La Feria de Abril, Seville 2024

La Feria de Abril, Seville 2024

La Feria de Abril is held each year and typically begins two weeks after Semana Santa, or Easter Holy week.  The festival is a lively and vibrant affair complete with dancing, carnival rides, flamenco, gallons and gallons of Sherry, Sevillanas and horses! The fair has been running since 1847.

• Visiting for La Feria de Abril? The event attracts 5 million visitors with over 850,000 people attending on the Friday night, so book your hotel now..

Where does Feria de Abril Take Place

• Real de la Feria –La Feria de Abril’s event venue is just outside the city center  to the south west, with over 1,000 marquees or casetas (brightly striped tents), hosting flamenco performances, bars, and music.
• Calle De Inferno – Hell Road is an amusement park offering all the fun of a fair, for adults and kids. It is located right next to the “Real de la Feria”. It offers all the traditional rides, a circus, food stalls and over 500 different activities to enjoy.
• The Feria is a 5km or 15 minute drive from the gay bars along Alameda de Hércules. Our advice, stay in gay centre of town and take a taxi to the Feria.

What can you expect at Feria de Abril

• Daily parade processions include beautiful people in full flamenco outfit and horse-drawn carriages.
• Most casetas are private affairs erected by clubs, associations, families and groups of friends. It can feel a bit Secret Squirrel to an outsider, but these private parties are the essence of the Feria de Abril. Never fear, however, for there are also around 15 free public casetas where much the same fun goes on.
• Enjoy the traditional drink known as “rebujito”, Manzanilla or Spanish sherry wine mixed with lemonade.

La Noche del Pescaíto

• April 13th, 2024- Fish is the traditional dish of the day and takes place the day before the opening ceremony.

The Alumbrao of Feria de Abril de Sevilla

• April 14th 2024 Midnight – The feria opens on Sunday night with the ceremonial lighting-up of the fairgrounds, known as the Alumbrao, which is the starting gun for six nights of Sevillanos’ favourite activities: eating, drinking, talking, dressing up and dancing till dawn.
• The lighting of the “Portada”, the entrance to the Feria is quite spectacular. It is 50 meters wide and over 37 meters high, lit with 20,000 multi-colored light bulbs and has a different theme each year.

The Parades – Paseo de Caballos

• Daily from Tuesday around 1pm – In the afternoons, those who have horses and carriages parade about the site and the city, with the women in their flamenco finery and the men in traje corto (Andalucían farmers’ suits). On the busy days there can be up to 700 carriages clip-clopping around town on their way to the Real Maestranza bullring. The carriages are the only vehicles allowed inside the fairground.

The Fireworks

• April 20th 2024 – After a week of constant celebration, the Fair concludes with a great fireworks display over the Guadalquivir River.

Gay Seville

All of the gay bars and clubs host special “Feria” themed events and parties during the week long event. Expect to see lots of drag queens in traditional costume with added bling! Stay close to all the night time action at the Hotel Ateneo Sevilla, rated “Superb” with decor fit for a queen!

Our top choice in Seville is the H10 Corregidor Boutique Hotel, a charming 3 star just steps from the gay bars and clubs.

Apart from the lighting of the entrance to the Feria, most of the best activities such as the parades take place during the day, so head to the gay bars by night for some fun with the very attractive locals.

Most of the gay bars and clubs in Seville are located along the Alameda de Hércules. The following venues are popular:

• Alameda Ritual Club – relatively new nightlife venue with a beautiful outdoor terrace, part of the Ritual Hotel Gay Apartments in Seville.
• El Bosque Animado – In a sea of “gay-friendly” terraces along the Alameda, this bar is the gay champion, offering late night drinking and dancing, especially busy during weekends.
• Men to Men – Popular bears bar with small cruising area.
• Seville also hosts several pop-up parties during weekends and festivals including Sissy Pop and Holiday by Obbio
• Sauna The Cube Urban is a modern sauna with great amenities and unique facilities.

Where to stay during Feria de Abril?

Here are the hotels we recommend that have good reviews and keep you close to all the action,

Hotel Alfonso XIII,    Hospes Las Casas,    Petit Palace,    Hotel Doña María