Registration is open for this year’s San Isidro for anyone wishing to have a cart in the procession or run a concession stand at the Nerja Caves. Interested parties have until May the 3rd to apply at the town hall.
The festival of San Isidro is one of the most popular in Nerja with visitors and locals alike. For visitors, the highlight of the festival is the parade from the Balcon de Europa to the caves near Maro. The procession takes about three hours to reach its destination and is made up of dozens of carts, carriages, horses, oxen, tractors and other forms of transport. All are colourfully decorated, and the Nerjeños equally so, the women in beautiful dresses, the men in smart riding gear or traditional farmer’s outfits. Everyone makes a huge effort for the day. As the procession proceeds the wine flows, and as the wine flows the music tempts many to dance their way to Maro. This is probably the most popular day of the year for most Nerjeños, when the whole town seems to decamp to the park surrounding the Maro caves and to party until the very early hours.
The festival is in honour of Isidro, a farm labourer, who in legend received divine assistance to perform his work. As a result he has become the patron saint of farm workers and other labourers in many Spanish speaking countries and if you are in Nerja on the 15th of May 2013, it is not to be missed.