The heat and tourism have changed the street stalls of the Málaga Fair: the fan is now the best-selling item, while the hat and the rociera cane are losing prominence.
The heat is intense at the Málaga Fair, and it shows at the counters. The street stalls in the Centre have seen the fan become the star object of this festival, displacing the Córdoba hat and the rociera cane, which are becoming increasingly unfamiliar to visitors.
José María, who has been working at the Fair for over three decades, sums it up with an image: "I have known the Málaga Fair from start to finish, everyone wearing a hat." Now, he asserts, "it’s the fan. It’s curious."
The impression is echoed from stall to stall. Sergio Bueno, with 15 years of experience, points to fans and flowers as his best-selling items. Juan Manuel Rosaluque agrees: "With the heat we’re experiencing and all, fans are what’s selling the most."
The change is not only in products but also in clientele. Juan Manuel, 28 years old, speaks from a family business that has seen three generations pass. "Now there are more foreigners. Before, it was the people of Málaga who came down to the Centre," he explains.
Paco Sariñas, with nearly four decades of selling, observes the same transformation: previously, local customers predominated; now tourism carries much more weight, and they take shawls and fans as souvenirs. In his stall, a fan costs about three euros, while a shawl ranges from 20 to 25 euros.
There is no consensus on who is more price-conscious. Juan Manuel claims that foreigners come ready to haggle; Paco, on the other hand, maintains that it’s the locals who compare prices the most.
Among the items that are fading away, the rociera cane is a clear example. Sergio sees it daily: "People are saying: 'How do you blow this?' People don’t know what this is." There is also less inquiry about the Córdoba hat: "The clothing is changing a little bit."
Enrique’s almond stall, with over forty years of history, tells another story. "Before, many almonds were sold, and hardly anyone wants to buy them now," he laments. He remembers the times of the peseta when the profit margin was greater and he sold out all his stock. Today, almonds cost more and leave the stall less frequently.
In the gap left by the hat and the cane, fans, flowers, shawls, bracelets, magnets, bags, or Málaga souvenirs are part of a catalogue that must be renewed. "In the souvenir sector, there are always new little things," Sergio points out.
The Málaga Fair, which runs until next Sunday, remains a showcase of tradition and change. Those who stroll through the Centre these days will be able to see it at every stall.
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