The 5th Mérida Flamenco Festival 2026 turns autumn in the Extremaduran capital into a succession of cante, dance and performances that bring flamenco into dialogue with other artistic languages. The public programme runs from 8 September to 21 November 2026 and combines Plaza de España with Teatro María Luisa.
The line-up brings together Tomasito, Hermanos Domínguez, Macarena Ramírez, Jesús Méndez, Tía Yoya, Tía Juana Carrasco, Juan Parrilla, Curro Carrasco, Lucía La Bronce and Rancapino Chico. In addition, the festival presents its 2026 Mérida Flamenco Festival Award to Extremaduran guitarist Miguel Vargas.
Quick answer: the Mérida Flamenco Festival 2026 celebrates its fifth edition with six main public events between 8 September and 21 November. Tomasito opens the programme free of charge in Plaza de España; this is followed by the Hermanos Domínguez Equestrian Flamenco Dance and four performances at Teatro María Luisa: Espina by Macarena Ramírez, the Fiesta de la Bulería, Recóndito by Lucía La Bronce and Rancapino Chico’s recital. The organisers announced theatre prices between €11 and €22, while the ticketing platform currently shows seats from €11.60.
| Date | Artist / show | Venue | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 September | Tomasito | Plaza de España | 21:00 | Free |
| 12 October | Hermanos Domínguez – Equestrian Flamenco Dance | Plaza de España | 21:00 | Check official channels |
| 24 October | Macarena Ramírez – Espina | Teatro María Luisa | 21:00 | From €11.60 |
| 31 October | Fiesta de la Bulería | Teatro María Luisa | 21:00 | From €11.60 |
| 14 November | Lucía La Bronce – Recóndito | Teatro María Luisa | 21:00 | From €11.60 |
| 21 November | Rancapino Chico | Teatro María Luisa | 21:00 | From €11.60 |
Prices and availability checked on 5 September 2026. They may change as tickets are sold.
The opening takes place on Tuesday 8 September at 21:00 in Plaza de España, coinciding with Extremadura Day. The performance by Tomasito has free admission and is conceived as a festive opening accessible to the whole city.
Tomasito is a fitting choice for an opening in a public space. His language starts from flamenco but moves naturally through punk, rock, pop, hip-hop and urban rhythms. Cante, dance, humour, improvisation and compás all form part of a proposal that is difficult to fit into a single label.
For anyone who wants to begin the festival without buying a ticket, this is the easiest date: simply arrive at Plaza de España early enough to find a good viewing position.
The second event returns to Plaza de España on Monday 12 October at 21:00. The Hermanos Domínguez present Baile Flamenco Ecuestre, a production combining classical dressage and high-school riding with zapateado, cante and live flamenco guitar.
Its interest lies in the synchronisation between the movements of riders and horses and flamenco’s rhythmic language. It is probably the most visual proposal of the edition and one that makes particularly effective use of an open-air setting in the heart of Mérida.
The municipal listing confirms the date, time and location but does not publish a price or purchasing process. It also does not currently appear among the paid performances at Teatro María Luisa. We recommend checking the festival’s official website before travelling in case the organisers specify access conditions.
The Teatro María Luisa takes over on Saturday 24 October at 21:00 with Macarena Ramírez. The dancer presents Espina, a work that starts from pain, wounds and vulnerability and transforms them into beauty through dance.
The show champions a living, contemporary flamenco: a tradition that does not stand still, but engages with the present and uses the body, gesture, silence and music to explore recognisable emotions.
The announced running time is approximately 80 minutes and it is suitable for all audiences. Tickets are on sale and the official ticket platform currently shows seats from €11.60.
On Saturday 31 October at 21:00 comes one of the strongest nights on the bill: the Fiesta de la Bulería, a format designed to bring to the stage the energy and musical togetherness associated with the flamenco of Jerez.
Musical direction is by Juan Parrilla and the main line-up brings together Jesús Méndez, Tía Yoya, Tía Juana Carrasco and Curro Carrasco. The production also features musicians and young talents linked to Santiago and La Plazuela, two neighbourhoods that are fundamental to understanding Jerez flamenco.
Rather than a sequence of independent recitals, the proposal is built as a shared celebration of cante, guitar, palmas, percussion and the characteristic little “pataítas” por bulerías. The announced running time is around 80 minutes.
On Saturday 14 November at 21:00, dancer Lucía La Bronce brings to Teatro María Luisa Recóndito. The title refers to what is hidden and intimate, placing the piece in a moment of exploration within a professional career that is beginning to define its own voice.
The work looks inward without abandoning the codes of flamenco dance. Instead of presenting artistic identity as something already resolved, it turns exploration, doubt and discovery into stage material.
The ticketing platform announces an approximate running time of 80 minutes, doors opening at 20:45 and tickets from €11.60.
The closing performance will be on Saturday 21 November at 21:00 at Teatro María Luisa. Although the festival’s general programme uses the shortened name “Rancapino”, both the theatre and official ticket sales identify the artist as Rancapino Chico.
Son of the historic Rancapino, the singer has built his own career around an aesthetic deeply rooted in the flamenco of Cádiz. His recital closes the festival through cante after an edition that has moved through fusion, dance, an equestrian show, a Jerez-style fiesta and young creation.
The theatre announces an approximate running time of 80 minutes and official ticket sales currently show seats from €11.60.
The organisers have opted for a policy of affordable prices for performances at Teatro María Luisa. Information released for the fifth edition places tickets within a general range of €11 to €22.
As of 5 September, El Corte Inglés Entradas lists the four theatre shows with prices from €11.60: Macarena Ramírez, Fiesta de la Bulería, Lucía La Bronce and Rancapino Chico.
The festival’s official website links directly to this ticketing platform. We recommend buying only through official channels and checking the seating area, possible booking fees and applicable conditions for each performance before completing the purchase.
It is confirmed as free the Tomasito concert on 8 September in Plaza de España. The organisers explicitly announce free admission open to all audiences.
For Baile Flamenco Ecuestre, also in Plaza de España, the municipal agenda does not show a price or a specific ticket-sales link. We prefer not to present access as free until the organisers state this explicitly.
The four performances at Teatro María Luisa do require tickets. Although prices are low for a festival of this kind, availability may change as each date approaches.
View official ticket sales for the 5th Mérida Flamenco Festival.
The first two dates use Plaza de España, one of Mérida’s most recognisable urban spaces. On 8 September it hosts Tomasito and on 12 October the equestrian show.
The open-air format lets the festival leave the theatre and meet residents and visitors in the city centre. For these dates we recommend arriving early, especially when there are no numbered seats and visibility depends on where you manage to stand.
Using a public space forms part of the identity the festival has developed over its first five editions: combining heritage, the city and flamenco in different formats.
From 24 October, the programme is concentrated at the Teatro María Luisa, on Calle Camilo José Cela. The four advance-sale performances will take place there: Espina, Fiesta de la Bulería, Recóndito and Rancapino Chico.
The theatre offers a different experience from the square events: reserved seating, better acoustic conditions and a setting suited to choreographic works and recitals that reward attentive listening.
If you are travelling to Mérida specifically for one of these shows, buying in advance is the safest option. You can also visit our page on flamenco in Badajoz to explore more options in the province.
The fifth edition honours Extremaduran guitarist Miguel Vargas for his career and his contribution to the dissemination and preservation of flamenco. The festival presents him as a leading figure and an ambassador for Extremaduran culture both within Spain and abroad.
The tribute also has symbolic value in an anniversary edition. The Mérida Flamenco Festival does not simply bring in major names from the national circuit: it also seeks to strengthen the connection between flamenco and Extremadura by highlighting artists and careers linked to the region.
The official fifth-anniversary presentation took place on 1 July at Centro Cultural Alcazaba. That is why some communications from the organisers refer to seven major proposals, while the public-facing programme that matters now contains six dates between September and November.
The festival was founded in 2022 and reaches 2026 with an edition designed to consolidate Mérida as a flamenco destination. According to figures released by the organisers for the fifth anniversary, over these years it has involved more than 150 professionals, attracted more than 10,000 spectators and generated an estimated cumulative economic impact for the city of four million euros.
Previous editions have featured names such as José Mercé, Farruquito, Tomatito, Kiki Morente and Antonio Canales. In 2026 the approach combines established figures with contemporary creation and artists representing new generations.
That mix helps the festival avoid depending on a single type of audience: there are proposals for those seeking traditional cante, followers of dance, fans of fusion and people who want to discover flamenco through a highly visual show.
In October, another event with a similar name appears on the city’s calendar: Flamenco & Rumba Mérida Festival 2026, scheduled for 10 October at the bullring.
It is a different festival with its own organisers and line-up. It is not part of the 5th Mérida Flamenco Festival programme described in this guide. This distinction matters when searching for tickets, times or artists, because both events take place in Mérida and the Flamenco & Rumba event is only two days before the Equestrian Flamenco Dance on 12 October.
If you can choose only one date, the decision depends on the type of flamenco you are looking for.
Our most distinctive choice on the bill is the Fiesta de la Bulería because of the concentration of artists, its collective concept and the presence of different generations connected with Jerez. For anyone prioritising cante, the closing recital by Rancapino Chico is the clearest alternative.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When does it start? | 8 September 2026, with Tomasito at 21:00. |
| When does it end? | 21 November 2026, with Rancapino Chico at 21:00. |
| How many dates remain in the programme? | Six public dates between September and November. |
| Where does it take place? | Plaza de España and Teatro María Luisa, in Mérida. |
| Are there any free performances? | Yes. Tomasito on 8 September has free admission. |
| How much do theatre tickets cost? | The organisers announced €11 to €22; tickets are currently shown from €11.60. |
| Where can they be bought? | Through the festival’s official website and El Corte Inglés Entradas. |
| Who receives the festival award? | Extremaduran guitarist Miguel Vargas. |
The 5th Mérida Flamenco Festival reaches its anniversary with a compact but highly varied programme. In just over two months it moves from Tomasito’s heterodox approach to the traditional cante of Rancapino Chico, with dance, horses, contemporary creation and a major Jerez-style fiesta in between.
The combination of street activities and affordably priced performances is one of its strengths. So is the clarity of the timetable: all the main events begin at 21:00 and the final four are concentrated in the same theatre.
For a flamenco break in Extremadura, October and November offer the most interesting options. Anyone looking for a street experience has two dates in Plaza de España; those who want to secure a seat can book at Teatro María Luisa. In every case, it is worth checking times and availability through official channels before travelling.
The main public programme runs from 8 September to 21 November 2026, with six dates split between Plaza de España and Teatro María Luisa.
Tomasito opens the programme on Tuesday 8 September at 21:00 in Mérida’s Plaza de España, coinciding with Extremadura Day.
Yes. The organisers and Mérida City Council confirm that Tomasito’s concert has free admission.
The organisers announced affordable prices between €11 and €22. As of 5 September 2026, the ticketing site shows seats from €11.60 for all four theatre performances.
The Mérida Flamenco Festival website links official sales to El Corte Inglés Entradas. We recommend using those channels and avoiding unidentified intermediaries.
The main line-up includes Jesús Méndez, Tía Yoya, Tía Juana Carrasco, Juan Parrilla and Curro Carrasco, along with musicians and young talents linked to Jerez flamenco.
The general programme uses the shortened name Rancapino, while Teatro María Luisa and official ticket sales identify the 21 November performance as Rancapino Chico.
Extremaduran guitarist Miguel Vargas receives this edition’s award in recognition of his career and his contribution to the dissemination and preservation of flamenco.
No. It is a separate event held on 10 October at the bullring. It should not be confused with the 5th Mérida Flamenco Festival or its Baile Flamenco Ecuestre on 12 October.
The Fiesta de la Bulería on 31 October is one of the most complete proposals because of its collective character and strong links with Jerez. If your priority is cante, the Rancapino Chico recital on 21 November is an excellent choice.
In many cities, flamenco tablaos sell out easily, especially on weekends and during peak season. That’s why, if your dates are set, the most important thing is to book online.
Direct recommendation: book online through our website to guarantee your seat and arrive with everything confirmed. If you already have your destination, go straight to your city to see available options and clear recommendations.
Find out more about this with your favorite AI:
Did you like this article? Share it!:
Article published by:
An editorial selection of the must-see premieres and artists at Suma Flamenca Madrid 2026, with recommendations according to the kind of flamenco you want to experience.
Weekly guide to Seville from 5 to 11 October 2026: flamenco, Guitar Festival, peñas, Triana, culture, gastronomy and plans for the long weekend.
A practical guide to planning your evening after SICAB Seville 2026: FIBES dates and hours, getting to the centre, area-by-area plans and tablaos where you can book flamenco.
