The Padul Feria excels at providing us all with four days of fun, food and entertainment

This week we went to Padul feria 2009.

Every year at the end of September, Padul takes on a new persona.

• The main street of Avenida de Andalucia has stalls set out along its pavements.


• The area near the Taxi Rank (which very rarely has any taxis in it) is taken over by bars and places to eat and drink.


• The covered five a side ground is transformed into a theatre/ dance hall/ bar/ entertainment area.


• And the area near the Town Hall (Ayuntamiento) has fairground rides and entertainments for all.

This year the entertainment programme was as varied as ever.. here is just a small a selection of activities we could choose from, starting on Thursday September 24th.

• The day starts with Chocolate and Churros. This is the traditional Feria and Fiesta food. And it is given away free!


• Specially for the younger ones amongst us - Enjoy the Games of Yore:- the greasy pole, sack race, buckets with eggs, rope archery...


• Youth soccer tournament.


• Fiesta tribute to the older people of Padul. Music of the 70's and 80's for rock and roll, ballroom and latin dancing. Or just sitting and enjoying the sights and the sounds!

• My favourite Andalucian breakfast... Bread, olive oil, ground tomato and serrano ham. What a way to start the day. And this is free as well!


• The Finals of the Domino and Spanish card games Chinchon and Brisca.


• The Grand Royal Cattle Fair. Visitors get a free glass of the local wine (mosto). (But be careful you don't drink too much and accidentally buy yourself a horse!!)


• Cintas! This is a wonderful game where coloured ribbons fastened to washers are wound around a rope suspended over the track. Participants are armed with the equivalent of a pencil sized pointer which they use to spear the inside of a washer while riding beneath the rope at great speed. If one of the washers is speared the attached ribbon is claimed! The winner is the one who finishes with the most ribbons. This competition was in two events, a children's event on bicycles and an older person's event on horses (see photos).

• Fried eggs and Dried sardines to start the day. Supplied free, of course.


• Children's workshops for face painting, having tattoos, making greetings cards. Great fun!


• A very wet Foam Party for those thrilling enough to join in!


• Abseiling (This was done in safety, but, in my head, abseiling and safety don't really seem to fit together all that well)


• Starting at ten at night and going on until dawn light - Rock and Pop with live groups.

• BMX finals.


• Children's Disney party.


• Paint Ball fighting.


• Final Championships of Chinchón and Dominoes.


• Migas and Melons given out at the Casa Grande. More food for free!


• Greasy pole competition with a "Ham" to use as a club!


• The Great Pelotada. Balloons were launched amidst great excitement. And this year every child of the village could come and be presented with their own inflated ballon to take home!


• Grand Parade of The Queen of Entertainment and Their Ladies. The theme of the procession this year was "The Circus". The best floats won a money prize.

And, as normal, there were lots of other events and musical performances all of which went ot make this a eally special time.

Just one of the things I enjoy about Padul Feria is that for the four days it is running, once again the whole village is united with the fun and activities that are going on.

Shops are closed and work stops. Life is enjoyed. And isn't this how it should be?

And now it is all over.

But even after all that fun at the Padul feria I'm already looking forward to next year.

Will you be here?

• Padul, gateway to the Valley of Lecrin
• Christmas in Padul
• Padul fiesta/ feria 2007
• Flamenco in Padul
• Model making in Padul by our "papa"
• Jazz Festival in Granada
• Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
• The Padul Players
• The Romans in Granada and Padul
• Tapas in Padul
• Health in Padul