Istan is swapping streetlight for candlelight, it’s the return of La Vela

No huge floodlit stages and flashing screens. Istan is doing things the opposite way for its annual La Vela festival

Why the lights go out in Istan

Istan is holding it’s eighth edition of La Vela, a night-time street festival, held on Friday, August 28 and Saturday, August 29 with squares, fountains and mountain viewpoints across the Sierra de las Nieves village lit only by beautiful flickering candlelight rather than street lamps. Neighbours decorate their own front doors with flowers and fairy lights for the occasion, and the whole event runs on free entry, as it has done since it began back in 2019.

Council organisers call it a sensory experience built around a carefully selected line-up spanning several musical styles, rather than a straightforward gig night.

Who is playing nestled in the glittering lights

Samuel Tosso opens the weekend with a tribute set to Huelva star Manuel Carrasco, with Javier Ojeda, once frontman of Malaga new wave outfit Danza Invisible, bringing his solo material to perform to the crowds. Cadiz Carnival favourite Rafa Taleguilla completes a mix that includes tribute acts, regional folk traditions and homegrown pop. Both evenings also give a platform to local singers at the El Peñon viewpoint, and a fresh stage has been added at El Coto, a district on the edge of the village, spreading performances across a wider stretch of Istan than in previous editions.

Istan’s town hall say the festival now pulls in visitors well beyond a resident population of roughly 1,400, giving the local economy a welcome late-summer boost.

Getting there

If you want to join the magical weekend please note that roads into Istan become extremely narrow on the approach from the coast, and parking is limited once inside the village, so those making the trip up from Marbella or Puerto Banus should aim to arrive well before dusk and plan to walk between venues. Detailed stage times are published on the town hall’s website in the run-up to the weekend.