In less than a week, exactly on Saturday, April 30 at midnight, the Royal Feria de Sevilla will be switching its ‘Alumbrado’
This year Seville is bringing the lighting up before so the fair can start in April and call it as such, even if it extends all the first week of May. A week ahead full of lanterns, frills, polka dots, flamenco… and bulls.
It’s the most important fair with the biggest economic impact of Andalusia. It had its origins in the mid-nineteenth century when it an agricultural and livestock fair was celebrated and it was incorporating taverns, kiosks and exhibitions as it was growing. The party around took a leading role until it became the main reason for the celebration.
Candela Vázquez photo, front of 2016.
It starts one or two weeks after Easter and begins with the ‘alumbrao’, which is the switched on of the great cover that has the ‘Real de la Feria’ adorned with thousands of light bulbs. Currently the fairground is located in the neighborhood of Los Remedios and it has more than a thousand ‘casetas’ (booths). Everything is decorated with light bulbs covered with paper, called ‘farolillos’ (lanterns), flowers and the ground is albero (typical yellow sand of the bullrings). The streets have names of famous bullfighters and there are public, free access, or private ‘casetas’, which are the majority and where you can only be access with an invitation or with a partner. Inside you can eat and drink; it’s typical the “pescaíto” fried, the ‘rebujito’ or churros with chocolate. They also have ‘tablao’ and innumerable groups of music to dance ‘sevillanas’, ‘flamenco’ or ‘rumbas’ until late…
People come with their best clothes: women dressed as ‘flamencas’ and men in ‘corto’ (typical clothes) or with a suit and tie. And they go to all events in that way, so the atmosphere in the bullring of La Maestranza, which hosts the bullfighting fair, is the most elegant. By the fairground you can only drive in a horse carriage, so the print of those days is magical and unmatched.
In 2017 is dedicated to the Expo of 1992 when it reaches the 25th Anniversary.
Horse carriage in the ‘Real’.
La Maestranza started the season on Easter Sunday, but it is this afternoon when the first bullfight of the April Taurine Fair is celebrated. Diego Urdiales, El Cid and Joselito Adame face a bullfight of Fuente Ymbro. From Wednesday 12 consecutive afternoons in which many of the figures, the bullfighters of the fans and the young ones wishing to succeed ; as well as some of the most important livestocks of the Spanish ‘dehesa’.
Last year ended so high with the pardon of Cobradiezmos and the opening of the desired Puerta del Príncipe. A new opportunity starting today to decide part of the season and, why not, making history.
Have a nice week ‘taurinos’!
