Thursday, April 27, 2006

Thursday Thirteen

http://wordplay.lastpromise.com/?page_id=
it's more than a meme, it's a microcosm

Thirteen Things about the Seville Spring Fair
Feria de Abril



01. It is one of the most known festivals in Spain.

02. The "Feria of Abril" has not always been considered such a time of festivity. It dates back to 1847 when two councillors requested permission from the Town Council of Seville to organize an agricultural livestock fair.

03. It didn't take too long before an air of festivity began to slowly transform the fair, mainly due to the emergence of the first three "casetas" (stands)

04. The casetas are made of brightly-coloured canvas and make up the basic element of the event.

05. Each caseta is distinctively decorated and it is like an individual party, there are chairs and tables inside where people sing, eat and drink while watching others dancing the local form of flamenco, the sevillanas. Each caseta has its own atmosphere and tradition and are hosted by groups of Seville families, clubs, trade unions and political parties, admitting only members of the organisation and their families, though most people practice "caseta-hopping", visiting friends and relatives in various casetas. There are a few public casetas, operated by the city council , for the benefit of people without any affiliations (tourists!)


06. There are more than one thousand! casetas distributed throughout the fifteen main streets.

07. Base camp for the Feria festivities is a temporary tent city, on the far side of the Guadalquivir River, called the Real de la Feria. This rectangular piece of land is about a mile long and 700 yards wide.

08. The Feria de Abril takes place every year, two weeks after Easter and lasts one week.

09. The festivities begin at noon every day with daily parades of horses and decorated carriages accompanied by strolling singers who play traditional Sevillana ballads on their guitars, dressed in the unique wide-brimmed "bolero" hats and short-cropped jackets that are closely associated with Andalusia.

10. What women wear:
And just for fun, check out some flamenco fashion .


11. The Feria attracts top-notch matadors from all over Spain and the bullfights are considered to be the best of the season. The action takes place at 5:30pm every afternoon in the Plaza de Toros de Maestranza, which is considered one of the most beautiful bullrings in the country.
I will not comment on bullfights since I agree with this statement I saw as a graffitti: "if bullfight is art, then cannibalism is gastronomy"...

12. The party goes on until the break of dawn or later...schools are closed, offices work part-time, shops close at mid-day. Nap time is around 7 pm for this event!

13. Why am I telling all this? because I will be flying over there this coming saturday to visit friends and their casetas. It will be the third time I visit the Feria. I gathered information
here for this TT! Happy Thursday!





Get the Thursday Thirteen code here



53 comments:

  1. wow, makes the asparagus festival we just had here seem, well, boring!
    Enjoy!
    We are recovering after my boy's 9th durgery. My TT is up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds like fun, I'm jealous!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the tent. It's cute. Mine's up too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I wanna go to Seville Spring Fair
    too, dressed like that, dancing Flamenco!!! *dreaming*

    ReplyDelete
  5. How exciting! MEMEMEME! I want to go! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the festival!

    Happy TT day
    Elle X

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sounds like one BIG party and lots of fun.

    Thanks for visiting my TT.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I always wanted to see a bullfight. (And cheer the bull of course)

    My T T is published

    ReplyDelete
  9. There are so many great celebrations where you live. Thanks for bringing them to us.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What fun! I love celebrations and sounds like you really know how to celebrate. I'm back in the daisy patch now. Glad you had a good break too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Now I want to go back to Seville. I LOVE Seville. And I wish I had the figure for that dress!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I feel so much more edumacated having read your list. :) I'm going to be a flameco dancer for halloween now!

    My list is up
    http://carmenhasgonetoplaid.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm not sure about Spain but think I would enjoy the festival, my T13 is now up.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It sounds wonderful!
    Thanks for visiting my list.

    ReplyDelete
  15. That sounds like tons of fun!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sounds like a wonderful festival. My TT is up.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I want a dress! but wait- I want a vacation, too!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow I want a festival that closes down schools and work...

    I hope you have a great time , it sounds like a blast!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Spanish people have so much fun! Or maybe it's just that we take our holidays for granted.

    I love your line about serving leftovers! And love learning about Spain.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sounds like a blast!

    pvtB)fs

    ReplyDelete
  21. I just love that pic of a caseta! Very beautiful!!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Very interesting post! And informative - thanks for the lesson this morning!

    My 13 are up, too.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Interesting! I have a friend who lived in Spain for a while. Have fun!
    Thanks for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sounds like alot of fun, altho I agree with you on #11! Thanks for visiting my T13!

    ReplyDelete
  25. i am truly ashamed now, being portuguese and have never heard about the Feria de Abril. But it sounds like so much fun - the idea of the caseta is great.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I learn so much about Spain at your blogs. It sounds like a wonderful Fair.

    My TT is up.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh this festival sounds like sooooo much fun! You have a great time over there! I'll hold off going until I lose my weight and can fit into one of those ooo-la-la flamenco dresses! (don't know if my feet could EVER handle the shoes though...) LOL!

    Thanks for stopping by!
    (oh... DO post pictures when you return!)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Have a safe and wonderful trip.
    Hope you'll have a thirteen fabulous photos list from the event coming soon.
    My own TT is up.
    Take care,
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  29. Oh man, now I really want to visit Spain just for this festival!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Wow,that sounds like a wonderful festival! I'm glad I got to read your Thursday Thirteen.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog yesterday!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Very interesting! Sounds fun! Have a great time :)

    Thanks for stopping by my TT too.

    ReplyDelete
  32. School is out and everything? Can we come? Will you be there and show us around? hehe

    ReplyDelete
  33. 1,000 sounds like a lot!

    Thanks for stopping by my TT. Happy Thursday!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I just love local festivals... wish I were there!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Ooh, that sounds like so much fun! Your 13 when you get back should be of pictures!

    Thanks for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete
  36. WOW..I love that dress!!! Sounds like a fun time!

    Happy Thursday!

    ReplyDelete
  37. I'd show up just for the fashion! thanks for sharing that with us!!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Sounds like a lot of fun. Have a safe trip and dance a little flamenco for me!
    Thanks for visiting me.

    ReplyDelete
  39. That's really interesting! I learned a lot.

    Have a great time when you go there!

    ReplyDelete
  40. The Feria of Abril looks like fun and how nice to be dressed in a flamingo dress

    ReplyDelete
  41. Great TT! Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I just wanted to let you know that I mentioned you in my TT today. :) In a good way of course, Happy Thursday!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Every time I visit your blog I get home-sick. I know I have said it before and I'll say it again - I MISS the European culture and the food *very heavy sigh*...Thank you for sharing all this information Mar :)
    If you ever visit AZ, please to look me up - okay?

    ReplyDelete
  44. Wow! Sounds awesome! Enjoy your trip!!! BTW...love the dress...cant like the dots!!! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I would love to visit the Seville fair!

    AC

    ReplyDelete
  46. what a cool TT! thanks for the "education" and a fun one at that!

    ReplyDelete
  47. Sounds like a great party...except for the bullfighting part. I hope you have a great time.

    My BIL went to Ocktober Fest in Germany last year...got drunk YAH! Interesting story about staying at a German Hostel.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. Glad that you enjoyed the interview. Great to see you again!

    Okay it's not letting me log in here (no boxes!) so this is Renee from http://lillyput.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  48. now it decides to give me a sign in box!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Oh, I want to go!!! Spain is on the top of my "want to visit" list. I really enjoyed reading this.

    thanks for coming by my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Wow, this was really interesting and the tent looked great! I do love the Spanish dresses too...so beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  51. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  52. ....it makes me want to be there. Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comment, the best part of every post!
☀ IMPORTANT: ☀ kindly leave your direct link to the current meme, if you have multiple blogs. Thank you very much!!