The Estepona Literary Festival (FLEST) has established itself as one of the nation’s leading cultural events, drawing more than 4,000 attendees for its third edition

The arts and literature festival, organized by the City Council, featured such prominent figures as Rosa Montero, Enrique Vila-Matas, Brianda Fitz James Stuart, Paloma Sánchez-Garnica, Pedro Piqueras, and Estrella Morente

The third edition of the Estepona Literary Festival (FLEST), organized by the Estepona City Council at the Mirador del Carmen, has established this celebration of the arts and literature as one of the nation’s leading cultural events, both for the quality of its programming and for the public’s response, with more than 4,000 attendees at the various activities held this past weekend.

The Estepona Literary Festival is a landmark event for lovers of the arts and literature; a festival that breaks down the barriers between genres and disciplines in a cross-cutting and community-oriented way. The festival brings together leading figures in culture with the general public and involves bookstores throughout the province, making the reading experience more accessible to residents.

FLEST director Alejandro Simón Partal notes that this third edition was aimed “at all audiences, voices, and trends,” featuring a wide-ranging program that included activities focused on young adult literature and children’s workshops.

Although the official venue was the Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center, the festival took to the streets—specifically Calle Terraza—with the exhibition “El camino: From the Invisible to the Visible,” by multidisciplinary artist Brianda Fitz James Stuart—a journey through a selection of paintings in which each work represents a key word that has accompanied and inspired the artist throughout her artistic and personal journey.

For Mayor José María García Urbano, this third edition of FLEST represents another step forward in the City Council’s steadfast commitment to culture. “Estepona is moving forward in many ways, and one of them is undoubtedly culture. For years we have been committed to culture, the arts, and intellectual discourse, and this has been reflected not only in top-tier events like this festival but also in new facilities capable of hosting them.”

Since last Friday, the public has been able to share experiences with writers of the caliber of Rosa Montero and Marta Jiménez Serrano, and get to know artists up close, such as Estrella Morente—who headlined one of the most anticipated moments—Mario Vaquerizo, Topacio Fresh, and actress Belén Cuesta.

Also appearing at the Mirador del Carmen, filling the auditorium, were author Myriam M. Lejardi and thinkers Marta Peirano and Santiago Alba Rico, who discussed the future and

artificial intelligence; writer Enrique Vila-Matas, one of today’s most prominent European authors, whose work has been translated into 32 languages; the poet and philologist Luis Alberto de Cuenca, winner of the 2015 National Poetry Prize and the 2025 Reina Sofía Prize for Ibero-American Poetry; writer Sara Torres; historian Julián Casanova; author Paloma Sánchez-Garnica; and journalist and writer Pedro Piqueras.

FLEST Award

This year, as part of the festival, the City Council presented the FLEST Prize to writer Enrique Vila-Matas. This award recognizes the careers of creators who have successfully blurred the boundaries between literary genres and who, through experimentation, have helped propel contemporary literature into the future.

The artwork accompanying this award was designed by artist Juan Miguel Quiñones, who has reinterpreted some of the iconic ice creams that form part of his creative universe, crafting a unique piece that reflects the innovative spirit and forward-looking vision that inspire the Estepona Literary Festival.

The 3rd Estepona Literary Festival (FLEST) once again featured a book fair, where guest authors signed copies of their works following their presentations.