In many ways La Feria is much like a state fair or a summer carnival. There are rides, games, and lots of unhealthy but delicious fair food. On the other hand, Sevilla's fair is completely distinct in that much of it revolves around flamenco dancing. At the fairground there are rows upon rows of booths, or "casetas" where people go to dance flamenco. There are a few public casetas, but most belong either to individual families, or businesses. People go dressed up in flamenco to eat, drink and dance the night away. It is such a cool sight to see, and while there I definitely had one of those "wow I'm in Spain" moments.
La Feria started on Monday night at midnight with the lighting of "La Portada" or the main archway over the entrance to the fair. Every year a new archway is made in the design of some famous landmark in Sevilla. This year, the arch was designed to look like La Plaza de España (see earlier posts about this landmark). Here it is before and after the lighting:
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| Before |
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| Lit! |
When I went to the La Feria on Tuesday, my host mom, Macarena,was kind enough to let my friend Chelsea and I borrow some of her flamenco dresses and jewelry. There is no such thing as a simple flamenco dress. The colors are vibrant, the patterns are loud, and your ensemble is not complete until you put a giant flower on your head. Not gonna lie, I definitely felt like a posing foreigner as I walked around the fair dressed like this, but I wouldn't have passed up on the opportunity for the world.
I can't think of much else to say about Feria. It's a week of celebration and fun, enjoying the company of family and friends, a time for Sevillanos to take pride in their culture and their city. A picture is worth a thousand words, so here are some scenes from the week:
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