Feria de Sevilla

The most lurid, extravagant festival I've ever attended. Standing amongst the Sevillanas at Feria transported me to another time period where typical dress includes suits and top hats, and dresses that cinch the waist and billow out at the feet in a cascade of ruffles.

Feria ("fair" in English) has been celebrated in Seville, Spain since 1847 and originally started as a cattle trading fair. It has developed into a giant festival celebrating integral parts of Seville's culture such as flamenco, bullfighting and socialization! (Not sure if it's also used as a way to show off how gorgeous Spanish men are as they ride horseback through the streets in their handsome suits? Unclear.) My friend and I wore flowers in our hair and sundresses to try and blend with the locals, but we were absolutely stunned when we arrived and saw just how intense the flamenco dresses are.

Women sashayed through the streets and had looks on their faces like they knew exactly how sophisticated and put-together they looked. Every person was carrying a cup of "rebujita" (sherry white wine mixed with 7-up) in one hand and a friend, child, or cousin in the other. The place was PACKED. Picture every family in your neighborhood clearing out a massive area in the middle of town and congregating to celebrate every child in their family's graduation, prom, communion, marriage, etc., ALL AT ONCE...add amusement rides, cotton candy vendors, horse-drawn carriages brimming with families, and "casetas" set up side-by-side to create a giant strip of parties and that's Feria!

I gaped in wonder the whole time. I took a million photos and stayed for almost 15 hours... Needless to say, I was an obsessed tourist and will forever wish that Feria happened all the time in America (LOL I don't know if we would be sophisticated enough to pull that together). Speaking in Spanish most of the night was crazy and I definitely spoke with broken sentences but it was easier to understand what was going on around us if we spoke with the Spaniards that way. We learned all about the inside Feria traditions, the movements of Sevillana dancing, traditional Spanish music versus Spanish reggaeton, and what the night was all about (family, friends, viva España!).

Anna, Curro, Ariel & amigos