Malaga province residents continue to argue about Julio Iglesias and his ties to the Sierra de Las Nieves area as rumours grow about his possible summer return to the Costa del Sol, albeit under a cloud of controversy.

Previous council initiative stalls completely

Ojen local council have confirmed to the newspaper La Razón that no active talks exist with the singer over any museum dedicated to his extensive career. The town hall has stressed the idea belonged to an earlier administration and halted years ago. Juan Merino, the current mayor, stated clearly that negotiations never resumed after the initial proposal collapsed.

Artist twice declines local tributes

Former mayor José Antonio Gómez handled direct discussions with Iglesias around 2020. Local people hoped to honour the star with a dedicated space displaying fan-collected memorabilia. Gómez met the performer at his family estate and presented a full contract outlining project details. Iglesias responded that the timing felt wrong and rejected any cultural venture or media attention around it.

The refusal followed an earlier decline in 2017 when local politicians offered to name him an adoptive son of Ojen. Both gestures received polite but firm rejections from the artist, mostly due to timing and almost certainly related to privacy concerns.

The intended location sits unused

Planners earmarked council cultural buildings close to the main square for the proposed museum. Those same facilities now remain idle, originally destined for the local Casa de la Cultura.

Warm lasting memories from the 2002 town crier role

Everyone in Ojen holds deep affection for Julio Iglesias, who owns the Cuatro Lunas mansion there. He created lasting impressions during the San Dionisio Fair when he agreed to serve as the traditional pregonero who officially opens local ferias. Crowds gathered in delight as the global icon delivered an opening speech from the stage.

Iglesias appeared in excellent spirits. His wife Miranda stayed away due to illness, yet he conveyed her fondness for the village. He recalled how Ojen marked her first sight of Malaga upon arrival and shared her warm greetings to all the residents.

Future uncertain despite strong local connection

Iglesias maintains one of his Spanish homes in this small community, where he left clear traces in social and cultural life. While the museum project stays on semi-permanent hold, fond recollections from his public appearances keep his link to Ojen alive among locals.

Spanish Bon Jovi tribute act Bad name are coming to Estepona on Saturday, May 16, and rock fans among us should not miss it. The Seville-based group with over 15 years of live performance experience, will rock the stage at Louie Louie in Estepona’s Marina. 

Who are Bad Name?

Founded in 2007, Bad Name are an extremely successful Seville-based tribute to Bon Jovi, whose live shows cover the New Jersey band’s career from their earliest recordings right through to their most recent work. The talented current members are Jaime Lopez on vocals, Alberto Sanchez-Ros on bass, Justo Rodriguez on drums, Diego Martinez on guitar, and Toni Fernandez on guitar.

The band takes its name from classic belter You Give Love a Bad Name, Bon Jovi’s huge 1986 single, which became the group’s first ever number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It was a bold choice of name, and a fitting one. Bad Name have spent nearly two decades proving they can do justice to one of rock’s most beloved catalogues. Audience rave reviews consistently hype up the band, with one fan calling them the best Bon Jovi tribute they had ever attended. High praise for the 5 members. 

Ticket prices and venue details

Bad Name are performing at Louie Louie Live, Avenida Luis Braille 1, known as Estepona’s home of rock music. Advance tickets are priced at €12 (plus booking fees) and are available via Entradium. On the door, tickets will cost €15, so booking ahead is advised. It’s one for the night owls as doors open at 10pm, with the show kicking off at 11pm. For more information visit the Louie Louie website or Bad Name social media.

A night not to miss

Enjoy the rush of screaming “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “It’s My Life”. A Bad Name show is as close to the real thing as it gets. Grab your tickets early.

Registration has officially opened for the biggest night race of the summer in the Mar Menor area, taking place on the first Saturday of July. The 2026 edition of the Aidemarcha, which this year will mark its 16th year, has a total of 3,000 bib numbers available for participants and the turnout is expected to be huge as people from all over the Costa Calida and beyond gather to participate.

A race with a charitable heart in the Mar Menor

The race is being organised by Aidemar, a non-profit organisation in the Region of Murcia that aims to facilitate inclusion for children with disabilities. It has been carrying out activities and charitable work in service to those with disabilities since 1982. Along with the association, the San Javier Town Council is also participating in the organisation of this major sports event.

The Mini Aidemarcha race, which is aimed at children, will kick off the event in the starting area, located next to Almansa Park in the municipality of San Javier. The walkers participating in the race will cover a distance of 3 kilometres, whereas the runners will cover 5 kilometres, departing from the same point and finishing the race at the Barnuevo esplanade in Santiago de la Ribera.

The sporting event will also have a strong charitable aspect, as all the proceeds from the race will go towards the maintenance and improvement of the various Aidemar centres in the Region of Murcia, according to organisers.

A communitywide collaboration: How to participate in Aidemarcha 2026

More than 100 volunteers will assist with the organisation and setup of the race, including the start, finish, course, entertainment, and bib number collection. In addition, 62 companies are collaborating to make the event possible.

Registrations can be made through the official race website, aidemarcha.com. A total of 1,500 bibs are available for walkers, 1,000 for runners, and 500 for the Mini Aidemarcha race, which allows participants up to the age of 13. The price is €10 for walkers and runners, and €5 for the children’s race.

According to San Javier’s Councillor for Sports, Sergio Martínez, Aidemarcha is the sporting event with the highest registration of all those held in the municipalities. This race also forms part of the popular race league in the Region of Murcia.