Bullfighting Stars Ready to Take on the Heat of San Juan

The highlight of the fair will arrive on Wednesday 24 June, the feast day of San Juan, with a traditional bullfight featuring a complete bullfight from the prestigious Daniel Ruiz ranch. The line-up is headlined by the eagerly awaited return of Morante de la Puebla to Badajoz. He will be joined by local hero Alejandro Talavante and David de Miranda, one of the standout performers of the season, creating one of the strongest and most attractive line-ups of the year.

Beyond the excitement inside the arena, attending the San Juan Fair offers visitors the opportunity to discover one of the most historically significant regions in the world of bullfighting. The province of Badajoz and its surrounding countryside are not only among the foremost breeding grounds of the fighting bull, with vast dehesa landscapes home to some of Extremadura’s most legendary ranches, but they have also shaped a particularly knowledgeable and discerning type of supporter.

In the stands of the Pardaleras Bullring, visitors will experience an atmosphere of quiet expectation and deep appreciation for the art of bullfighting. The local crowd is renowned for its understanding of the fighting bull and its ability to recognise and reward genuine purity and artistry in the ring. Every performance becomes a serious test, both for established stars and emerging talents.

For international visitors, this fair is also the perfect opportunity to discover the many attractions of Badajoz during its most festive week of the year. Whether crossing the border from Portugal or travelling from elsewhere in Spain, visitors can combine the excitement of the bullring with the pleasures of a vibrant city celebrated for its hospitality, its rich cross-border gastronomy and, above all, its lively nightlife. After the bullfights, the squares, terraces and streets of the historic centre come alive, creating the perfect setting to continue the celebrations long into the evening.

For all these reasons, the call to fill the stands of Pardaleras is stronger than ever this year. Do not let the thermometer put you off, and do not settle for hearing about it afterwards. Experiencing Badajoz during its San Juan festivities means enjoying bullfighting at its finest, surrounded by magnificent dehesa landscapes, sharing the atmosphere with one of Spain’s most knowledgeable crowds and ending each day beneath the warm summer nights of Extremadura.