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The Feria de Abril takes place just 2 weeks after Easter in Seville the capital city of Andalucia in Spain. This year (2012) it is being held from the 24th-29th April. Nowadays it is a fiesta of serious drinking, dancing, eating and socialising which often carries on throughout the night.
WHAT TO EXPECTEvery year a lavish “portada” or gateway is constructed on the entrance to the Feria. It is an important part of the fair and is considered to be a work of art. Local artists enter a competition to design it every year and the fair doesn’t officially start until the mayor turns on the 22,000 bulbs that adorn it. From there the fairgrounds light up section by section in a wave that has become a tradition and still makes newspaper headlines today. The lighting up ceremony (El Alumbrado) takes place at midnight on Monday, the first official night of the fair. The Feria de Abril takes place in the “Real de la Feria” in the Los Remedios area of Seville. It covers 1.2km2 and includes an amusement park called Calle de Infierno. There are also 12 streets housing over 1000 canvas tent pavillions (casetas) belonging to eminent local families, businesses, clubs and political parties. Most of the casetas are private and are only open to members and their guests however there are 7 public ones including the Caseta Municipal and 6 others representing the six areas of Seville.
As you walk through the fairgrounds you will be greeted by “Sevillana”, the official folk music of Seville. A lot of the participants will be dressed in traditional costumes, particularly those on horseback. The men in fitted trousers, short jacket and wide brimmed hats, the ladies in flamenco dresses with their hair in combs and sporting a shawl and fan.
If you are offered a glass of “Rebujito” don’t worry, it is simply a mix of Manzanilla (dry sherry) and lemonade. THE HISTORY OF THE FERIAThe Feria de Abril originally started in 1847 as a 3 day agricultural livestock fair. There were prizes given for the best bulls, oxen, rams and horses (both stallions and mares). The wives and families accompanied the farmers and farmhands to the fair and danced to entertain themselves while the men were busy with the livestock exhibitions and sales.
Very quickly the popularity of the fair grew and by 1850 there were more than sixty thousand head of livestock and licensing requests for 93 taverns, 34 turron stands and 15 doughnut stands. In the following years more attractions came including roundabouts, merry-go-rounds and a circus.
Paper lanterns have been strung across the fairgrounds every year since 1877, the casetas made their first appearance in 1893 and the fireworks lit up the skies for the first time surprisingly in 1864.
The fiesta was suspended during the civil war and the poverty stricken post-war 1940’s with only the cattle market taking place.
The Feria de Abril has achieved worldwide recognition and apart from being visited by Spanish royalty many times throughout the last century it also enjoyed the company of the Prince of Monaco and his wife Grace in 1966 along with Jackie Onasis (widow of J F Kennedy). HOW TO GET THERECar: You will not be able to park anywhere near the Real de Feria, instead park at the Charco de la Pava car park and catch the shuttle bus to the main recinto. Taxi: As you would expect, taxis are in high demand for this week and therefore predictably increase their fares drastically. The best time to get one from the Real is before 2am. Bus: This is by far the best option. If you are staying in the centre of Seville the C1, C2 and 41 all go to the recinto, and operate 24 hours a day. Metro: The nearest stops are Plaza de Cuba and Parque de los Principes Horse and carriage: This is an expensive option (costing around 100 Euros) but if you want to arrive in style and feel like a prince perhaps it is worth the kings ransom they will charge you.
FERIA DATESThe Feria usually starts on a Saturday and runs for nine days to the following Sunday night although officially it doesn’t kick off until midnight on the Monday night with the alumbrado. Based on the timescale of 2 weeks following Easter, we have calculated the following official start dates: | 2012 | 24-29 April | | 2013 | 16-21 April | | 2014 | 29 April to 4 May |
These dates are for information only and you should check with the Tourist Information Office in Seville before booking flights and accommodation. SUMMARY
In summary, the Feria de Abril is a tradition which paralyzes Seville for a whole week. The schools are on holiday, businesses shut down, the city is asleep, while the fairgrounds are abuzz with activity from noon to night - and beyond.
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