abril / April
La Feria de abril
Seville’s April Fair
Background information
Seville’s April Fair, La Feria de abril, is a weeklong festival of flamenco dancing, singing,
eating and drinking. This festival began as a
cattle market in 1847 and tents were put up
to sell the animals. Today there are as many
as one thousand tents or casetas for the one
million people who come to the festival. Every
year, a temporary gateway called la portada
is erected. The tents are set up on the site
of a permanent fairground and each street is
named after a famous bullfighter. The fair is a
place to enjoy friendships, with some sherry
and tapas.
The festival officially begins on Monday at
midnight, normally 2 weeks after Semana
Santa (Holy Week). It opens with el alumbrado
(the lighting) which is when half a million little
lanterns are lit at once, particularly around the
main gate.
At noon every day there is a procession called the Paseo de Caballos, local girls in their
flamenco outfits are pulled through the city in beautiful carriages drawn by horses. A famous
form of flamenco dance called la sevillana is performed. La sevillana is a type of folk music that
originated in Seville. The accompanying four part dance followed later.
Many local people choose to dress in traditional costume. The men wear traje corto which is a
suit with fitted trousers and a short jacket. Many men also wear wide-brimmed hats. Women
dress brightly in traje de gitano which is gypsy style dresses, or flamenco dresses.
In the evening some of the year’s top bullfights take place at the Plaza de Toros de Maestranza.
Bull fighters are known as matadores. They dress in coloured suits, sometimes gold. They would
never wear yellow as it is considered to be unlucky. A white shirt is worn with the suit. Also worn
is a thin black tie, a coloured sash, knee high stockings, black shoes and a two cornered hat.
A crucial part of the outfit is a pig’s tail which is clipped to the back of the matador’s head as
he enters the ring, and cut once he retires from the ring. A matador’s cape is only worn for the
parade. It is hung on the fence at the side of the ring, in front of a friend, during the bull fighting.
If the bullfighter has fought well he is taken out through la puerta grande, the main door, on the
other men’s shoulders.
People usually take food to eat whilst watching. Typical foods include; tortilla de patatas,
croquetas, and lots of meats such as jamón serrano and lomo de cerdo.
The festival ends with a fireworks display the following Sunday, again at midnight.
Spanish Festivals and Traditions
© Nicolette Hannam, Michelle Williams and Brilliant Publications
29
abril / April
Teaching activities
◆ List the activities which take place during, La Feria de
abril.
◆ Plan a party for this fiesta.
◆ Design a poster advertising the event.
Vocabulario
casetas
la portada
el alumbrado
la sevillana
matador(a)
tents
gateway
the lighting
a form of
flamenco
matador
◆ Write a diary entry for a flamenco dancer in one of the
carriages, or for a bullfighter.
◆ Research the traditional costumes. Draw and label them.
◆ Draw a matador, dressed ready to fight. What qualities would he need? Write these around
the picture.
◆ Write a newspaper article about the event.
◆ Draw and label some of the food and drink available at the festival.
30
Spanish Festivals and Traditions
© Nicolette Hannam, Michelle Williams and Brilliant Publications
abril / April
La Feria de abril
Nombre:
Fecha:
I learned about La Feria de abril.
This page may be photocopied for use by the purchasing institution only.
Imagine you are celebrating with your friends …
What are you wearing?
What are you eating?
What are you drinking?
Draw and label your ideas.
Extension activity
Design a poster for tourists who may be visiting.
Spanish Festivals and Traditions
© Nicolette Hannam, Michelle Williams and Brilliant Publications
31