Tag Archives: feria

no feria

16 Friday Apr 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, fiestas, sevilla, spain

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The Plaza San Fransicso is all dressed up with nowhere to go after the various “no Feria” activities were (thankfully) cancelled this week. Starting Saturday, and throughout the following week, there were supposed to be flamenco fashion shows along the Avenida, various outdoor concerts, private group lunches in selected Casas Palacios, and yeah, even bullfights. Which leads me to ask… what the actual fuck were these people thinking?? It’s a fair. Yes, it’s Spain’s biggest Feria and, no, we didn’t get to have one last year, and it turns out we don’t get to have one this year. But so what? Because it’s just a fucking fair.

Don’t get me wrong, I love so many of our festivities here, and have also been missing them. I’ve lived in Sevilla for almost 30 years, so these have become a part of my way of life. But I mean… PANDEMIA, guys. And so, taking into consideration those who have lost their jobs, businesses, homes – their lives! – I don’t think it’s not a huge ASK for still healthy people to just say, hey no problem, we’ll do it next year. Something to look forward to.  🙂

feria de abril 1957

27 Monday Apr 2020

Posted by in art, fiestas, sevilla

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Yesterday my friend Julie sent me a pic of the Feria poster from the year she was born, so of course then I had to go and look up mine. How cool are these? Every year since I don’t know when there has been an annual competition for local artists to create the official Fiestas de Primavera posters. I especially like the one on the right. Olé!

noche del pescaíto

25 Saturday Apr 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, fiestas, flamenco, sevilla

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Right, so obviously Sevilla’s Feria de Abril has been cancelled this year. At first it was postponed until the end of September, when I think the city council thought they could do a combo thing with the Feria de San Miguel. But now… nada. In fact ALL festivals, fiestas, etc, are clearly going to be cancelled for the rest of the year, and most likely well into next year.

But tonight is the noche del pescaíto (night of the fried fish) which traditionally is the first evening of Feria before it officially opens, and everyone in their little private casetas do a pre-opening thing for their select friends, make a whack of fried fish and everyone is well and properly full of fish and rebujito by the time the alumbrado – the lighting up of the fair ground – happens, and when the rest of the public is allowed in.

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my feria hero!

08 Wednesday May 2019

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I was invited to a reception at the City Hall caseta on Monday afternoon, so off I went. Along with about 8 million other people. That tent was PACKED. We stayed for a drink and a snack but then had to get out of there. Between the crush of people and the heat it was just too much.

After that we stopped in at another municipal caseta (almost all the casetas at this fair are private) and somehow scored a table (!) close to the front of the stage (!!) and it was wonderful. Anyone can get up and dance Sevillanas on the stage and to everyone’s delight this fabulous gentleman – the one in the cap with the castanets –  was up there every chance he could get.

Bear in mind that Sevillanas are usually danced with a man and woman, as the steps are different for each. But this guy didn’t care if his dance partner was male or female, and in this case,  even two guys at once. They were all having a great time, as you can see. Made my day!  🙂