Last week was one of the biggest festivals of the year in Sevilla!! It was their annual Feria! This is the time of year that they set up fair grounds and everyone goes out and dances! During this time, there are tents that families or groups of people can rent for the week. In these tents, there are meals and drinks served! Most of the tents are private so you need to know someone to be able to get in but there are a few public tents as well! Anyone can go in the public tents. Many women during Feria wear flamenco dresses and dance a fun "Sevillana" dance. The idea of Feria started in the 1840's. It started off as a livestock fair. Today the only thing that is the same as the Feria in the 1840's is the horse and carriage. There are a bunch of horse and carriages that are decorated and they take citizens to and from their tent to their homes. At the front of the fair, there is a "portada," which is basically like the entrance to the Feria. The design of it changes each year and they light the portada at midnight of the Monday of Feria.
Here is a picture of the protada lit up at night:
Here is an example of some of the typical flamenco dresses worn during Feria:
Here is an example of the decorated horses that are carrying a carriage:
We got a surprise performance of Sevillana in one of the public casetas!
We spent one day riding a few rides at the carnival part of Feria and we spent one on a tour of Feria! It was quite a different experience but it was so much fun to see everyone dressed up in their dresses! On the last night, there was a firework show and we went to that! It was pretty.
Adios!
-Kelli :)
