The art that weaves traditions: the 2nd Bobbin Lacing Festival in Malaga
Málaga, a city open to the sea and the world, is preparing to host one of those events that, although small in scale, are enormous in spirit. The next Saturday 11 of October 2025, starting at 10 in the morning, Wide Street of Carmen, in the heart of the Perchel neighborhood, will be transformed into a living tribute to bobbin lace with the celebration of II Bobbin Coat Meeting.
It's no coincidence that this event takes place in the heart of one of Málaga's most distinctive neighborhoods. El Perchel, with its blend of working-class history, market aromas, and proximity to the sea, welcomes this gathering like someone opening the door of their home to joyfully welcome family and friends. Because that's what bobbin lacemaking is all about: closeness, hands that converse without words, threads that cross generations.
Tradition that is intertwined
Bobbin lace is much more than a craft. It's a form of cultural resistance, a declaration of love for slow time and handmade beauty. This event will bring together associations, artisans, and lace enthusiasts from different corners of Andalusia and the rest of Spain. They will bring with them not only their pillows, bobbins, and patterns, but also stories, knowledge, and, above all, enthusiasm.
The event will have a space for the live demo, where participants will let their hands speak in that magical language that transforms threads into lace, and also with a materials fair, where you can purchase special threads, vintage patterns, designer bobbins, and all kinds of essential tools and accessories for those who are passionate about this craft.
A day to get lost among threads… and streets
Beyond the event itself, attending the 2nd Bobbin Lace Making Gathering is a perfect excuse to rediscover a different kind of Málaga, the one you can smell and hear in its neighborhoods. Wide Street of Carmen, with its traditional facades and its proximity to the Carmen Market, is one of those places that invite you to walk slowly, to look up, to chat with passersby.
A few steps away is the Maria Zambrano Station, from where trains loaded with stories arrive every day. Also very close is the CAC Malaga (Center for Contemporary Art), a perfect contrast between the most modern and the most traditional. And if you walk a little further south, you'll reach the Pier One, where the Mediterranean embraces the city with light and breeze.
A trip to the Malaga of yesterday and always
Visiting Málaga in October has a special charm. The city experiences a warm and friendly "veranillo" (little summer), ideal for enjoying without the summer crowds. And if you add to that a day dedicated to the art of lacemaking, the plan becomes a delight for the senses.
And what better way to complete the visit than with a walk through the Museum of Popular Arts and Customs, where you can see how the women of Malaga lived, dressed and worked in the past? Or with a stop at the Basilica of Hope, a jewel of the neighborhood and a place of deep sentimental attachment for its inhabitants.
Weaving community
The 2nd Bobbin Lace Perchelero Meeting is not just a meeting for specialists. It's an invitation to curiosity, contemplation, and dialogue between the old and the new. Above all, it is an opportunity to celebrate the women—and, increasingly, men—who keep this tradition alive with care and pride.
Because lacemaking knows no rush or algorithms. It moves at the pace of the heart and soul. And events like this remind us that there is beauty in slowness, in what is made by hand, in what requires patience and passion.
So if you have the chance, don't hesitate. Head to Calle Ancha del Carmen on October 11th. Listen to the clatter of bobbins, be amazed by the impossible filigree work, chat with the artisans, and buy a handmade treat. And, above all, be part of this silent celebration where threads unite more than meets the eye.
