Light, colour, and a lot of joy. Every year, Sevilla is taken over by its 'Feria de Abril', the fair of all fairs, a microcosm where the idiosyncrasy of the city unfolds with all its charm and power of seduction.
> Official information from Seville City Council
Seville’s Feria de Abril begins the night of the “alumbrao”, the inaugural moment when all the fairground lights are lit. This is also the night the traditional “pescaíto frito” (fried fish) is tasted in the stands. After a week of constant celebration, the Fair concludes with a great fireworks display over the Guadalquivir River.
The Fair is like a small, ornate town: an ephemeral world where the houses are booths, lit with lanterns and all the streets are named for legendary bullfighters.
Every year, a monumental colourful facade is erected at the entrance to commemorate a monument of the city of Seville. The facade is lit with thousands of light bulbs and is the traditional meeting place for Sevillians.
"La Portada" is a great meeting point to enjoy a day at the Fair.
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We can say that there is a particular fair calendar. There are people in Seville who live for the “noche del alumbrao” (night of the lighting) as if it were New Year’s Eve. The lighting of the facade is like the marking of a year, a new year full of illusions and emotions that develop brilliantly during the week. As if a whole life were concentrated into one single week.
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The streets are covered with a chalky, yellow sand from the neighbouring town of Alcalá de Guadaira. This sand is traditionally used in the gardens of Seville and in the bullrings.
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The streets through Fair are lit with thousands of bulbs covered with “farolillos” (special spherical screens of folded paper).
- The Seville’s Feria was founded in 1846.
- The flamenco costume was consecrated in Seville for the 1929 Expo.
- Manzanilla is the wine of the Feria: 1.5 million bottles are consumed.
- The unique style of the booths was designed by the painter Gustavo Bacarisas.
- The “Feria de Abril” is 75,000 square metres and has 1,051 booths.
