Marcilla Horse Fair 2026: Dates, Trashumancia and a 400-Year Tradition

Marcilla horse fair 2026: dates and what's confirmed

The Marcilla horse fair (officially the Feria del Caballo "Benito Aguerri") runs Oct. 9–12, 2026, according to Visit Navarra's official calendar, over Spain's Puente del Pilar long weekend. Some festival listings date it Oct. 10–12, so the core of the program will most likely fall between Saturday the 10th and Monday the 12th, a national holiday.

The key caveat: the 2026 program hasn't been published yet. As of Sept. 27, 2026, Visit Navarra lists it as "pendiente" (pending).

So be wary of specific times you see online. Many posters circulating are from 2025 (the flamenco horse show and the Paco Martos show, for example), and there's no confirmation they'll return. Before you go, check the town hall's site, marcilla.es.

What official sources do confirm

• Where: Marcilla, in Navarra's Ribera district, with its Gothic castle as the main stage.
• Regular features: the horse fair, horse and livestock exhibitions, a crafts and local-food market, tastings and demonstrations, and children's workshops.
• The headline act: the trashumancia, which Visit Navarra calls the star event.

Four centuries of fair by the castle

This isn't a new tourist invention. Visit Navarra traces the fair to a royal privilege granted around the year 1600 for livestock trading. Back then, a fair licensed by the crown was an economic engine, drawing dealers, animals and money into the district.

The setting does a lot of work. Marcilla's Gothic castle, ringed by moats, turns the weekend into something between a livestock fair and a medieval festival.

In 2023 the fair took the name of Benito Aguerri, honoring a livestock breeder who drove its revival.

What is trashumancia, and why is it the star event?

Trashumancia (transhumance in English) is the seasonal movement of livestock between summer mountain pastures and winter lowland grazing. For centuries herders and drovers covered hundreds of kilometers over weeks along cañadas, protected livestock trails.

A few facts that show how big it is in Spain:

• Spain's network of livestock trails covers about 125,000 km and more than 400,000 hectares, almost 1% of the country, according to Spain's tourism board.
• In December 2023, UNESCO inscribed transhumance on its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, in a joint nomination by Spain and nine other European countries.
• Few transhumant herders remain today, and re-enactments like this one help keep the craft alive.

The trashumancia in Navarra's Marcilla is a re-enactment: riders on horseback escort livestock through the countryside and the town center. Some listings mention more than 200 riders, but that number isn't confirmed for 2026.

In recent editions (2023 and 2025) it took place on the morning of Oct. 12. For 2026, wait for the official program before planning around a time or starting point.

Why livestock fairs matter in Spanish horse culture

For centuries, Spanish livestock fairs were where working horses, mules and oxen were bought and sold. Many traditions that now look like shows grew out of that trade.

• A showcase of breeds and trades: at the exhibitions you'll see a range of breeds, including the Andalusian (PRE), and trades like farriery.
• Working riding: past Marcilla editions have featured doma vaquera, the Andalusian stock-handling riding style.
• Real trading: livestock sales are still part of the fair's DNA, not just scenery.
• Rural life: events like this bring visitors to small towns fighting depopulation.

If you're looking at horse fairs in Spain in October, it's peak season: the Huelva horse fair also fills the autumn calendar, and cabalgatas are another way to see horse traditions up close.

Visitor checklist

Getting there

• By car: Marcilla is about 60 km south of Pamplona via the AP-15. Arrive early on the main day, because parking gets tight.
• Road closures: expect closed streets during the trashumancia and exhibitions. Watch for town hall notices.
• Where to stay: the long weekend fills rooms fast. Tafalla, Olite and Tudela are nearby; book early.

Going with kids

• Check the children's workshops in the official program and arrive with time to spare.
• Keep a recent photo of your child on your phone and agree on a meeting spot in case you get separated.
• Closed-toe shoes, a cap and water: it's outdoors and there's a lot of walking.
• If there are pony rides, let the staff lead. Ask whether they provide helmets for little riders.

How to behave around horses in a crowd

• Never stand behind a horse or squeeze past its hind legs.
• Always ask before touching. If the rider says yes, approach calmly at the shoulder and touch the neck, not the face.
• Don't feed any horse without permission. It can nip by accident, and the food may not agree with it.
• No pop-open umbrellas, balloons, drones or flash near the animals.
• During the trashumancia, stay behind barriers or wherever organizers direct you. A startled horse among livestock is unpredictable.
• Keep dogs on a short leash, or better, leave them at home.

For more, see our safety guide and horse behavior basics.

What to watch before the long weekend

• The 2026 program on marcilla.es: trashumancia time, exhibitions and evening shows.
• Whether the trashumancia lands on the 12th again, which is a Monday holiday in 2026.
• Traffic and parking notices from the town hall for the main days.
• The weather: October in the Ribera can swing between strong sun and rain, so pack a light rain jacket.

We'll update the essentials once the program is out. Meanwhile, follow the season on Trends.