Feria

Feria, is a fair that starts two weeks after Semanta Santa (Holy Week, also known as Easter). For a full week near the edge of the river, the banks are totally covered in rows of casetas (individual decorated marquee tents). Some of these casetas belong to the prominent families of Seville, some to groups of friends, clubs, trade associations or political parties. From around nine at night until six or seven the following morning, at first in the streets and later only within each caseta, you will find crowds partying and dancing "Sevillanas" (a type of Flamenco), drinking Jerez sherry, or manzanilla wine, and eating tapas (a smaller portion of a meal).

We arrived at the feria mid afternoon on Saturday the 21st of April, not knowing what to expect.  We found parking and walked up the street, there were many street vender's and performers.  We dressed up knowing that the women especially wear Feria dresses to the fair.  The Feria dresses are amazing, and expensive, but the girls will have real ones next year.  We strolled through the streets looking at all the casetas, people eating tapas, drinking cervesa, and dancing (the dancing really picks up in the evening hours, but there was plenty going on). There are hundreds of casetas and thousands of people.  The casettas are privately owned (except 3 public ones, that are always packed full) and you have to be invited into them.  Most are owned by companies and have them for their employees, some are well established families that have owned them for generations and invite family and friends. Also there are hundreds of horses and horses and carriages too.  They even decorate the horses with beautiful flowers, pom poms, and do their hair in braids.  We loved seeing all the different horses and people riding on them or in the carriages.  We finally found the carnival area where they have all sorts of rides, most of which would never be allowed in the US.  They had fun houses, haunted houses, one that the kids loved that spun in a circle and they were able to walk around in it and try to get to the center with out being flung out to the sides. We had a lot of fun enjoying the fair.  We decided it was time to leave and headed out with cold drinks in hand and cotton candy in the other while we took a ride on a horse and carriage ride.

The kids on a carriage ride.

Landon and Emma enjoying the Mr. Bean Fun House.

The kids and I looking at the horses.

Horses, carriages, and beautiful feria dresses.

After leaving the feria, we found an American restaurant that was open when we walked by (close to 6 pm, which here in Spain restaurants are still closed for siesta, and don't open until the earliest at 8pm) We were pretty excited, and ate great nachos and a decent hamburger (also something hard to find, the beef tastes much different here).  At the restaurant we had a view of the street leading up to the entrance of the feria and we were able to people watch, hundreds of people heading to the fair.  Back in the car and on our way home it started to rain, then hail, and people were running for cover.  We timed everything perfectly, lines at the rides weren't too long, beat the rain, and had a great time. Can't wait to go back next year.

Here are a couple of pictures of the kids having a feria day at school. 

Emma wore a dress that is more traditional for flamenco, but it worked. 

Emma's class performed Silvana, the traditional folk dance flamenco style dance.

Landon's class made art work for the dance, and clapped and sang along with the music.

Afterwards the kids and parents enjoyed tapas, drinks (yes beer was served at the school), and horse back rides.