La Feria de Abril, Sevilla
When is the Feria de Abril?
Two weeks after the processions of Semana Santa take their last steps, the atmosphere brims with the color, music, and merriment of the Feria de Abril. The dates change, but you can usually plan on late April or early May.
Where is the Feria de Abril?
While smaller spring fairs take place throughout Spain, the Feria de Abril in Seville is the undisputed king of them all.
Feria de Abril Traditions
With the quick flick of a switch, over 22,000 bulbs bathe Seville's expansive fairgrounds in joyful light. This first night of the Feria de Abril, the Alumbrao, features the brilliant lights adorning the fairgrounds and the massive main gate - designed and constructed anew each year - as they flicker to life for the first time of the year, marking the beginning of a week of dancing, music, and basking in the joyous Sevillian culture. This week also sees the best bullfights of the season, so be sure to bring your white handkerchief and follow the Sevillians to the Maestranza bullring. ¡Olé!
Pass through the towering gate into the festive realm of the Feria de Abril and you'll see over 1000 striped "casetas" (tents) lining the streets. These casetas, owned by groups of friends, families, organizations, or political parties, serve as miniature homes, intimately decorated by its owners and complete with a kitchen, a bar, and tables and chairs for enjoying scrumptious tapas and wine.
The lively songs coming from within each caseta during the Feria de Abril are sevillanas, four-part songs with accompanying four-part dances that Sevillians begin learning as soon as they take their first steps as children. The bright, polka-dotted flamenco dresses of the women, the men on horseback donning traditional clothing of farm-workers, and groups getting out of adorned horse-drawn carriages complete the atmosphere with a unique air of tradition that the cheerful Sevillians are happy to show off.
Instead of slowly winding down, the Feria de Abril concludes with a literal bang as fireworks launch into the sky in Seville's spectacular fireworks display.
History of the Feria de Abril
The Feria de Abril certainly didn't begin as the sensational fiesta we see today. Instead of polka-dot dresses swirling to lively music there were cattle. It began in 1847 as a livestock and agriculture fair and over the years evolved into a purely Sevillian tradition. Erected tents, which eventually led to the "casetas" lining the current grounds, served to keep businessmen cool beneath the scorching sun, and small food stands slowly began setting up camp at the fairgrounds.
Soon, Sevillians began flocking to the fair, and in their larger than life manner made it their own. The livestock stalls phased out and the festival began to turn more and more into an occasion to eat, drink, dance, and have a fantastic time. As a result, the Feria de Abril grew exponentially over the years, to the point where the original fairgrounds just weren't big enough. Now, the Feria de Abril has its own fairgrounds, used only during this special week.
