The latest in our monthly series about events in Malaga gives you all the information about what’s on in Malaga in June. After months of relatively quiet activity, June starts to get busy. Look forward to the Gastronomy Festival and the Chamber Music Festival plus the usual round-up of great music, dance, art and markets. Read our choice of events in Malaga in June.
Patio Festival
This off-the-beaten-track event returns to the Malaga event calendar for the first time since 2019. As usual, the Festival showcases the traditional patios in the Perchel and La Trinidad districts, on the west side of the river. You can visit the patios, catch some flamenco, take in an exhibition and try some delicious local dishes from 1 to 5 June. For full details, read our dedicated Patio Festival in Malaga post.
International Festival of Chamber Music
The fifth edition takes place from 6 to 12 June, mostly at the Echegaray Theatre. The seven concerts take the central theme of ‘en crescendo’ and performances gradually build up from one musician to ten. The opening and closing concerts include full orchestras. Tickets cost from €15 and you get 15% discount if you buy tickets to all seven concerts. Available online here.
Women in Films
In honour of the Paula Rego exhibition currently on at the Picasso Museum (see below), you can see a selection of films and documentaries featuring female stars at the Museum’s auditorium. Those in their English original are:
- Thursday 16 June at 8pm – Paula Rego, Secrets and Stories by her son, Nick Willing (documentary)
- Friday 17 June at 8pm – Jane Eyre, the 1947 classic directed by Robert Stevenson
More information is available at the museum ticket office or website.
Terral Festival
The city celebrates its annual festival of world music at the Cervantes Theatre between 24 June and 5 July this year. Highlights in the programme this month include Brazilian singer songwriter, Toquinho, Turkish Omar Faruk Tekbilek and his ensemble and Fatoumata Diawara from Mali and hailed as the new voice of African pop. Full details and links to book tickets here.
Free Terral concerts
Before the Terral festival gets going, there are several free concerts around the city. Those nearest the city centre are:
- Suzette Moncrief on Saturday 4 June at 8.30pm in Huelin Park playing blues.
- La Pili and Tomás García on Friday 10 June at 8.30pm in the Recinto Eduardo Odón (in the Paseo del Parque) with their fusion of flamenco, jazz and blues.
Flamenco in Malaga in June
Ahead of the Flamenco Festival at the beginning of July, there are flamenco events in Malaga this month. They include:
Flamenco in the Patios
The Patio Festival has two concerts, both in the Corralón de Santa Sofía (on Calle Montes de Oca 6):
- Friday 3 June – José Lucena’s flamenco group perform at 8pm.
- Saturday 4 June – José Satore on guitar and singer Vanesa Fernández are on stage from 2 to 4pm.
Both events are free, but get there early to be sure of a place.
Flamenco concert
Aula Municipal de Flamenco in Malaga has its next concert of the season Monday 27 June at 7.30pm in the Centro MVA on Calle Ollerías in the old quarter. Dancer Luisa Palicio will perform. Tickets are free, but you need to get yours from the Municipal Fiestas Department in Camino de San Rafael 99 (available from 9am to 2pm – you can get here on the No 20 bus from the Alameda Principal) or from the MVA box office on the day from 7pm onwards.
The video below gives you an idea of what to expect.
Musical events in Malaga in June
Free organ concerts
Malaga Cathedral hosts its annual series of organ concerts with two in June on Thursday 2 (guitar and organ) and Thursday 9 (three organs). Both take place at 8pm and are free.
Tardeo & Music
This initiative (Sunset & Music) combines great local talent with one of the city’s loveliest locations, Hotel Castillo de Santa Catalina in El Limonar. The free concerts take place at weekends in June (7-9pm) in the gardens at the 5-star hotel where drinks and tapas are available as well as fab views of the city. Book your table ahead by calling +34 952 212 700 or sending an email to sbcastillo@sohohoteles.com.
Performances this month are:
- Saturday 4 June – Anita Vega and Raul Valencia, flamenco pop
- Sunday 12 June – Betty Loop, soul/reggae/funk
- Friday 17 June – Alicia Tamariz Duo, jazz
- Sunday 19 June – Fanny Olmedo and Oliver Serra, soul/funk
- Saturday 21 May – Sabrina Romero, flamenco dance, percussion
- Sunday 22 May – Ramón Barronquero and Julia Martín, soul/funk
- Friday 24 June – Tim Fernández and Samuel Iglesias, flamenco fusion
Get to the Castillo de Santa Catalina on foot from the centre (allow 30 minutes), by taxi or take the 32 or 33 bus from the Alameda Principal and get off at Avda Pintor J. Sorolla (Miramar,.stop 1108) and walk 10 minutes up the hill. There’s also ample parking if you have your own car.
Music at the Museum
The Museum of Malaga holds its monthly lunchtime concert on Sunday 12 June at noon. On stage will be the Asociación Compañía Teatro del Arte whose passion is opera so expect a good dose of arias. Free entry, but get there early to be sure of a seat.
Municipal Band
They play two concerts in Malaga in June, both are free.
- Sunday 5 June – in the botanical gardens at 12.30pm.
- Sunday 26 June – in the Instituto de Vicente Espinel on Calle Gaona in the old quarter at 8pm. Free entry, but you need a ticket available online here from 11am on Thursday 16 June. (Please note that sometimes the municipal band’s links don’t work. If that’s the case, try going to eventbrite.es and searching for ‘instespinel’.)
Music in the English Cemetery
The Zambrano Duo (violin and piano) play works by Clara Schumann, Enrique Granados and César Franck in the lovely grounds of the English Cemetery on Friday June 17 at 7pm. Tickets cost €10 and are available online here. The English Cemetery is on Avda de Pries on the other side of the road to the bullring and the Gran Hotel Miramar.
What’s on in Malaga in June at the art museums
As usual, some of best events in Malaga in June include art. Read on for our round-up of art exhibitions this month.
Russian Museum
It’s all change at this art museum in Malaga in June since (understandably) no new artworks from the Russian State Museum have arrived. But the new exhibitions look extremely promising and both draw on the massive collection in the archives at the Picasso Foundation.
Incessant Picasso. Freedom and Life – over 150 works by Picasso or depicting him are on display to illustrate his seemingly limitless creativity. The exhibition takes the theme of the different stages of his life and you’ll see photos, books, sketches, prints and ceramics.
The Reasons for Dreams – this collection, divided into eight sections, looks at the different shapes and forms of dreams. Works on display are by artists including Henry Moore, Joan Miró, Francis Bacon, Georges Ségel, Joaquín de Molina (below) and local Chema Cobos.
Open Tuesday to Sunday 9.30am to 8pm. €8, temporary exhibitions €4, €8 combined ticket. Free Sunday 2 May all day and on Sundays after 5pm.
Carmen Thyssen Museum
The Carmen Thyssen Museum has just celebrated its eleventh anniversary showcasing Spanish art, particularly during the 18th and 19th centuries seen in the permanent collection,
You can also see An Intimate Anthology showcasing works by Juana Frances, one of the most important Spanish artists in the second half of the 20th century. You can see her abstract and figurative creations until 19 June.
And Real(ism). New figures in Spanish art 1918 to 1936 shows over 80 paintings, sculptures, sketches and drawings by artists such as Arteta, Dalí, Gargallo, Miró and others. Until 4 Sept.
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 8pm, €10 (€6 for entry between 2.30 and 4pm), free on Sundays.
The Carmen Thyssen Museum has a lovely café serving coffee, light snacks and lunch. There’s a daily lunchtime menu, which is excellent value for €11.90.
Picasso Museum
The most-visited museum in southern Spain has its permanent collection, Conversations with Picasso 2020-2023. The exhibition explores 8 decades of artistic creativity from the 20th century’s greatest artist. The Museum has just opened a new room (Sala XII) showing 19 ceramics and 3 paintings created by Picasso between 1931 and 1962. You can also see 22 works from his La Californie sketchbook, which he drew in Cannes in 1956.
In addition, there are two temporary exhibitions:
Paula Rego is a huge retrospective of the Portuguese artist who has redefined figurative art and revolutionised the representation of women in art. Some 80 of her works are on display, taking you through her artistic journey. Until 21 August.
Face to face. Picasso and the Old Masters places works by painters such as El Greco, Zurburán, Caracciolo and Gijsbretchs next to Picasso’s to illustrate how the old masters influenced him. Until 26 June.
Open daily 11am to 7pm. Tickets €9 for all 3 exhibitions, free Sundays after 5pm. Note that the Picasso Museum café is closed at the moment 😞
Pompidou Centre
The latest exhibition, Our Own Time, has just arrived and we love it! It’s divided into six sections (Leisure Time, Holiday Time, InnerTime, Interspatial Time, Introspective Time and Confrontation Time) and showcases work by artists from the early 20th century to the present day. Expect to see the usual thought-provoking collection of paintings, sculptures, videos, photos and installations. Artists on show include Accardi, Léger, Matisse, Picasso and Zangewa.
Japanese architecture since the 1950s – the temporary exhibition at the Pompidou Centre returns to architecture with the work of 30 Japanese architects on show. Expect to see drawings, designs and models plus objects by masters of building and planning such as Kenzo Tange, Kisho Kurokawa and Sou Fijimoto. Until 19 Sept.
Open Wednesday to Monday 9.30am to 6pm. €7 for the permanent exhibition, €9 for both. Free Sundays after 4pm.
Top tip – Pompidou Centre, Picasso Museum and Jorge Rando Museum are the only art museums open on Mondays.
CAC Malaga
The contemporary art museum has 2 main exhibitions this month.
- Julian Schnabel – the next major exhibition comes from the American artist showing how his art is influenced by Spanish paintings, Anything Can Be a Model For a Painting. Until 12 June.
- Ben Sledsens – this is the first Spanish exhibition for the Belgian artist and he has 16 paintings on show. Until 11 Sept.
While you’re at CAC, don’t miss the permanent and Neighbours exhibitions. They’re both packed with interesting and thought-provoking art work and installations.
Tuesday to Sunday 9am-9.30pm. Free entry.
Discover more things to do in Malaga
Markets in Malaga in June
Arts and crafts on the Port – the Sunday El Zoco market takes place on Sundays in June on Muelle Uno from 11am to 6pm on 6 and 13 June, and from noon to 8pm on 20 and 27 June.
Merced Market – Plaza de la Merced hosts an arts and crafts market on Sunday 5 June from 11am to 7pm. Visit the stalls and enjoy the last blooms on the jacaranda trees!
El Paseo Market – the monthly arts and crafts market takes place on the Malagueta seafront promenade on Sunday 12 June from 11am.
Mercado Soho – Calle Tomás Heredia is the location for this arts and crafts market on Sunday 26 June from 11am to 7pm.
Organic Markets – the best summer fruit (think apricots, watermelon, peaches…) and vegetables are now in season and these markets sell them plus products, all grown and produced locally in the Guadalhorce River valley. Saturday 11 June on Calle Cervantes and Paseo de Reding (near La Malagueta) and Saturday 25 June in Huelin Park. 10am to 2pm.