Catalonia April Fair
Encyclopedia
The April Fair of Catalonia, (Feria de abril de Cataluña), is an annual event held in the Catalan
capital of Barcelona
, Spain
. It usually takes place over the last week of April and the first week of May.
In 1971, immigrants to Barcelona from Andalusia
, and their descendants, began their own version of the Seville Fair
, Feria de abril de Sevilla. Since then the Barcelona event has grown to become the second largest Spring Fair in Spain.
The fair is currently held at the Parc del Fòrum
fairgrounds, a large area on the shores of the Mediterranean, which is covered with rows of casetas, colorfully decorated marquee tents which are temporarily set up. Most of the casetas are sponsored by cultural associations created by and for Andalusia
n immigrants and their descendants. There are also casetas sponsored by the cultural associations of other ethnic groups, such as Latin America
ns and Moroccans
, as well as others sponsored by political parties.
A major difference between the Barcelona and Seville events is that the casetas in Barcelona are completely open to the public. In the casetas, food and drink are served, people either dance on dance floors, or are entertained by musical performances, usually by flamenco
dancers and singers.
Throughout the fairground, many men, women and children walk around dressed in traditional "trajes de corto" (short jacket, tight trousers and boots) and "trajes de flamenco" (flamenco
style dresses).
The main sponsoring organization is FECAC, the Federation of Andalusian Cultural Groups in Catalonia, or Federación de Entidades Culturales Andaluzas en Cataluña.
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
capital of Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It usually takes place over the last week of April and the first week of May.
In 1971, immigrants to Barcelona from Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, and their descendants, began their own version of the Seville Fair
Seville Fair
The Seville Fair is held in the Andalusian capital of Seville, Spain. The fair generally begins two weeks after the Semana Santa, or Easter Holy Week....
, Feria de abril de Sevilla. Since then the Barcelona event has grown to become the second largest Spring Fair in Spain.
The fair is currently held at the Parc del Fòrum
2004 Universal Forum of Cultures
The 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures - was a 141-day international event that took place in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain from May 9 to September 26, 2004.-History:...
fairgrounds, a large area on the shores of the Mediterranean, which is covered with rows of casetas, colorfully decorated marquee tents which are temporarily set up. Most of the casetas are sponsored by cultural associations created by and for Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
n immigrants and their descendants. There are also casetas sponsored by the cultural associations of other ethnic groups, such as Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
ns and Moroccans
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, as well as others sponsored by political parties.
A major difference between the Barcelona and Seville events is that the casetas in Barcelona are completely open to the public. In the casetas, food and drink are served, people either dance on dance floors, or are entertained by musical performances, usually by flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
dancers and singers.
Throughout the fairground, many men, women and children walk around dressed in traditional "trajes de corto" (short jacket, tight trousers and boots) and "trajes de flamenco" (flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
style dresses).
The main sponsoring organization is FECAC, the Federation of Andalusian Cultural Groups in Catalonia, or Federación de Entidades Culturales Andaluzas en Cataluña.