Events in Malaga in September 2024
After the hot summer months with their focus on outdoor films and concerts, events in Malaga in September return to their more typical mode. Coming up this month is a great combination of fashion, flamenco, classic film, plenty of music plus the usual dose of amazing art.
Read the latest in our monthly round-ups of what’s on in Malaga, but most of all, enjoy!
Please note that the events on this page refer to those in September 2023. We will be updating them for 2024 as soon as we have the information.
Note that this post is (as always) a work in progress. We’ll be updating it throughout the month as we get the information – bookmark the page for future reference.
Public holidays in Malaga in September
First of all, a head’s-up: Friday 8 September is a public holiday in Malaga city. Smaller shops and markets will mostly be closed, but restaurants and bars will be open as usual. Public transport will also be running as normal. The same applies to museums and monuments with the exception of the Museum of Malaga whose timetable will be 9am to 3pm.
For more information on public holidays in Malaga in 2023, click here.
Malaga Fashion Week
This event returns in September. Calle Larios will roll out its bright blue carpet for the cat walk from one end to the other and showcase Malaga and Spanish fashion talents on Friday 15 September and Saturday 16 September.
The event is free, but there aren’t many seats so get there early to grab yours.
Read about this fashion event in Malaga in our dedicated post.
Malaga Cruise Days
Malaga Port celebrates the cruise sector with 3 themed days on 21, 22 and 23 September in El Palmeral (underneath the Pergola) from 6 to 11pm.
Events include Sabor a Málaga stalls showcasing local produce (food and wine), a stage with live music and flamenco performances, puppet shows for children and sporting activities.
Read information about the full programme here.
International Tourism Day
Wednesday 27 September celebrates world tourism day in Malaga when all museums and monuments have open doors, ie free entry. Some are also organising guided tours and themed events.
Classic film festival in Malaga
Once again, September welcomes a long list of movie classics with plenty of must-sees for film buffs. Running from Thursday 7 to Thursday 14 September, this year’s Golden Age Festival plays homage to the centenaries of actress Anne Baxter and Warner Bros, and to directors including Stanley Kubrick, Calude Chabrol and VĂctor Erice, and including some Essential Westerns.
The 21 films are shown in their original version with Spanish subtitles at the Albeniz Cinema in Calle Alcazabilla. Highlights include Casablanca, Yellow Sky, The Shining, Matrix, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence and La Cérémonie. Tickets cost €5 per film. Full details about the programme and link to online booking here.
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Flamenco in Malaga in September
Aula Municipal de Flamenco in Malaga has its next concert of the season on Monday 25 September at 7.30pm in the Centro MVA on Calle OllerĂas in the old quarter.
Flamenco singer Ezequiel BenĂtez will be on stage. The video below gives you an idea of what to expect.
Entry is free but you need to get a ticket on the day from MVA (available from 7pm onwards) or from the Municipal Fiestas Department in Camino de San Rafael 99 (available from 9am onwards – you can get here on the No 20 bus from the Alameda Principal).
You can also catch some flamenco guitar at the Pepe Romero Guitar Festival – see the next entry.
Pepe Romero Guitar Festival
Malaga celebrates the second edition of this Festival, showcasing the city’s own musician and one of the most famous Spanish guitar players in the world. Romero will play at some of the concerts, which include three freebies.
Note that the free events will be very popular, so we’d recommend getting in the queue for a seat very early (at least an hour, maybe more before the start time).
The concerts are as follows:
- 21 September at 8pm in the Sala Unicaja de Conciertos Maria Cristina – Pepe Romero pays homage to Celedonio Romero. €20
- 22 September at 9pm in the Gibralfaro Castle – local guitarist Daniel Casares plays the Concierto de Aranjuez and Suite del Amor Brujo, accompanied by the Malaga Philarharmonic Orchestra. €20
- 23 September at noon in the Patio de Banderas at City Hall – AusĂas Parejo performs. Free entry.
- 23 September at 8pm in the Sala Unicaja de Conciertos Maria Cristina – Antonio Rey plays Sonanta Flamenca. €15
- 24 September at 9pm in the Alcazaba – JosĂ© Miguel Moreno performs. €18
- 24 September at noon in the Carmen Thyssen Museum – Antonio Sanguinetti performs. Free entry
- 24 September at 9pm in the Alcazaba – Jose Miguel Moreno performs. €18
- 27 September at 8pm in the Sala Unicaja de Conciertos Maria Cristina – voice and guitar. €18
- 28 September at 8pm in the Echegaray Theatre – Carlos Piñana performs “Pure Flamenco”. From €8
- 29 September at 9pm in the English Cemetery – performance by Thibaut GarcĂa. €15
- 30 September at noon in the Patio de Banderas at City Hall – Cristina BayĂłn sings and JesĂşs Pineda plays guitar. Free entry.
- 30 September at 9pm in the English Cemetery – performance by the Cordoba Plectro Orchestra. €15
More details and links to buy tickets here.
Musical events in Malaga in September
As usual, Malaga comes up with something for everyone:
Free concerts at the museums
Museum of Malaga – this month’s freebie takes place on Saturday 23 September at 7pm, when the CEEM Chamber Orchestra will play Grieg, Turina and Chausson. Pianist Elena Otieva will lead the concert. Free entry, but get there early to be sure of a seat (we’d recommend 6pm).
Malaga Brass Band
This band offers a free concert on Friday 22 September at 8pm in the San Miguel Cemetery (read more about this cemetery in Malaga). It’s a short walk from the city centre – Google map link here.
Municipal Band
This lovely local band will perform their first concert of the season at the English Cemetery on Sunday 24 September at 8pm. They’ll be playing a mixed programme of English and Spanish music. Free entry.
Carmina Burana
Carl Orff’s most important choral work comes to the Cervantes Theatre on Thursday 14 and Friday September at 8pm. Tenor Juan de Dios Mateos takes the leading role and is accompanied by the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra and Spanish National Choir.
Tickets from €12. More information and link to buy them here.
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Art exhibitions in Malaga in September
As usual, there’s a great round-up of art at the museums in Malaga this September.
Picasso Museum
The most-visited museum in southern Spain has a permanent collection, called Conversations with Picasso 2020-2023. The exhibition explores 8 decades of artistic creativity from the 20th century’s greatest artist. The Museum also has a 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.
Picasso Sculptor: Matter and Body
This is the first of the two big exhibitions commemorating the 50th anniversary of Picasso’s death this year and the first major exhibition in Spain to focus on him as a sculptor. It was just one of his favoured mediums and he mostly focused on the human body. Until 10 September.
Open daily 11am to 7pm. Tickets €9, free Sundays after 5pm. While you’re there, do visit the lovely cafĂ© in the patio.
Picasso Photos in Palacio Solecio Hotel
This lovely hotel in Calle Granada has an exhibition of 8 photos of Picasso by Juan Gyenes, on display in the lobby. The exhibition forms part of the city’s homage to the great artist on the 50th anniversary of his death. Free entry and on display until June 2024.
Russian Museum
It’s been all change at this art museum in Malaga since (understandably) no new artworks from the Russian State Museum have arrived. But the latest exhibitions are excellent and both draw on the alternative collections.
Ahead of his time – dozens of artworks from the huge collection owned by JosĂ© MarĂa Castañé. Divided into four sections, it showcases work by Russian artists as well as key figures from 20th century art such as Paul Delvaux, David Hockney, Eduardo Arroyo and Diego Rivera.
The two largest sections cover 20th century Russian art and contemporary art.
Different perspectives – two award-winning photographers, Elena Anosova and Javier Arboledas showcase their images of two different parts of Russia. Anosova focuses on a remote part of southern Russia, where his family comes from, and reflects on isolation and collective memory. Arboledas looks at Sosnovy Bor, one of the secret cities built during the 1950s in the USSR, and his pictures reflect on memory and utopia.
Kandinsky, Chagall and Poliakoff – this trio of artists were major contributors to the art magazine XX Siècle, published between 1938 and 1985. This exhibition shows their original lithographs and engravings as well as others by Picasso, MirĂł and other contemporaries. Until 24 September.
In the flow – German artist, Boris Groys, who spent many years in Russia, has three videocollages on display.
Open Tuesday to Sunday 9.30am to 8pm. Permanent exhibition €6, temporary exhibitions €4, €8 combined ticket. Free on Sundays after 5pm.
Carmen Thyssen Museum
The museum continues to showcase Spanish art from the 18th and 19th centuries seen in the permanent collection.
The museum also has the following temporary exhibitions:
Buenos Aires Fever – over 100 photos by Hoarcio Coppola and photomontages by his wife, Grete Stern, from the 1930s. Until 10 September.
Memory of the Streets – photographers of Barcelona in the 1930s and 1940s by three photographers, Margaret Michaelis, Kati Horna and Montserrat Vidal-Barraquer. The pictures show the city at three key stages of its history (Regeneration, Civil War and the early years of the Franco dictatorship. Until 24 September.
Rafael Canogar – one of the biggest representatives of Spanish abstract art has an exhibition of ten of his largest paintings. Canogar’s works focus on structure and are almost archectural in their form. From 19 September.
The Carmen Thyssen Museum has a lovely cafĂ© serving coffee, light snacks and lunch. There’s a daily lunchtime menu, which is excellent value for €12.90.
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 8pm. Tickets cost €10. Free entry on Sundays after 4pm. Note that if you’re resident in Malaga (you need to show proof), the entry fee is €6.)
Discover some great contemporary art in Malaga.
Pompidou Centre
The latest exhibition, Our Own Time, is our favourite so far. 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, LĂ©ger, Matisse, Picasso and Zangewa.
Read about the latest collection at the Pompidou Centre
Sheila Hicks: Travelling Threads
The latest temporary exhibition at the Pompidou Centre showcases textile art by American-born, Paris-resident artist, Sheila Hicks. This is the first exhibition dedicated to her in Spain. Until 10 September.
Open Wednesday to Monday 9.30am to 8pm. €7 for the permanent exhibition, €9 for both. Free Sundays after 5pm.
Buy tickets in advance for the Pompidou Centre.
Casa Natal Picasso
The temporary exhibition space at Picasso’s birthplace on Plaza de la Merced has just opened Ages of Pablo. This ambitious exhibition covers Picasso’s entire artistic career through eight themed sections, from when he was 15 years old until his death.
The 58 works on display include oils, engraving, sketches and ceramics and start with the Formative Years. This section displays several Malaga-themed works since Picasso spent his summers in the city although he lived in Barcelona.
The exhibition then moves on to Blue and Pink, Cubism, Classicism, Joie de Vivre, before finishing with the Jacqueline Years.
Until 1 October. Open daily 9.30am to 8pm. Price €3, €4 combined ticket to see Picasso’s birthplace (well worth the extra).
CAC Malaga
The contemporary art museum has the following exhibitions in September:
Wild Flowers – Spanish artist, Jorge Galindo, fills the large space at the museum with 25 of his large floral paintings, all created over the last three years. Until 10 September.
For Future Purposes – Nigerian everyday life and culture comes to life in paintings and sculptures by the artist Atanda Quadri Adebayo. From 7 September until 26 November.
While you’re at CAC, don’t miss the permanent and Neighbours exhibitions. They’re both packed with interesting and thought-provoking artwork and installations.
Tuesday to Sunday 9am-9.30pm. Free entry.
Jorge Rando Museum
As well as the permanent exhibitions, you can see one combining the work of Pablo Picasso and Jorge Rando. Their shared theme is bullfighting and you can see engravings by Picasso made between 1929 and 1960 and paintings by Rando from the 70s.
Open Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm and 4 to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm. Free entry. The museum is on Calle Cruz del Molinillo 12, on the northern edge of the old quarter. Don’t miss the Mercado de Salamanca market opposite.
La TĂ©rmica Cultural Centre
Ferocious Expressionism shows 54 photos in black and white by award-winning photographer Alverto GarcĂa-Alix. On the walls are portraits, still life compositions and scenes from everyday life.
Free entry, open Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 2pm and 5 to 8.30pm.
La TĂ©rmica is on the western seafront and you can get to it on foot (walk west from the Port and about 0.5km after the tall chimney, you’ll see a modern glass building on the right – La TĂ©rmica is behind it) or by bus on the No 7 from the Alameda Principal (south side; get off at the Santa Paula stop and walk down to the seafront).
Looking for somewhere good to eat out?
Malaga has dozens of good restaurants and we’ve selected the best. You’ll find them divided into handy categories, allowing you to easily select what you’re looking for.
Or if you like a detailed description of what a venue is really like, take a look at our Malaga Restaurant Reviews. We’re continually adding new ones, so check back regularly.
Malaga markets in September
Arts and crafts – the market at Muelle Uno takes place daily until 17 September from 11am to 11pm Monday to Thursday and from midday to midnight, Friday to Sunday. The Sunday market, El Zoco, is on every Sunday between noon until late.
Mercado de la Merced – arts and crafts stalls in the lovely square at Plaza de la Merced on Sunday 3 September from 11am to 7pm.
Soho Market – artisan produce and crafts on Calle Tomás Heredia, Sunday 24 September, 11am to 7pm.
Organic Markets – the best summer fruit (think melons, peaches and the first of the grapes) and vegetables are now in season and these markets sell them plus products, all grown and produced locally in the Guadalhorce River valley. Saturday 9 September on Calle Cervantes and Paseo de Reding (near La Malagueta) and Saturday 23 September in Huelin Park. 10am to 2pm.
Read more about markets in Malaga.
Sporting events in Malaga in September
The third Nationale-Nederlanden Plogging Tour takes place on Saturday 16 September. The event is part of the European Mobility Week and celebrates sustainable ways of moving around.
You can choose from a family adventure, 5.6k or 11k walk/jog/run around Malaga. More information on the website.
Heads up for October
October will see the biggest celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Picasso’s death, with several events and new exhibitions.
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