Advertisement

Spanish traditions For Members

All the fun of the fair: A guide to Seville's Feria de Abril in 2023

The Local Spain
The Local Spain - [email protected]
All the fun of the fair: A guide to Seville's Feria de Abril in 2023
Everything you need to know about Seville's 'Feria de Abril'. Photo: CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP

As Seville prepares to celebrate its famed April Fair, here's everything you need to know about one of the Andalusian capital's most important festivals.

Advertisement

What’s happening this year?

Seville's iconic Feria de Abril is back this year with much anticipation. This will be the second celebration since it was suspended for two years during the Covid-19 pandemic. This year's event will include all the typical decorations, bunting, lights and marquees that usually adorn the city as well as a funfair for children, and of course the traditional flamenco trajes (costumes). 

This year's event will run from Sunday April 23rd to Saturday April 29th. Wednesday April 26th will also be a public holiday within the city. As well as the 26th, schools will also be off on April 27th and 28th. 

The 2023 edition of the fair will cover a total of 450,000 square meters housing 1,053 casetas or marquees. Held in the neighbourhood of Los Remedios, it will encompass 15 streets, which will all be named after famous bullfighters. The other part of the fair will be held on Calle del Infierno, where you'll find all the attractions such as fairground rides and games.

What's new for this year? 

Every year the fair pays homage to one of Seville's city monuments and recreates it as the main festival gateway. This year it will be Plaza de España, designed by the architect Aníbal González, and the Teatro Coliseo España, by José and Aurelio Gómez Millán.

There will also be LED lamps like last year, decorating the fair to save energy and reduce CO2 emissions.

READ ALSO: Twelve memorable things to do on a short visit to Seville

Advertisement

What is a feria?

Feria, as you might have guessed, means fair in English and is a week-long event celebrated at a different time of year for each city and town, primarily in Andalusia.

Most of these fairs are typically celebrated during the spring or autumn, but there are some in the summer. If you’re familiar with the American or British concept of a fair: junk food, roller-coasters, games and booze, you’ll find the Spanish version not much different.

Like most things in Spain though, it is steeped in a distinct tradition all its own. So whether you’re planning to attend or have accidentally stumbled into an Andalusian city during feria (and found everything that’s not within a stone’s throw of the fairgrounds closed). Here’s a quick guide that covers Seville's feria

A woman in typical Sevillian attire poses next to horses during the 'Feria de Abril' in Seville. Photo: CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP
 

Entrance 

Most towns and cities have a fairground area where casetas or large tents are erected every year and rented to local businesses, restaurants and organisations. Ninety percent of what you’ll see when you step through the colourfully-tiled archway (the signature entry point for all fairgrounds) in any feria is blocks and blocks of casetas, in front of a backdrop of roller-coasters and attractions.

Usually at most southern Spanish ferias the casetas contain bars where food and drinks are served, a dance floor and tables. There are no entrance restrictions or fees, anyone can enter the fairgrounds, any caseta they choose and partake enjoy the food and drink. The exception to this rule, interestingly enough pertains to the city which also has the largest feria, Feria de Abril or the Seville Feria. Anyone can enter the fairgrounds, but there are few public casetas at the Seville Feria, most are privately owned, purchased by families, social groups and businesses who have restricted their casetas to respective members.

Advertisement

For this reason, most Andalusians will tell you that "Feria de Sevilla es para los Sevillanos", (the Seville fair is for locals) which sums it up. Feria de Abril is a spectacle to see regardless, but not as much fun unless you know someone or ideally more than one person who will grant you entrance to their caseta.  Luckily all of the cities and large towns in Andalusia celebrate feria, and very few have private casetas, so you have many other options to experience feria if you’re not "well connected" in Seville.

Dress 

People in typical Sevillian costumes during the 'Feria de Abril' festival in Seville. Photo: CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP
 

So you’ve seen the gorgeous women in the gorgeous dresses and are either thinking (depending on what kind of girl you are) do I have to do all that? Or how do I do that? No, you don’t have to break the bank and buy a €200-€500 traje de flamenco to attend, but the traje is a significant part of the experience.

Yes, the dresses are expensive, but most natives have at least two or three (that they’ve accumulated over the years) and rotate them throughout the week. If you’re a non-native, you might be lucky enough to have friends around your size who will loan you their dresses to wear. You can also hit up Humana (the Goodwill or Salvation Army of Spain) during feria season and you’re bound to find something south of €100.

Advertisement

And don’t forget your complementos! The typical flowers, earrings and bracelets are a must if you’re wearing a traje, but these can be found at any of the bazaars. In many cities, women don’t begin to wear their trajes until after the second or third day of feria.

Horses are big protagonists during Seville's Feria de Abril. Photo: CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP
 

If you were one of the women who said, "do I have to do all that?" there’s good news: dressy casual attire is also completely appropriate and you’ll blend right in, as half of the women will be wearing the same. In some towns you’ll see the style of dress leaning more towards casual for those who opt not to wear a traje, but dressy casual is a safer option if you’re unsure.

Since much of the walking pathway is dirt, wear heels at your own risk, low wedges or flats are a safer choice since you’ll also be spending many hours on your feet. Last but not least, if you’re a guiri (foreigner) and dress in a traje be ready for plenty of attention, Spaniards love to see foreigners in the traje de flamenco.

As usual, the men have it much easier, the traditional traje de corto is only worn by horse riders and carriage drivers. Therefore your average guy just wears button-down shirts and slacks or jeans.  

Advertisement

Food and drink 

Pescaíto frito or fried fish is the most typical food at feria; menus also contain all of the other typical Spanish foods, jamón (ham), montaditos (small sandwiches) etc. and you’ll find the food prices to be slightly higher than usual, as you’d probably expect.  

Amongst the casetas you’ll see cotton candy or candyfloss, churros, buñuelos (like fritters or doughnuts), and hamburger stands if you’re just looking for a quick snack or sweets. Just make sure you’re not looking for high-quality Spanish cuisine, no one goes to feria to eat. It’s a fast-food atmosphere, so the food isn’t generally speaking of the highest quality.

Rebujito is the typical alcoholic beverage of feria, it is a dry white sherry called manzanilla that is mixed with Sprite. Rebujito is consumed in tiny almost shot-sized glasses that make it seem like it's a lot stronger than it is but underestimate it and you’re sure to wake up with a hangover you’ll never forget. Beer, as always, is commonplace as well, and if you didn’t already know, CruzCampo is the beer of the south.

Music 

Expect plenty of flamenco music and sevillanas dancing at the Feria de Abril. Photo: CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP
 

One of the coolest parts of feria is the Sevillanas dance. It's the traditional dance that women and men do together, that’s sweet and relatively simple. Most girls begin to learn Sevillanas from the time they’re seven or so, and surprisingly enough, it’s a dance that at least half of the male Sevillanos polled know as well, which is pretty impressive. 

Advertisement

Once you’ve heard a Sevillanas song, you’ll never forget it because they all sound very similar. You can always find casetas with contemporary pop music too. There are usually a few and after a certain hour and are the equivalent of a club. If you’ve got the initiative though, there are Sevillanas classes in most cities. 

This article was partly written by Ayan Ajanaku, a former Seville resident. It originally appeared on Las Morenas de España, an online community for black people in Spain that no longer exists. It was updated in April 2023 by The Local journalists. 

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also