Mijas has been celebrating International Workers' Day with a ‘sardinada’ (Sardine Feast) for more than 30 years and this year, 2023, it has done it again. On Monday, the beaches of El Torreón in La Cala were covered with sardines being roasted to be distributed among visitors and locals in this traditional ‘May Day’ party, where they could be enjoyed for free. "If last year 2,500 plates of sardines were offered, I think that this year we are going to beat the record with almost 700 kilos of sardines that we are going to offer, sardines, by the way, from fishmongers in Mijas", said the mayor of Mijas, Josele González (PSOE), who also assured that this is a good month to enjoy this fish: "Experts say that May, as it is the first month spelt without an 'r' in the calendar, which is when the sardines are at their best". 

These ‘espetos’, moreover, were prepared by municipal staff, recovering, as recalled by the mayor, the tradition of the Town Hall employees acting as ‘espeteros’ (Sardine Roasters). "Those who visit us are amazed by this spectacle organised by the Festivities team, with Operational Services and colleagues from the Town Hall... we have recovered the tradition of them being in charge of skewering the sardines and serving them to the public", said González. "We want to thank all the staff and employees who collaborate on this day for all their work so that we can enjoy an important day in La Cala de Mijas. We want to ask all Mijas residents and visitors to continue to support this tradition that year after year will continue to be held for the enjoyment of all", said the councillor for Festivities, Tamara Vera (PSOE), who recalled that in addition to the sardines, the event featured live music, a large marquee providing shade and a bar run by the Santa Teresa Neighbours’ Association.

 

"There are 10 of us working at the bar, we have a paella for 220 people and another one prepared in case there is not enough, as well as planchitas, pinchitos, hamburgers and prawns", said the president of the Santa Teresa Neighbourhood Association of La Cala, Manolo Jiménez, who added that the group is already preparing for its next event, the seafood fair. But despite these culinary delights, the kings of the tables on this May Day were the "espetos", cooked over an open fire on the beach and prepared with great care. "The sardines are skewered, making sure that the bones are always on the underside so that they don't fall apart", said one of the many "espeteros" on this day, Francisco Javier Aragonés, "and not much more".

Opinion of the attendees
Members of the corporation, residents and tourists did not hesitate to try the sardines and spend this festive day in La Cala. "It's good to come to this traditional sardine feast, where the Town Hall has put more than 600 kilos at the disposal of all visitors and tourists who want to come", said the first deputy mayor, José Carlos Martín (Cs). "It is a very special day, very nice, a day of coexistence and friendship awaited by many visitors and tourists and by people who live here", added, for his part, the PP councillor Daniel Gómez Teruel. Juani Pedraza is one of the many visitors who came to La Cala to enjoy this day: "I am from Malaga, 'sardinera', 'boquerona'... and I love them. It's the first year I've been here and I've loved it. The sardines are also delicious", she concluded.
 

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