La feria de Abril de Sevilla

What is being celebrated?

The April Fair is one of the most famous festivals in Spain,traditional costumes, horse-drawn carriages, food, drink and dance are some of the things you can find there.

Nowadays, spring is celebrated, but its origins were somewhat different.
If you want to know all the details, read on.

Origins

The first fair began on 14 April 1847, as a result of a proposal by two councillors to stimulate the economy. It was primarily a livestock fair where agricultural products were also traded.

Although this is the origin of the fair, let’s say modern, the truth is that its most basic origin dates back to the Middle Ages, when merchants from different parts of Spain used to stand on the walls of Seville to sell their wares. But let’s go back to 1847, because from then until today, the fair has only been discontinued on two occasions: during the Spanish Civil War and during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Origins of the flamenco dress

Believe it or not, the flamenco dress was worn by the gypsy women who accompanied the cattle dealers, Its beautiful design and striking colours attracted the attention of the ladies of high society, who began to copy this style of dress.

It was at the Universal Exhibition of 1929 that the flamenco dress became the official dress of the fair, and a world reference point for Spanish culture.

Today, as well as receiving the visit of thousands of tourists every year, the fair is a place of reunion for family and friends, who are welcomed in the stalls, where they eat, drink, dance, and above all enjoy their culture and traditions.

This 2024 you can enjoy the April Fair in Seville from the 14th to the 20th of April. And if you live in London you can enjoy a small version of the fair on the 14th of April!

_{Information sources: turismo sevilla.org/Sevilla secreta/sevilla.org/as.com/Wikipedia}