The Fair’s portada illuminated with great fanfare at midnight on the 1st of May
by Muriel Feiner
Photos: M. Feiner
2022 finally promises to offer a regular bullfight season after the tragic era of the pandemic. The season began with the traditional Valdemorillo fair in February and was followed by a very soggy Fallas Fair in Valencia and in Castellón. Now the next major event on the calendar is the Feria de Sevilla.
The April Fair is one of the most internationally popular festivals in Spain. Created in 1847 in the Prado de San Sebastián as a livestock fair, over the years it became more of a festive event which gained extraordinary fame worldwide due to its unique color, splendor, pageantry, equestrian displays, classic horse-drawn carriages and flamenco dancing at all hours and in all places. It attracted many celebrities from all over, from Grace Kelly to Jackie Kennedy, who donned the traditional garb to ride through the fairgrounds and attend the bullfights.
On the other side of the river, where hundreds of casetas (colorfully decorated and comfortable tents) are set up in the fairgrounds, there is music, dancing, delicious food and drink practically round the clock.
This year, the “April Fair” will actually begin on the 1st of May and will last till the 7th. This is because it is customary to celebrate it two weeks after Easter. It will officially open with the “Alumbrado” or illumination of the “Portada” just before midnight. The incomparably colorful horse and carriage parade through the Feria streets starts the very next day around noon. Some of these casetas are private, but there are others which are open to the general public.
Another big part of the activity in the Sevilla Feria takes places in its bullring, one of the most beautiful plazas in all the world: La Maestranza, which dates back to 1765. Its program this year is made up of 14 corridas which featured all the top matadors and animals from the best ranches. The Fair began on Easter Sunday, with an excellent program: Morante de la Puebla, Juan Ortega and Pablo Aguado and then the remaining thirteen festejos resume on April 24th. This is the line-up:
Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at www.lamaestranza.es. Bullfights start promptly at 6.30 p.m. but the celebration at the Fairgrounds has no deadline.
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