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The April Fair (Seville)
It's one of the most authentically Andalusian festivals. We'll tell you some facts you didn't know about the famous April Fair.
If there is a festival that serves as a showcase for the way of feeling and living the party in Andalusia, that is the Seville April Fair. An explosion of color, music, and folklore that must be visited at least once in a lifetime.
The origins of the fair, however, had nothing to do with celebration but with business. In 1846, the cattle farmers Narciso Bonaplata, of Catalan origin, and José María de Ybarra, born in the Basque Country, requested the means to organize a livestock fair. The relevant agencies granted permission to hold it in March 1847, so the organizers set a goal to hold it the following month.
This fair was very successful. People from all over Andalusia attended the event, making it necessary to provide visitors with places for rest and fun. So in 1850, the first "casetas" (tents) intended for this purpose were set up. Shortly thereafter, the number of small leisure enclosures was so large that it became necessary to separate them from the area dedicated exclusively to the sale of livestock.
The April Fair ended up establishing itself as a massive event where music, gastronomy, and the desire to have a good time prevailed; therefore, the sale of animals ended up becoming an equestrian and bullfighting exhibition. Likewise, there were changes in its location. Until 1972, it took place in the Prado de San Sebastián, but the growing influx of the public made it necessary to move it to the Los Remedios neighborhood. In addition to this change of location, the 1973 April Fair is remembered because it had to be scheduled for the first days of May. But in a resolution worthy of the rogue and ingenious Andalusian character, the problem was solved with the inauguration at 9:00 PM on April 30th.
If we go through Seville and want to find the fair, there is no need to ask. It is enough to locate the spectacular entrance gate (portada) illuminated with thousands of light bulbs placed at the entrance. It is a construction that changes in design and theme every year. This tradition dates back to 1922, when the large gate of the Prado de San Sebastián had to be demolished and was replaced by a small structure that would eventually evolve into the monumental constructions we see today.
Once we have passed through the entrance gate, we must keep several things in mind. Unless we know someone who knows someone who can "sneak" us into one of the private tents, we will only be able to access the public ones, which are usually crowded.
Another issue is the clothing: it is not essential to get a "flamenca" or "faralaes" dress to visit the fair; but it is also not appropriate to go in a t-shirt and sneakers. Although it is a colorful festival, it is something very serious and one must be formal if one cannot be traditional.
Once these recommendations are made, we only have one favor to ask: enjoy yourselves as much as you can, for this fair only lasts six days.