La Horse Fair 2025, which will be held from May 17 to 24, and which this year will be dedicated to Gypsy People, to mark the 600th anniversary of its arrival on the Iberian Peninsula. The event was held at the iconic La Concha Winery owned by González Byass, the fair's official sponsor.
This edition wants to pay special tribute to a community that continues to leave an indelible mark on the cultural identity of Jerez, especially through the flamenco, music, art, and coexistence. The dedication represents a gesture of recognition of his historical contribution and his influence on the city's living roots.
In her speech, the mayor maintained that this edition “We highlight the values of integration, culture and identity pride that make our Horse Fair unique.", especially emphasizing the inclusive character of one of the city's largest events, declared a Festival of International Tourist Interest. He also highlighted the main developments in the field of foreign promotion, who will be present in the stalls of the royal fair, pointing out that "Jerez aspires to be the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy in 2026 and the European Capital of Culture in 2031, and the Horse Fair is one of our best showcases to show the world our excellence."
María José García-Pelayo has thanked the municipal workers and all the entities and companies involved in both the assembly and the provision of services during the festive cycle, for their dedication and care in offering Jerez residents and visitors the opportunity to experience and enjoy the best fair in the world. He also recalled that "last year we began to recover the true essence of our Horse Fair, the one that fills us with pride and represents the best of our land. This year we wanted it to be more authentic than ever, an explosion of light, color, friendship, and art.
The dedication to the Gypsy People will be reflected in the first arches of José Mercé Street in the fairgrounds having flags and the night of the Illumination "Representatives from the Romani world will be accompanying us." There will also be decorations on the special buses that take Jerez residents to the Fair, and fans will be distributed.
The mayor also highlighted that the Fair this year has new lighting, "a very special lighting, adapted and created exclusively for the city's idiosyncrasy and culture." The lighting system will consist of 204 arches, 1.525 meters of garlands, 97 projectors, 52 double porticos, and more than 2,5 million LED light points. «All fairs are moving toward LED lighting, but the Jerez fair does so with something special: a unique aesthetic with an original design, unlike the others. We had the option of choosing a typical display approach or maintaining our signature. Therefore, both the Paseo de las Palmeras and La Macanita maintain their aesthetic.
The Fair also maintains its bet on the horse as one of the main hallmarks of the city, with 31 activities which will have their final touch in the presentation of the Golden Horse.
But it will also be an inclusive Fair With three days—Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday—from 16 to 18 p.m., the attractions will be adapted so that people with autism spectrum disorder, Asperger's syndrome, or any other condition aggravated by noise and volume can enjoy the popular rides. It should be noted that this year's Fair has gone from one day to three.
There will also be reduced-price days. On Tuesday, Children's Day, and Sunday, May 25, Children's Day, ride prices will be 2,5 euros for children's rides; 3 euros for adult rides; and 4 euros for single-ride rides with fewer than 16 seats.
But, without a doubt, one of the main novelties will be the Gastronomy Day, which will serve to promote food, the typical dishes of our land, and also to promote the authenticity and quality of those agricultural products that originate here in a city that aspires to be the Capital of Gastronomy in 2026. Therefore, the new design of the Fair layout, with the location of the restaurant stalls in a single area, and the celebration of Gastronomy Day will undoubtedly strengthen this candidacy. Around 50 chefs from the city will gather to defend the candidacy, and those stalls that wish to participate will be able to present a special tapa, which we will announce this week.
In short, also a Safer Fair in which the security forces will be especially involved in situations of concern, such as crowds in the moments prior to the traditional lighting at the entrances and exits of the Real.
Regarding the event, the event was opened by host Mauricio González-Gordon, president of González Byass, who welcomed the attendees and reaffirmed the winery's commitment to the city's major celebrations. Also speaking was Antonio Soto, First Vice President of the Fundación Secretariado Gitano, who expressed his gratitude for the dedication to the Roma community, recognizing their roots and historical contribution to the culture of Jerez.
The mayor was accompanied by members of the local government, provincial authorities, representatives of the association network, as well as the presidents of the Local Autonomous Entities (ELAs) and delegates from rural neighborhoods in Jerez. The event was also attended by the designer of the official fair poster, Cristóbal Donaire, Balcris, as well as representatives of the Table of the Horse and the Tourism Board.
Finally, it is worth noting that the artist José María Núñez and José Carlos Pozo have provided the musical touch to the presentation with the interpretation of the Sevillana I'm from Jerez, dedicated to the city, and offering an emotional end of the party with bulerías.
12.05.2025 CITY COUNCIL OF JEREZ
