Seville April Fair 2024: Complete Guide to the Most Anticipated Festival
📅 When is the Seville April Fair 2024?
The Seville April Fair 2024 will officially begin on Sunday 14 April and run until Saturday 20 April. However, the festival kicks off with the traditional "night of the fried fish" on Saturday 13 April, when families and groups of friends gather in the casetas (fair booths) to enjoy a dinner of fried fish before the big moment.
The official starting signal is given at 00:00 on Sunday 14 April with the lighting of the fairground gateway and all the streets of the Real de la Feria, popularly known as "El Alumbrao".
📍 Key dates for the Seville April Fair 2024:
Saturday 13 April
Saturday 13 April (00:00)
Sunday 14 April
- Official start of the Fair
Wednesday 17 April
- Local public holiday (Wednesday of the Fair)
Saturday 20 April
Saturday 20 April (00:00)
Important note: Wednesday 17 April is the only public holiday in Seville’s working calendar during the Fair, popularly known as Wednesday of the Fair, a day when the city fully immerses itself in the celebrations.
🏛️Where is the Seville April Fair 2024 held?
The Seville April Fair is held at the Real de la Feria, located in the Los Remedios district, between Avenida Juan Pablo II and Avenida Flota de Indias, next to Tablada. This site transforms for a week into an ephemeral city of over 1,050 casetas, where joy, colour and Sevillian tradition are in the air.
🎨 The Gateway of the Seville April Fair 2024: "Costumbres de abril"
The gateway of the Seville April Fair 2024 is one of the most distinctive in recent years. Designed by Italian engineer Davide Gambini, it is titled "Costumbres de abril" and is inspired by the Mudéjar Pavilion of the 1929 Ibero‑American Exposition, an emblematic building that today houses the Museum of Popular Arts and Customs of Seville.
📜 Origin and history: Why is the Seville April Fair celebrated?
The Seville April Fair has over 175 years of history. It was born in 1846, when town councillors José María Ybarra and Narciso Bonaplata proposed to the City Council the creation of a cattle fair to be held in April.
Approved by Queen Isabella II, the first April Fair was held in 1847 in the Prado de San Sebastián, with 19 casetas and around 25,000 visitors. Over time, the commercial character gave way to the festive and social spirit that defines it today, making it one of the most important celebrations in Spain.
Currently, The Seville April Fair is declared a Festival of International Tourist Interest and is one of the most eagerly awaited events for Sevillians and visitors from all over the world.
🎭 What to do at the Seville April Fair 2024?
🏠 The Casetas: The Heart of the Festival
The Fair has more than 1,050 casetas. Most are private, belonging to families, groups of friends, clubs, brotherhoods or businesses, and access is restricted to members and guests. However, there are public casetas with free entry where everyone is welcome.
Outstanding public casetas in 2024:
Municipal Caseta of the City Council
- Calle Pepe Luis Vázquez, 53
Caseta of the Triana-Los Remedios District
- Calle Pascual Márquez, 153
Caseta of the Popular Party
- Calle Pascual Márquez, 66
Caseta of CCOO
- Calle Pascual Márquez, 81
🍤 The gastronomy of the Seville April Fair:
The Seville April Fair is also a feast for the palate. The most typical dishes and drinks are:
- Fried fish: squid, marinated dogfish, tope shark, cuttlefish… a must in any caseta.
- Iberian ham: Served in abundance throughout the week.
- Rebujito: The star drink of The Seville April Fair, made with manzanilla or fino sherry, Seven Up or Sprite, plenty of ice and a sprig of mint. "Watch out for the rebujito", Sevillians warn, because "it’s so refreshing it goes to your head without you noticing".
🎵 Music and dance: Sevillanas
The sound of sevillanas fills the streets of the Real throughout the week. In the casetas, people dance non‑stop, both in the afternoon and at night, and it is common to see groups of friends and families singing and dancing to the rhythm of Flamenco music.
🎡 Calle del Infierno (Hell Street): Fun for the little ones
Calle del Infierno is the fairground’s amusement area, where the traditional "cacharritos" (mechanical rides) are set up. It is the perfect place to enjoy with the family, especially during the day.
🐎 Bullfighting at the Seville April Fair 2024
The Real Maestranza de Caballería bullring in Seville hosts the most important bullfighting bills of the season during the Fair. Bullfighting is a fundamental part of the fair tradition, with full houses at every bullfight. The 2024 line‑up includes the greatest figures of bullfighting.
Where to stay to enjoy the Seville April Fair 2024?
🏡 At THE SUN PLACES, we know that The Seville April Fair is an intense experience that requires a haven of comfort and elegance where you can rest after long days of celebration.
🌟 Our proposal for the Seville April Fair 2024:
- Luxury accommodation in a strategic location: Our Luxury Apartments in Seville are situated in central, well‑connected areas, a short distance from the Real de la Feria, allowing you to comfortably reach the fairground and return without the crowds.
- Recommendations on the best public casetas according to your preferences.
- Information on ride times and highlighted events.
- Tips for getting around the Real and enjoying without feeling overwhelmed.
- The perfect retreat: After dancing sevillanas until dawn, return to a space of tranquillity and elegance where you can switch off and regain your strength to keep enjoying.
💡 THE SUN PLACES tips for enjoying the Seville April Fair:
Book in advance
- The Fair is the week with the highest hotel occupancy of the year. Secure your accommodation months ahead.
Dress traditionally
- The flamenco dress and the short jacket (traje corto) are part of the experience.
- "The night of the fried fish is the only one when they are not worn".
Comfortable
- footwearNoor Ben Yessef recommends "don’t wear heels.
- Better to wear comfortable shoes, like espadrilles".
Carry a map
- The fairground streets have more than 200 numbers.
- "Carrying a little map of the streets" is essential to find your way.
Don’t arrange to meet under the gateway
- It’s "impossible to find anyone" there because of the crowds.
Enjoy at a relaxed pace
- "You know when you enter the Fair, but not when you leave", so "it’s better to go home after breakfast".
"The Seville April Fair 2024 is the week when colour, joy and tradition overflow through the streets of the city. At THE SUN PLACES, we offer you the perfect luxury retreat to experience this unique event with the comfort you deserve."
📞 Contact THE SUN PLACES to book your Luxury Apartment in Seville during the Seville April Fair 2024. The most anticipated festival of the year awaits you.