Seville is already counting down the last few hours until the start of one of the most anticipated events of the year, the April Fair. Everything is ready at the Real, located in the Los Remedios neighborhood, to be filled with life, flyers and the desire to have a good time starting April 14: the lanterns decorating, the albero on its streets waiting for the first to arrive leave their footprints on it, the booths ready to welcome their members and visitors, the bars overflowing with typical food and drinks... Meanwhile, in the closets of many houses the flamenco dresses with all their clothes already hang, ironed and prepared. their accessories, as well as suits, including ties, for those who like to be 'well dressed'.
Although officially the start of the festival will take place at 00:00 on Sunday, April 14, when the façade is illuminated, the truth is that the night before, Saturday, thousands of Sevillians will participate in the popular ' Pescaíto dinner, a very special night where fried fish is enjoyed in the company of friends and booth members. And so, day after day and night after night until April 20, when a fireworks show will put the finishing touch to this special week.
El Real houses in its 15 streets a total of 1,057 booths according to the list released by the Seville City Council, most of them private, that is, not everyone can access them but it is necessary to be a member or be invited by some person who is. This requirement is insurmountable, as is the security personnel who monitor the entrances and exits at the doors of the facilities.
However, for those who do not have the possibility of going to the fair with someone who has a booth, there are also public ones, those where entry is free and which normally correspond to those of unions, political parties or districts. As a curiosity, this year the PSOE has been left without a venue by not paying the booth fees on time.
Among the public ones we highlight 'La Marimorena', located at 31 Manolo Vázquez Street. It is the solidarity booth of the Fair and belongs to the NGO Acciónenred Andalucía. It stands out for its accessibility, equipped with pictograms and a vegan menu and gluten-free products. The profits obtained during the fair will go towards the implementation of social programs.
On the other hand, between booth and booth, this year there will also be a Violet Point, a place of assistance for women victims of sexual assault.
For those who experience their first fair this year, you should know that: in most booths Sevillanas and/or rumbas sound. No other types of genres. In the Real this music is danced and sung, whether you know it or not. This 'courtship' dance is not easy and requires some classes to 'get the hang of it' but there are also those who muster up the courage and dare to do it by improvising steps. The trick is to go with the beat and be careful not to step on their flamenco dresses and 'save yourself' from the flight of the ruffles.
But after round and round, thirst and hunger come. From soft drinks to beers, the offer is varied, including Fino and Rebujito, which has always been the star drink these days. And, to eat... a booth is not usually the cheapest plan. A plate of sausages can be around 15 euros and a montadito, depending on the place, can be between 4 and 5 euros. Another option may be to go to the food stalls near Hell Street, which is the name given to the place where the attractions for children are located.
Another issue that must be taken into account: carry cash. Although there are many booths that have POS for card payments, there are others that continue to work in the old way.
Although the wish of any self-respecting Sevillian is to be able to enjoy every day of the fair to the fullest, the truth is that this option is a bit far from reality. Not everyone can afford to be at the Real all the time, but they do try to go on a few days that can be considered key: the Saturday when the 'Cena del Pescaíto' is celebrated, the Sunday of the lighting, Wednesday the 17th which is local festival in Seville and the early hours of Saturday to Sunday (April 20 and 21) so as not to miss the fireworks show.
These days are usually the busiest, although the flow of people is incessant at this point in Los Remedios, where the hustle and bustle and the desire to have a good time is a constant throughout this week.
And for the little ones? Hell Street awaits the children at home and their parents with the most striking attractions. As confirmed by the Seville city council, the 'gadgets' will have opening hours from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m., while on the final Saturday of the Fair they will open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. two hours more than in 2023.
If you think that driving to the Fair is a good idea, get it out of your head. It is true that different car parks are available, but the waiting time and traffic jams can make you lose a good time of enjoyment. That is why it is recommended to go by public transport (bus or metro), it ends up being cheaper and also safer. Tussam redoubles its efforts during these days, especially on bus lines C1 and C2, the special Prado-Feria shuttle and the P13 Parking Shuttle.
As for the metro, Blas Infante is the closest station to the Real, although the Parque de los Príncipes or Plaza de Cuba stops are a more than reasonable walk from the front.
Security these days is also increased and the Pre-Emergency phase is decreed throughout the entire period of the Fair. Thus, the entire Local Police staff is operational, and it is estimated that there will be close to 1,000 agents available. As a novelty in this area: 30 police officers will focus their duties on everything related to children and adolescents under 18 years of age. On the other hand, 30 video surveillance cameras have been installed on the premises.
The Cover, dedicated this year to honor the Mudéjar Pavilion, a construction erected in the María Luisa Park on the occasion of the celebration of Expo '29 (when 95 years have passed since the commemoration of this event), has been designed by the Italian Davide Gambini.
The structure (two side viewing towers with hipped roofs and a central body articulated on two levels) that will welcome Sevillians and visitors consists of 25,000 LED bulbs, 30,500 meters of tube and 3,700 square meters of paneling, which make up an entrance to the Real, 47 meters wide, 39 meters high and 6 meters deep. In addition, it will have the commemorative logo of the National Police and the 120th anniversary of Cruzcampo.
