There are two world famous festivals that Sevilla is known
for, Semana Santa (Holy Week) and Feria, the April fair.
My parents
were lucky enough to arrive just in time to witness the grandeur of Semana
Santa in action. We were all in
agreement, the crowds and the intense aroma of incense that clouded the air
were overwhelming, but witnessing this 500-year-old tradition was simply
incredible.
What is Semana Santa?
Semana
Santa is a solemn week in March stretching from the Friday of Sorrows (Viernes
de Dolores) until Palm Sunday.
Sacred brotherhoods parade intricate floats from their churches, through the
narrow streets of Sevilla until they ultimately reach the Cathedral.
Every float is
adorned with hundreds of candles, flowers and golden carvings. Sitting atop the
floats are life size figures of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, which are
meant to depict the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Each float (weighing
hundreds of pounds) is carried by a group of men hidden underneath the structure;
if you look closely you can manage to see their bare feet. They carry the
floats for hours at a time, swiftly changing crews in a
well-rehearsed switch.
As each float
proceeds down the street, a brass band, and hundreds of participants accompany
them from various churches. They walk barefoot through the
streets carrying wooden crosses, and long candles. It is customary to wear
pointed hats resembling the KKK.
 |
| Incense burners |
 |
| Typical food of Semana Santa- Torrijas: Bread dipped in egg and then soaked in wine, fried and then sweetened with honey. |
Since Semana Santa ended, its seems like overnight the
weather changed from raining everyday to clear blue skies, and an average high
of 87 degrees everyday. Spring is here and everyone has caught the Feria bug.
So what is this infamous Feria?
Feria is essentially a city erected from tents called casetas. The casetas are incredible, each has its own full kitchen, bar, running water, bathrooms, stage, and live music area.
The casetas are laid out in
rows, creating different streets, each named after a famous bullfighter. There
is an amusement park, and the streets are filled with hundreds of horse drawn
carriages.
Women dress in
gorgeous flamenco dresses, and men in their Sunday best. Everyone drinks
jars of Manzanilla sherry mixed with 7-Up, called
Rebujitos.
During the day everyone comes to
eat, drink and socialize with one another. Once the sun sets its time to dance Sevianna (a
variation of flamenco) until the sun comes up the next morning (literally, you
stay out until the next morning.)
The majority of the casetas are privately owed by families, businesses or social groups that have been
passed down for centuries, thus making entry very exclusive by invitation only
(without an invitation the bouncer wont allow you to enter.) Luckily for me, I
had multiple caseta invitations. It was amazing to see how every single caseta
is decorated differently, and each has a unique vibe.
In summary Feria is a giant, week long fiesta ending in a
firework spectacular. It marks the beginning of the bullfighting season and celebrates Spring.
Experiencing Feria was
one of the highlights of my year. I made a fool of myself dancing Sevillana,
and maybe I drank one to many rebujitos, but now I truly feel like I have immersed
into the Spanish culture.
