Espeto Fest, Estepona
The Espeto Fest in Estepona consists of three nights of free concerts, the last weekend in July on La Rada Beach. More recently opposite Plazoleta Ortiz. Entrance is Free. The music starts at 22.00 and finishes at 24.00hrs.
In 2023 the Thursday night 27th July 2023 an ABBA tribute band lead the singing and dancing. On Friday it was the turn of a production dedicated to the 1970s music genre called 'Rock Andaluz'. Guitarist Juan Delota featured the music of bands such as Triana, Alameda, Medina Azahara and Loli y Manuel. On Saturday it was the turn of the XX1 edition of Noche Reggae (Reggae Night) with Afrijams, Wese House Crew, Don Spider and Leroy Onestone.
In 2022 the three summer beach concerts were renamed 'Espeto Fest' for the first time without any apparent relation an Espeto. Previous editions had been called 'Estepona Summer Party' and Spetto Fest was one of the component nights. On Thursday 28th July 2022 Sotano Sur from Malaga played a tribute to the golden age of Spanish pop music. On Friday 29th Airbag, the Estepona trio formed back in 1998 took to the stage. On Saturday 30th July 2022 it was 19th edition (our count) of Noche Reggae (Reggae Night) with Heritage (from Gibraltar) headlining. They were supported by Magnet Man and The Attraction Band from Barbados, One Drop Trío playing acoustic Reggae, Áfricajams the brothers Diadji and Serigne from Senegal. The Estepona Summer Party was not held in 2021 or 2020.
The 2019 Estepona Summer Party was held from 25th to 27th July 2019 with free evening concerts at the west end of La Rada beach which is also called La Escollera Beach. Thursday night featured a Queen tribute band, Friday was Dennis Mansfeld and Maldito Blues and Saturday's Noche Reggae (Reggae Night) featured a tribute to Bob Marley. Chris Chaplow who was there on behalf of Andalucia.com recalled that he might have been the only person present on the beach who had actually seen the late great Bob Marley live in concert. For the record this was when Bob Marley played the Summer of 80 Garden Party Festival at the Chrystal Palace Bowl on the 7th June 1980; the London date of his Uprising Tour. Marley and the Wailers (and the I-Three backing vocals) performed a 14-song set to the 15.000 audience. He then came back on stage alone with an acoustic guitar to play 'Redemption Song'. It was a very special moment because no one had heard 'Redemption Song' before; it was playing this to be classic publically for the first time. Unknown to the audience, Marley was already gravely ill – he would die of cancer in May 1981. At the time of Estepona's Reggae night on La Rada beach a croudfunding campaign was underway to cast a blue plaque with the words "Bob Marley and the Wailers played their largest UK concert and final London show here". The campaign reached its target, the following year the plaque was unveiled close to the 40th aniversary.
The Estepona Summer Party did not appear to have take place did not take place in 2018. In 2017 the three night event was called the Estepona Summer Party with 'La Contraste' a tribute to Triana, the Rock Andaluz group. The second night was, the III Spetto Fest; a night of soul, swing and funk with La Negra Mayté. The third night was the XVII Noche Reggae with ‘Magnet Man’ from Barbados and Jens Mallins the ‘Reggae Viking’ backed by Ubuntu Reggae, Don Spider & G.I.B. Crew.
In 2015 the Estepona Summer Party. Friday consisted of 15th edición of the Noche Reggae featured two groups Ubuntu and Leroy. On Saturday the 'Spetto Fest' features Malpaso playing versions of Bandas Sonoras suppported by the Sikin Soul Band.