The Royal Fair was established under a royal warrant in June 1850 as a cattle show held in the area known as El Calvario, to the north of the city in the direction of San Roque.
The area was devoid of buildings at the time and was the starting point of a popular pilgrimage known as Los Pinos.
According to the poster and various contemporary writers, the first fair included fireworks, ship regattas, horse performances and even a bullfight called the toro de la veta, which was banned a few years later.
In addition to the entertainments and the cattle show, goods and craftworks from all parts of the Campo de Gibraltar could be bought at the fair.

The fair soon became very popular both in the city and neighboring towns.
Some of the temporary stalls erected for the annual show became permanent fixtures, which citizens of Algeciras visited on summer evenings.
Seven years after the first fair was held, Algeciras's first permanent bullring was constructed in its vicinity but had to be torn down after a few years because of problems with its construction.
The La Perseverancia bullring was built to replace it in 1866.
In 1877 a promenade called the Alameda de la Feria was constructed and had to be extended in 1914 to accommodate the number of people using it.

The site of the fair was moved in 1957 to a field north of the Parque María Cristina, due to pressure from development on its former location in El Calvario.
The fairground was entered through the park grounds, which were illuminated at night to facilitate drivers and horse riders.
The Royal Fair was established under a royal warrant in June 1850 as a cattle show held in the area known as El Calvario, to the north of the city in the direction of San Roque. The area was devoid of buildings at the time and was the starting point of a popular pilgrimage known as Los Pinos. According to the poster and various contemporary writers, the first fair included fireworks, ship regattas, horse performances and even a bullfight called the toro de la veta, which was banned a few years later. In addition to the entertainments and the cattle show, goods and craftworks from all parts of the Campo de Gibraltar could be bought at the fair.
The fair soon became very popular both in the city and neighboring towns. Some of the temporary stalls erected for the annual show became permanent fixtures, which citizens of Algeciras visited on summer evenings. Seven years after the first fair was held, Algeciras's first permanent bullring was constructed in its vicinity but had to be torn down after a few years because of problems with its construction. The La Perseverancia bullring was built to replace it in 1866. In 1877 a promenade called the Alameda de la Feria was constructed and had to be extended in 1914 to accommodate the number of people using it.
The site of the fair was moved in 1957 to a field north of the Parque María Cristina, due to pressure from development on its former location in El Calvario. The fairground was entered through the park grounds, which were illuminated at night to facilitate drivers and horse riders.
Royal Fair of Algeciras