The produce
Iberian ham at the centre, and around it cheeses, artisan breads, cured meats and seasonal Andalusian produce. Dishes and drinks from €5.
Festival of Tourist Interest in Andalusia
7 → 16 August 2026
Ten nights of Iberian ham, professional ham carvers and free concerts by the sea. Free entry.
7 → 16 August 2026
- Seafront promenade
- 7pm – 2am
- Free entry
- 10 free concerts
7FridayNight 1 of 10
Bordón 4
Rumba11:30 pm
- Full line-up of the Jamón Music Festival 2026
- Friday 7 Aug · Bordón 4 · 11:30 pm
- Saturday 8 Aug · Justito a Tiempo · 11:30 pm
- Sunday 9 Aug · Nolasco · 11:30 pm
- Monday 10 Aug · Henry Méndez · 11:30 pm
- Tuesday 11 Aug · La Frontera · 11:30 pm
- Wednesday 12 Aug · Melon Diesel · 11:30 pm
- Thursday 13 Aug · Piratas Flamencos · 11:30 pm
- Friday 14 Aug · Burning · 11:30 pm
- Saturday 15 Aug · Dani Márquez + Long Play · 11:30 pm
- Sunday 16 Aug · Malamanera · 11:30 pm
The event
The contest that fills the promenade for ten nights
Eleven editions on, the World Ham Contest has become the food event that marks the summer in Estepona.
For ten nights the seafront promenade turns into an open-air food venue by the sea: stands with Iberian ham and Andalusian produce, master carvers working in full view, tastings, and a different concert every night. Entry is free, dinner is eaten standing with a plate in your hand, and the evening ends listening to music with the sea beside you. That is the whole plan, and that is why it works.
The carvers
More than two hundred professional ham carvers take part. Carving ham properly is a craft, and here you watch it close up, standing a metre from the knife.
The music
Ten nights, ten free concerts at 11:30 pm on the promenade. Rumba, flamenco, covers, rock and Spanish pop, a different act each day.
The experience
What a night at the contest looks like
No booking, no ticket: you turn up, walk the promenade and pick your stall. Here's how the night unfolds, start to finish.
The site opens
The promenade fills with exhibitors: Iberian ham, cheeses, artisan breads and Andalusian produce. It's quiet early on — good for browsing without queues.
The carvers take over
More than two hundred professionals carving by knife. You can watch up close, and you learn by watching: the thin slice, the angle, the steady hand.
The plate of ham
From five euros. Sit facing the sea with a plate and a drink, once the heat of the day has dropped.
The concert
A different band every night, live and free, with the sea behind the stage. Ten nights, ten line-ups.
And the next day, all over again
From 7 to 16 August, ten nights in a row on the seafront promenade.
The site opens from 7pm to 2am and the concert starts at 11:30pm. Everything else runs without a fixed schedule — the night sets its own pace.
On video
Ham carving, live
Carving a ham properly is a craft, and at the contest you watch it up close. This is the carving as shown on television, with master carvers working in front of the audience.
By the numbers
How big the contest really is
Figures from recent editions explain why the promenade changes pace for ten nights every August.
65
Exhibitors
+200
Professional ham cutters
+500K
Expected visitors
7pm–2am
Site opening hours
From €5
Dishes and drinks
Free
Concerts every night
Official distinction
Festival of Tourist Interest in Andalusia
Jamón Music Festival
Ten nights, ten concerts, free entry
Ten bands, one a night, with the sea behind the stage. Rumba, flamenco, covers, rock and Spanish pop: a different line-up every day, and not one night costs a thing.
Every night · 11:30 pmEstepona seafront promenadeFree entry
- Fri7AugRumba
Bordón 4
Fifty years of Catalan rumba to open the festival — the kind of songs everyone turns out to know by heart.
- Sat8AugCovers
Justito a Tiempo
A covers band that gets the crowd on its feet by the second song. Pure live energy.
- Sun9AugFlamenco
Nolasco
Urban flamenco from Jerez: street-level lyrics and a voice that grows on stage.
- Mon10AugLatin
Henry Méndez
The Dominican artist behind «El Tiburón». Latin pop made for an August night by the sea.
- Tue11AugRock
La Frontera
Eighties Spanish rock, with «El límite» and «La rueda» still intact — one of the bands that defined a decade.
- Wed12AugPop
Melon Diesel
From Algeciras, so practically local. Mediterranean pop with a Campo de Gibraltar accent.
- Thu13AugFlamenco
Piratas Flamencos
Party flamenco, the kind you dance standing up. The night the promenade sounds most Andalusian.
- Fri14AugRock
Burning
Five decades of Madrid rock and roll — «Qué hace una chica como tú» played right by the beach.
- Sat15AugPop
Dani Márquez + Long Play
A double bill on the big weekend: Dani Márquez first, Long Play after. Two takes on live music.
- Sun16AugRumba
Malamanera
Andalusian rumba and rock to close ten nights. The last concert always runs longer than planned.
Official posters
What the organisers have published
Location
On the seafront promenade, right by the beach
The site is set up along Estepona's seafront promenade, between the sea and the line of palm trees. It is about a ten-minute walk from the town centre, and there is street parking nearby, although in August it fills up early: it is easier to park a little further away and walk.
Open in Google Maps
Seafront promenade · Estepona
By the sea, right on the beach
Practical information
Everything you need to know before you go
- Confirmed dates
- 7–16 August 2026
- Location
- Estepona seafront promenade
- Opening hours
- 7pm to 2am, every day
- Entry
- Access to the event area is free. Inside, dishes and drinks start at €5.
- What to expect
- Iberian ham, pork products, cheeses, artisan breads, local food, professional ham carvers, concerts and a summer evening atmosphere
- Ideal for
- Families, visitors, residents, food lovers and travellers looking for evening plans in August
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about the World Ham Contest Popi
When is the World Ham Contest "Popi, Ciudad de Estepona" 2026?
Estepona Town Hall has confirmed the event takes place from 7 to 16 August 2026.
Where does it take place?
On Estepona's seafront promenade, in the open air next to the beach.
What are the opening hours?
The site opens every day from 7pm to 2am, from 7 to 16 August.
Is there an entry fee?
Access to the event area is free and so are the concerts. Dishes and drinks are sold inside, from €5.
What can visitors expect?
Iberian ham, local food products, professional ham carvers, tastings, exhibitors, free concerts and a summer atmosphere by the sea.
Will there be concerts?
Yes. There is a free concert every night at 11:30 pm on the seafront promenade, a different band each day from 7 to 16 August: Bordón 4, Justito a Tiempo, Nolasco, Henry Méndez, La Frontera, Melon Diesel, Piratas Flamencos, Burning, Dani Márquez with Long Play, and Malamanera.
Which edition is this?
The eleventh. The contest is officially declared a Festival of Tourist Interest in Andalusia.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. It is an open site on the promenade, you can come and go freely and the atmosphere stays family-friendly well into the night. Concerts start at 11:30 pm, so families with small children usually come at dinner time.
How do you get there and where do you park?
The site is on the seafront promenade, about a ten-minute walk from the centre of Estepona. There is street parking nearby, but it fills up early in August: the easy option is to park further away and walk.
How can I contact the organisers?
Through the form on this page. It reaches the contest organisers directly, whether you are writing as a visitor, as a journalist or as a company interested in taking part.
The event, night by night
Follow the contest on Estepona Travel
Estepona Travel keeps the contest listing live for all ten nights: the line-up with tonight's artist, the photos, any last-minute change and the rest of what is on in town.
- Who plays tonight
- The event inside the August calendar
- Where to eat, sleep and park nearby
Contact
Write to the organisers
Press, exhibitors, sponsors or any question about the contest. We reply to the address you leave here.
7 to 16 August
Ten nights on the seafront promenade
Free entry, a free concert every night at 11:30 pm and dishes from €5. All you have to do is turn up.
Organised by
Sponsored by
Supported by
The companies and institutions behind the contest
