COLLECTIVE lamentations resounded all the way from Andalucía's largest city the day before Christmas Eve 2020 – Sevilla's Feria de Abril, or 'April Fair', was to be called off for a second year on the trot.
It's back! Here's a typical scene from Sevilla's Feria de Abril, or ‘April Fair’, to whet your appetite for a road-trip
As well as missing out on a week's worth of partying, residents in the southern metropolis would also forfeit millions of euros pouring into their public coffers, and enough in hundreds or thousands to keep their own families fed for most of the year – the Feria de Abril is one of Sevilla's most lucrative fiestas, attracts weeks' worth of international visitors every day, and stallholders make a sizeable chunk of their annual income during this bustling, colourful festival.
After the pandemic put paid to the 2020 edition – along with every other fiesta and public event nationwide – hopes were pinned on 2021 as being the year that Sevilla could put it all behind them and get back on the streets for its favourite mega-fête.
But Covid contagion remained rife, and the city council announced two days before Christmas that the eagerly-awaited comeback would not be happening after all.
Finally, three years after the last Feria de Abril, the cheery psychedelic celebrations will be going ahead again – although not, as the name suggests, in April.
Instead of a 'April Fair', the 2022 version will be a 'May Fair' – and it works out well for those who want to enjoy it to the maximum, since it coincides with a national public holiday.
Mayday, or May 1 – 'Labour Day' – falls on a Sunday this year, but as it is a 'transferable' bank holiday, those regions which will not have used up their maximum number of eight are allowed to move it to the nearest Monday.
Andalucía is one of these regions, meaning Monday, May 2 is a public holiday and, as Sevilla always has another one for the entire province for its Feria de Abril – whenever it takes place – Wednesday, May 4 will also be a non-working day.
And other towns in the province have specific, local bank holidays during that same week, in honour of their patron saints, meaning their residents will be off work and able to travel to their capital to join in the fun.
These include the town of Gelves, where Friday, May 6 is a public holiday, and La Luisiana, which will get three solid days of freedom as it has a bank holiday on Tuesday, May 3.
The 2022 Feria de Abril, or Feria de Mayo in reality, takes place from Sunday, May 1 to Saturday, May 7 inclusive, meaning those from other regions without any public holidays can still cram in a weekend day at the fair.
This is a festival where every stereotype about Spain that remains in circulation outside its borders is very much alive and well, and milked to the limits: Swirly, polka-dot skirts, flamenco and sevillanas music and dance with castañets, foot-tapping and hand-clapping, gypsy guitars, and beautiful Pura Raza Española horses decked out with floral wreaths.
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