Marbella in October 2026 has four fixed dates worth planning around. Marbella 4Days Walking runs from 1 to 4 October, the beach clubs hold their closing parties on 3 and 11 October, the 21st Marbella International Film Festival runs from 7 to 12 October, and San Pedro de Alcántara holds its feria around the patron saint's day on 19 October. If you want a bed in town, aim for the first half of the month, because that is when Marbella is fullest.
Marbella 4Days Walking, 1 to 4 October
This is the 15th anniversary edition and the largest four-day walking event in Spain. Routes start in Marbella and run through the old town, the hills behind it and along the beach, in three tiers: 10 to 15 kilometres, 20 to 25 kilometres and 30 to 35 kilometres. Start times run between 08:00 and 11:30 depending on the distance you pick. Only 4,000 places are released, at €115 for all four days including the after parties or €35 for a single day, and Dutch and Belgian walkers take a large share of them.
The White Party opens the week on Wednesday 30 September, the evening before the first route, and on the Saturday the afternoon party runs on into the Neon Party. Day four is the Lago route, which finishes through the arch of the Via Gladiolo, and every walker has to be back by 16:00 for the day to count. If you are walking 30 kilometres a day, stay within reach of the start line in Marbella itself rather than out in Elviria.
Which Marbella beach clubs are having closing parties in October 2026?
Two of the big ones, a week apart, and both fall inside the first half of the month.
- Ocean Club Marbella, Saturday 3 October. The closing party at the saltwater pool in Puerto BanĂşs is the last day of its 2026 season. It is a daytime event, so it starts at lunch and winds down in the evening.
- Nikki Beach Marbella, Sunday 11 October. "Endless Summer" runs from 12:00 to 19:00 on the sand beside Hotel Don Carlos, on Marbella's eastern side, and closes the season there.
The warm-up is Nikki Beach's Cabaret Rouge red party on Sunday 27 September, 13:00 to 22:00, with an all-red dress code. Taken together that is three big beach club days inside a fortnight, and Ocean Club's 3 October lands on the Saturday of the walking weekend, so Puerto BanĂşs carries both crowds at once. That single Saturday is the tightest night for beds in the whole month.
Beds and tables at both clubs sell out first for closing weekends. Reserve directly with the club a few weeks ahead rather than on the day.
Our separate guide to the Marbella beach club closing parties 2026 covers both dates in full, and the guide to the best beach clubs in Marbella covers what each club actually charges. After 11 October the coast does not go dark. The chiringuitos in Elviria and Las Chapas stay open year round, they just get quieter.
Is October still warm enough for the beach?
Yes. Sea temperatures along this stretch of coast sit around 22 degrees through the month, and daytime highs hold in the mid twenties well into the final week. What changes is the crowd, not the weather. The chiringuitos stay open, the Paseo MarĂtimo is calm again, and you can get a table in Puerto BanĂşs at places that were fully booked in August. That combination is why October has become the coast's most useful shoulder month, and why it keeps appearing in our guide to the best time to visit Marbella.
Marbella International Film Festival, 7 to 12 October
The 21st edition runs from 7 to 12 October with the METT Hotel & Beach Resort as its hub. Alongside the red carpet screenings and the competitive categories for features, documentaries and shorts, the programme carries industry sessions: the Pitch Your Vision competition, a Fund Your Film financing masterclass, an Acting on Camera masterclass and an AI and Media Creation strand that is new for 2026. It brings a different visitor to the August crowd: weekday arrivals, longer stays, and little interest in a day bed.
Feria de San Pedro Alcántara, mid October
The feria in San Pedro de Alcántara builds around the patron saint's day on 19 October. Expect the Gigantes y Cabezudos parade, the official lighting ceremony, concerts at the Municipal Auditorium, shows at the Palenque and fireworks over the La Caridad fairground at the end. This one comes with a caveat: when we updated this guide on 21 September 2026 the Ayuntamiento de Marbella had not yet published the 2026 programme, and third-party listings point at the week of 13 to 19 October. Check marbella.es before you build a trip around a specific night. It matters most if you own in San Pedro de Alcántara, where feria week fills beds that would otherwise sit empty in the second half of the month.
What does October mean for Marbella rental owners?
October rewards owners who price by the fortnight rather than the month. Premavista manages 15 properties on this coast, nine of them in Marbella itself, and October needs two prices, not one. The first fortnight carries the walking event, both closing parties and the film festival. The second half suits longer stays and the start of the long-term season. Leave August rates in place all month and you lose the walkers. Drop to winter rates on 1 October and you give away festival week.
If you own a property here and want the first half of October priced properly, see our Marbella rental management service or our full holiday rental management package, then ask us for a rental income estimate or message us on WhatsApp on +34 600 543 173.
