at the end of May; if it is later, it moves to the first or second week of June.
🍷 Manzanilla: the soul of the Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda
The Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda takes its name from the city's most famous wine, Manzanilla, with its own Denomination of Origin, which is aged exclusively in this city. During the fair, hundreds of thousands of bottles are consumed, making it the true protagonist.
The most important wineries, such as Barbadillo, La Gitana, Argüeso or Delgado Zuleta, set up their own booths where you can try the latest release. The perfect pairing includes:
- Fine Manzanilla with white prawns or shrimp fritters
- Aged Manzanilla with cured payoyo cheese or ham
- Amontillado Manzanilla with almadraba tuna or pork scratchings
🐎 The programme: much more than fair booths
Booths open to all
- Unlike other Andalusian fairs, in Sanlúcar almost all of the more than 200 booths are open to the public: you enter, order at the bar and have your manzanilla without needing an invitation. This open and welcoming character is one of the hallmarks of the fair.
The Bullfighting Fair
- The Sanlúcar Bullring (El Pino, 1901) hosts several bullfights during the fair. For 2025, the maestros Miguel Ángel Perera and Alejandro Talavante stand out, together with the Sanlúcar bullfighter Germán Vidal 'El Melli'. In addition, on Friday, May 30th, a novice bullfight in practical class will be held within the XXVII Cycle of Becerradas of the Bullfighting Schools of Andalusia, with novice bullfighters such as Alejandro Aguado, Javier Martínez or Pablo Galván.
Lighting and attractions
- On Wednesday of the fair, the lighting is turned on with thousands of bulbs, along with the "street of hell" with attractions for children and adults. In the mornings, the parade of horsewomen and carriages runs through the centre to the fairgrounds, with women dressed in flamenco attire on horseback and traditional carriages.
🌟 What does the Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda represent for Sanlúcar?
The Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda is, in the words of Mayor Carmen Álvarez, "the heartbeat of Sanlúcar, a heritage we share with those who visit us." It is the city's grand festival, where the local and the foreign merge in an atmosphere of joy, tradition and culture.
It represents:
- The exaltation of the region's most characteristic wine
- The maritime and flamenco identity of Sanlúcar
- A meeting point for families and friends
- A tourist showcase that attracts visitors from all over Spain and abroad
- As the fair's motto says, it is #lamejorferiadelmundo.
Where to stay to enjoy the Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda?
🏡 Experience the Manzanilla Fair with THE SUN PLACES
At THE SUN PLACES we want you to experience Sanlúcar with all your senses. After a day of fair, wine, horses and good atmosphere, nothing beats resting in our exclusive apartments.
We offer you:
- Luxury accommodation in our Luxury Apartments in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, from where you can easily get to the fairgrounds.
- Personalised advice to learn all the details of the fair and the best booths to enjoy authentic manzanilla.
- Connection with local gastronomy: We recommend the best places to taste langoustines, fried fish and other Sanlúcar delicacies.
👉 Contact us and book your accommodation with THE SUN PLACES to experience the magic of the Manzanilla Fair of Sanlúcar de Barrameda from the heart of the party. We look forward to toasting with you! 🍷💃