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La Feria de Abril, Seville Fair, Seville, Spain

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The Feria de Abril, or Seville Fair is Spain´s most popular fiesta!

Through this lens I hope to bring readers closer to the Feria de Abril, sometimes known as the Feria de Sevilla, Seville's Spring Fair or the Seville Fair. This is one of the most popular of all Spanish festivals and it takes place every year in April, which is why it is called the Feria de Abril, Abril means April in Spanish. It was originally a cattle trading fair, and has become a great traditional party filled with dancing, horse shows, bull fights and great food and drink. It attracts a great deal of people to Seville every year, from all over the world, all wanting to take part in this wonderful spanish fiesta.

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Seville's Spring Fair

Originally from Seville, the 'Spring Fair' or 'Feria de Abril' is now one of Spain's biggest festivals and it grows every year. Many cities in Spain have adopted this Andalusian party as their own. This is perhaps because there are often large populations of Andalusians living and working in other cities, and throughout the years they have formed societies and groups through which they continue their particular customs and traditions. The colourful and jovial nature of the 'Feria de Abril' has meant that other regions have been only too happy to facilitate its celebration and to make it an annual feature of their own cities. Seville's fair can expect to attract tens of thousands of visitors on one of its busiest nights. What is all the fuss about?

Sevilla Giclee Print
Estela
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The 'Feria de Abril'

Some background information

The 'Feria de Abril' in Seville began as a cattle fair for buying and selling livestock way back in 1847. The original organisers were Jose Maria Ybarra and Narciso Bonaplata and, believe it or not, neither was Andalusian, one was from the Basque country and the other was Catalan. Lots of the traders who came to the fair were gypsies or of gypsy decent and they brought their traditions along with them. They would set up a caseta, tent structure where they would stay along with their livestock for the duration of the fair. One of their traditions was dancing and singing flamenco as well as playing musical instruments. It is also said that certain noblemen and women visiting the fair loved to watch the singing and dancing and would always encourage it, even setting up special areas in which this could take place. It did not take long for the fair to become extremely popular and for the air of festivity to become more and more central to the event. In 1890 the first posters were printed advertising the fair and in 1910 leaflets were also distributed. The traditional dresses for women to wear at the feria are based on the gypsy dresses which were worn by the traders' wives and sellers at the cattle fair. This is the traje de feria, a flamenco style dress with frills and polka dots in any colour of the rainbow. From about 1920 the fair began to look like the festival we know today, casetas were used to supply refreshments for the visitors which included not only those taking part in the trading but also artists, musicians, and fun lovers from all walks of life.

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The Feria de Sevilla - Today

The 'Feria de Abril' in Seville is now so popular that if you should wish to go you would have major difficulties finding somewhere to stay as all the hotels are booked out months before. People travel from all over the world to spend some time at the 'Feria de Abril'. Over the years it has become a centre of Andalusian culture and tradition including everything from bullfighting to tapas. The casetas or marquees which supply refreshments, food and music, have evolved from the original stables for livestock. There are now more than 1000 casetas at the fair in Seville. Some casetas are private and entry is by invitation only. Others are open to everyone. Traditionally there should always be a suelo de tablas, a wooden floor for dancing flamenco and sevillanas at the entrance of each caseta. During the day there are horse-riding exhibitions and bull fights, but the fair really comes alive at night. Tradition is to arrive at the fair after the afternoon bull fight in the early evening in time for some tapas. In the early evening there are usually some flamenco or sevillana exhibitions going on accompanied by some live music. There will be professionals and some very famous dancers and singers perform at the fair. But as it gets later the dance floors are filled with happy amateurs who may be taking flamenco classes or those who just have it in their blood!

Although the fair traditionally takes place during the 2nd fortnight of April (it is meant to take place two weeks after Easter), it is almost always cursed with rain. So much so that it has become traditional for the streets of the fair to be covered in mud and for people to expect the wet weather. Some years the rain has been so heavy that it has destroyed some casetas completely.

Feria de Abril Horseman with Girl in Traditional Dress, Sevilla, Andalucia, Spain

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What people wear at the Feria de Abril

During the Feria de Abril, visitors typically adopt the traditional Spanish Flamenco dress to blend in with the festivities and lend them even more colour and flair. Flamenco dresses for women are usually very brightly coloured dresses with large spots or polka dots and lots of frills. They are accompanied by large matching earings, high heeled shoes, and a magnificent headress with a large hair comb and flowers. The men are similarly spectacular. They wear the traditional horse man attire which includes tight high waisted trousers, and a shirt and waiscoat, and must be topped off by a classy horesman´s hat. This typical Andalusian and Sevillan dress goes with the character of the region and more specifically, the fair. It depicts passion, pride, beauty and flair.

Don´t be left out and make sure you get your hands on some typical dress if you ever go to the fair. You can get away with just adding some flowers to your hair or wearing a hat if you are a man. Ladies may also like to wear a brightly coloured shawl.

Even the little ones get dressed up for the Feria de Abril in Seville!

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Eating and drinking at the Feria de Abril

Tapas and lots more!

Eating and drinking is perhaps one of the most important aspects of the fair. Typical food includes a wide range of tasty tapas; fried fish, tortilla española, jamon serrano, peppers, montaditos, cold meats and many more. Or if you happen to be at the fair at lunchtime you are likely to find the casetas serving up a guiso or stew, often with potatoes or chickpeas and fresh cod.

All this food would not be the same without the drinks to accompany them. Manzanilla from Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Fino (sherry) from Jerez are the most typical of these. Beer is also popular as is the relatively new invention called Rebujito. Rebujito was created with 'light-weights' in mind or those who want to prolong their stay at the fair until the early morning. It is a mixture of Manzanilla and lemonade with lots and lots of ice.

The best way to fight the effects of the alcohol is to have a caldito del puchero, a soup which is said to revive the senses and is eaten with fresh mint. Once your feet can take the dancing no longer and you begin the journey home, do not forget to stop for breakfast! Traditionally people stop for a breakfast of hot chocolate and churros or buñuelos (fried pastries). From about 4am onwards there will be plenty of stalls selling these delights on your way out of the fair.