The April Fair is a curious story from the very beginning. It turns out that the greatest of all the Andalusian festivities was initiated by a Catalan and a Basque, a couple of businessmen, whom suggested the authorities to hold a fair of livestock and agriculture, more than a century and a half ago.
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The April Fair is a curious story from the very beginning. It turns out that the greatest of all the Andalusian festivities was initiated by a Catalan and a Basque, a couple of businessmen, whom suggested the authorities to hold a fair of livestock and agriculture, more than a century and a half ago.
The event was very successful. But soon, the merchants from Seville began to complain about the difficulty of making deals because people, mostly, went to the premises to sing and dance. But with or without complaints, the fact is that at the Fair the party began to have more importance than the market, and the food and entertainment stalls took up more and more space until they became the most important thing.
The former livestock houses are today very well cared for, beautifully decorated spaces which, between the private and the public ones, exceed one thousand. And the number of people who pass through the fair is around, wait for it... half a million a day!
Between the flamenco costumes, the tablaos everywhere, the food, the sevillanas, the bulls of the Maestranza and the carriages that come and go through the Real de la feria, what is set up here during that spring week is world-class. And we should also add what they call Calle del Infierno, a huge amusement park that is set up at the same time as the celebration.
See how great and famous the festival is, that the royalty of various periods had no other choice but to come and visit it, from Isabel II to Juan Carlos I. Even Grace Kelly and Jacqueline Kennedy took a walk between its lanterns. And you? Are you up for it?
