El Ejido’s biggest melons are getting their own festival
Before anyone starts sniggering, yes, we’re talking about actual melons.
This Saturday June 13 2026, El Ejido in Southern Almería is launching its first-ever Melon and Watermelon Fair, celebrating two fruits that have quietly made the area one of Europe’s agricultural powerhouses while receiving nowhere near the level of appreciation they probably think they deserve.
Taking place in Plaza Mayor, the event promises a day of food, family activities, live entertainment and enough melon-related content to keep even the most committed fruit enthusiast happy.
For everyone else, there will be ice cream.
More than just fruit
While the fair might sound like an excuse to eat watermelon in the sunshine – and frankly, that’s already a fairly solid reason to attend – there’s a serious side to the event too.
El Ejido sits at the heart of one of Spain’s most productive growing regions, and organisers want to shine a spotlight on the science, innovation and expertise that help local growers produce millions of melons and watermelons every year.
Representatives from major seed companies and agricultural organisations will be discussing everything from flavour improvements and new varieties to disease resistance and changing consumer tastes.
In short, all the clever stuff that happens before a watermelon ends up in your supermarket trolley.
Ice cream, migas and family fun
Fortunately, the organisers appear to understand that most people would rather eat a melon than attend a lecture about one.
Visitors can enjoy artisan melon and watermelon ice creams, traditional migas, children’s workshops, tastings and live entertainment throughout the day.
It’s the sort of event where the kids can stay occupied while the adults debate whether that second helping of migas is really necessary.
Spoiler alert: it is.
Almería’s melon empire
The numbers behind the local industry are impressive.
Almería currently grows watermelons on almost 11,900 hectares, producing around 660,000 tonnes each season. Melons account for a further 2,800 hectares and roughly 120,000 tonnes of production.
In fact, more than half of all the watermelons grown in Spain come from Almería Province.
That’s a lot of watermelon. Enough, arguably, to justify an entire festival.
A new fixture on the calendar?
Local officials are already talking about making the fair a regular event, with future editions potentially moving to May when melon and watermelon production is at its busiest.
If this first edition proves popular, El Ejido could well find itself with a new annual tradition.
And let’s be honest – there are far worse ways to spend a summer day than eating artisan ice cream, enjoying some live music and learning a few surprising facts about one of Almería’s most important crops.
Even if you only came for the melon jokes.
Event details
What: I Fería de Melón y Sandía
Where: Plaza Mayor, El Ejido
When: Saturday, 13 June 2026
Entry: Free
Elle, along with Alan, is the owner of Spain Buddy and the busy web design business – Spain Web Design by Gandy-Draper.
Born a “Norverner”, she then spent most of her life “Dann Saff” before moving to Spain in 2006. Elle’s loves are Alan, the internet, dogs, good food, and dry white wine – although not necessarily in that order.
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