Before anything else: Wednesday’s train crash near Urda, in Toledo, has cost dozens of lives on the line that links Andalusia with Madrid, and Andalusia has declared three days of official mourning. My thoughts are with everyone affected. Some events may change during the mourning period; I checked everything as late as I could before sending.

It is a long weekend. Todos los Santos, All Saints’ Day, falls on Sunday, when many Spanish families visit the graves of their loved ones, and Andalusia gives everyone Monday 2 November off as well. Halloween goes ahead on Saturday, and the details are below.

Here’s everything worth doing.

Fifty years ago next Tuesday, Carrie opened in Spanish cinemas, and Estepona has marked the anniversary with a week of Stephen King at the Teatro. It ends on Thursday and Friday, and on Saturday the town’s Halloween party takes over the Palacio. Free unless noted.

Thu 29 October, 19:30 · Stephen King week, 📍Teatro Auditorio Felipe VI. On tonight, as this lands. Estepona writer Julio Peces Ruiz presents Stephen King, The Art of Horror, his book with illustrations by Málaga designer Andrés Antúnez, followed at 20:30 by Stand by Me, Rob Reiner’s 1986 film of King’s novella The Body. One thing to know: the council lists it under its Spanish title, Cuenta conmigo, which usually means dubbed.

Fri 30 October, 20:30 · Sinfonía del terror, 📍Teatro Auditorio Felipe VI. The Ciudad de Jaén Symphonic Band gives the first half to King on screen (It, Misery, Carrie, The Dead Zone, Salem’s Lot), the second to classic film scores such as Jaws, Alien and Psycho. The free invitations went fast and are all gone, so this one is for those who already have theirs.

Sat 31 October, 19:00 · Halloween Party Estepona, 📍Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos. A family party with a costume contest at its centre: 500€ each for the five best groups and 100€ each for the ten best individual costumes. No registration needed, just come in costume; the prizes are handed out at 21:30.

The rest of the programme, by age:

The King Universe exhibition of posters and memorabilia, at the Teatro since Monday, can be visited at the Palacio on the night too. The bar is run by the Hermandad del Carmen at local prices, and the council mentions no entry fee.

Halloween events in Cancelada and Manilva are listed just below in This Week.

Family Halloween afternoons in Cancelada and Manilva, a few late nights in the bars, a new exhibition and a coffee morning for the holiday Monday. Free unless noted.

From Thu 29 October · Cañón de la luz, 📍Casa de las Tejerinas. About a dozen abstract works by Korean painter Kana Ji, trained in Seoul, built from gold and silver pigment, torn paper and layer upon layer of fragments. Her subject, in her own words, is the light that remains once things have fallen apart. Tuesday to Friday 09:00 to 20:00, Saturday 09:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 20:00, until 11 November.

Fri 30 & Sat 31 October · 140 Tumbas: Pasaje del Terror, 📍Castillo de la Duquesa · Manilva. 3€. A Halloween walk-through attraction inside the castle, performed by students of Manilva’s municipal school of music, dance and theatre. Groups go in every 15 minutes, 20:00 to 22:00 and again 22:45 to midnight. Tickets from Papelería Ingenio in Manilva and Cafetería Nenit in Sabinillas, with the money going to a local parents’ association.

Fri 30 October, 16:00 · Halloween in Manilva village, 📍Plaza de la Vendimia · Manilva. 3€. An afternoon of workshops, face painting, shows and prize draws for families until 22:30, entry including a snack for the children. Thoughtful touch: the first hour, 16:00 to 17:00, is kept quiet for anyone sensitive to noise. From 18:00 an esoteric market sets up nearby in Calle Mar (crystals, candles, tarot), and at 20:00 the CIVIMA auditorium hosts En honor a los que no están, a gentle evening of readings and a sound bath to remember loved ones, booking on 682 63 98 07. The square closes the night with a party for teenagers from 23:00.

Fri 30 October, 17:00 · Halloween Cancelada, 📍Plaza de la Juventud, Cancelada. A neighbourhood Halloween with mask painting for children, a show at 17:30 and the costume parade at 19:00, with cash prizes: 50€ for the best child’s costume (up to 14), 100€ for the best adult, 200€ for the best group of four or more. At 20:00 a local flamenco academy closes with a themed dance. There’s a bar and a roast-chestnut stall.

Fri 30 October, 23:00 · Halloween with DJ Sandro Banzai, 📍Louie Louie. The rock bar’s Halloween warm-up, for those who start late.

Sat 31 October, 21:30 · Howl-a-ween Charity Music Night, 📍The Quays · Manilva. Live music from Frankie, raffles and donations for the animal charity ADANA, and prizes for the best-dressed.

Sat 31 October, 22:00 · Kararocker, 📍Louie Louie. Karaoke, rock bar style: by the look of the name, the microphone is yours.

Sat 31 October, 22:00 · House District: The History of House Music, 📍Coral by OB. For anyone who would rather skip the costume: a Saturday night through the story of house music, with two gin and tonics for the price of one.

Sat 31 October, midnight · Halloween Retro Music, 📍Louie Louie. Three DJs on retro duty into the small hours. Pay on the door; the price isn’t published.

Mon 2 November, 11:00 · AREME Coffee Morning, 📍Rick’s, Puerto de Estepona. Whether you arrived years ago or last month, you’re welcome; no booking, just turn up. A decent use of a holiday morning.

Started earlier, still worth your time, and this week three of them bow out. Free unless noted.

Huber goes from gypsy swing to the blues across the weekend, Sunday offers three very different sets on the holiday eve, and an American rock ’n’ roll band rounds off the week at Louie Louie. Free unless noted.

Thu 29 October, 19:30 · Patricia Roe, 📍The Fairway Bar. On tonight, as this lands: an easy Thursday evening set to start the long weekend early.

Fri 30 October, 20:00 · Mostaza Jazz Manouche Swing, 📍Huber Art & Food. 20€. Gypsy jazz in the Django Reinhardt tradition. Book ahead on 608 359 656.

Sat 31 October, 20:00 · Blues Night, 📍Huber Art & Food. 20€. A blues evening at Huber. Same booking number.

Sun 1 November, 19:00 · Hombre Invisible, 📍Estudio Padrón. A duo from Tarifa, just guitar, voice and drums, playing together for four years. Proof, by their own account, that you don’t need many instruments to make some noise.

Sun 1 November, 20:00 · Steve Anderton, 📍Rose & Thistle · Manilva. Dire Straits, Springsteen, Pink Floyd and Prince for a Sunday night with Monday off.

Sun 1 November, 20:30 · Jimmy Cornett Unplugged Tour, 📍Louie Louie. An acoustic set. Pay on the door; the price isn’t published.

Wed 4 November, 22:00 · Supersuckers, 📍Louie Louie. 22€. The American rock ’n’ roll veterans, who modestly bill themselves as “The World’s Greatest Rock ’n’ Roll Band”. A rare midweek reason to stay up. The ticket page says 22:00, the venue’s own website 23:30, so check before you set off.

More music elsewhere in this issue: Dr. Jones plays the Halloween party at the Palacio on Saturday, Frankie sings for ADANA at The Quays the same night, and a symphonic band plays film scores at the Teatro on Friday.

The street signs you never noticed

Walk through the old town and you could find your way without reading a single street name. The flowerpots on the white walls are not one colour: each street has its own, and the council treats that colour as part of the street’s identity.

None of it is left to chance. The pots are painted at the municipal plant nursery, which also grows almost all the flowers that fill them, many of them geraniums. The project started in 2012 under the name “Estepona, Jardín de la Costa del Sol”, and by the council’s own count the town now looks after more than 20.000 pots and flower displays, watered by small tanker trucks that work their way through the lanes.

Next time you wander from one street into the next, watch the colour change. It’s the quietest kind of signpost.

The markets that come round every week, so you always know what's on where.

Wednesdays · Mercadillo de Estepona. The big traditional one: fruit, veg, clothes, shoes and household bits at local prices. 📍Calle Francia / Calle Alemania, 09:00 to 14:00.

Sundays · Mercadillo de Puerto. A smaller, breezier affair by the marina: clothes, bags, jewellery and local art, with a coffee on the terraces after. 📍Puerto Deportivo, 09:00 to 14:00.

Sundays · Mercadillo Plaza de Toros. A flea market for antiques, collectibles and bric-a-brac at the bullring. One catch: it doesn't run every Sunday, so best to check before you head over. 📍Plaza de Toros, 09:00 to 15:00.

Sundays · Mercadillo Rastro, Sabinillas. One of the coast's best-loved flea markets, with over 100 stalls: second-hand finds, antiques, vinyl and a growing row of local craft sellers. 📍Recinto Ferial de San Luis, 09:00 to 14:00.

Good to know: All Saints falls on a Sunday this year, and none of the regulars run on Mondays, so the holiday shouldn’t shift the weekly rhythm. If you hear otherwise, hit reply.

Nothing beyond the borders this week that beats what’s on at home. The neighbours will be back next Thursday.

One night only, numbered seats, a 600-seat hall: here the thing to book is the seat.

A Saturday night, a 600-seat hall and the biggest rock songbook of them all: the kind of evening that fills up quietly while everyone is busy with Christmas plans.

Sat 28 November, 21:00 · Queen Forever Tribute, 📍Teatro Auditorio Felipe VI. 38,50€. The tribute band that made its name on Got Talent España recreates Queen from Live Aid to Wembley ’86, costumes and all, now with Francisco Fernández as Freddie. Well over half the seats were already gone at the time of writing. Recommended from age 14. Full details nearer the date.

However you spend the long weekend, take care of yourselves and each other.

Until next week.
Stefan