English
This spring, the traditional Seville´s April Fair will be held from 3-8 May in the popular district of Los Remedios, where it has been held since 1973. It is an area of ??a kilometer and a half long and half a kilometer wide, where the streets are decorated with lanterns, where you can see horses, horsemen and carriages, people singing and dancing day and night showing off their gorgeous sevillanas and popular flamenco dresses.
The beginnings of the April Fair date back to August 25, 1846, when Mr. José María de Ybarra (Basque) and Narciso Bonaplata (Catalan) drafted a proposal which they led to the City Council, where they asked to be authorized to organize an annual fair on days 19th, 20th and 21st of April. They were granted permission after several meetings and negotiations with the mayor. In March 1847, Queen Elizabeth II granted Sevilla the privilege of fair, and the following April the 3-day fair was held for the first time.
The first livestock fair was at the Prado de San Sebastian and was very successful. It consisted only of 19 stands, that mixed farming and fun.
It was from 1920 when the fair started to be more similar to what’s now, which is currently visited by many foreigners, onlookers, partiers and mostly artists and celebrities that give it an air of glamour.
The main gate to the show is very characteristic, which stands at the fair since 1949. This gate is hand-made decorated is dedicated each year to some event or important monument of the city: the Torre del Oro, the Giralda of Seville, the centenary of football teams Betis and Sevilla … Since 1950, due to the large crowds, the fair was divided into a space for livestock and another space for fun.
Seville Fair begins with the night of “Pescaíto” where you eat fried fish and drink fino or Manzanilla wine; followed by spectacular night lighting where thousands of bulbs lit the streets of the fair and its brand gate; it finishes with night of shutdown of the bulbs and the display of a fireworks castle.
In the Seville fair public there are free access stands and private stands, which can only be accessed if you are invited by a member of stand, which is not difficult because of the friendliness and generosity that characterizes Seville people. There are also attractions for children and live entertainment.
To go to the fair the best option is to take the buses that leave from the Prado de San Sebastian in the city center. You’d better not get the car, so that you can happily taste the exquisite Manzanilla and fino wines, and fully enjoy this wonderful event. For more information, visit the website: http://feriadesevilla.andalunet.com/
Luis Varela
To attend this fair and enjoy a good rest do not forget to rent apartments in Seville You’d better start taking lessons to dance Sevillanas and integrate in this popular festival.?
