The Seville Fair has always sparked a wide range of opinions regarding the fact that most of its booths are private. Some people champion the slogan that “the fair is for Sevillians,” either as a way to draw a dividing line to set us apart from others and identify us as a group, or in light of the crowds—and resulting chaos—at the fair in recent years.
Although this isn’t unique to the fair, its exclusivity and limited access continue to spark some controversy. In any case, what is the reason behind this highly controversial aspect?
From a livestock market to a refuge for the nobility
It is well known that the Feria was founded by a Basque and a Catalan on August 25, 1846. Narciso Bonaplata and José María de Ybarra proposed holding an annual fair on April 19, 20, and 21.
The Seville Fair was first held in 1847. That first Fair, located in the Prado de San Sebastián, featured 19 booths. Focused at the time on livestock and agriculture, it consisted mainly of small tents to provide shelter from the sun.
The Duke of Montpensier and the Origin of Exclusivity
Queen Isabella II’s brother-in-law, the Duke of Montpensier, organized the first known private fair the following year. He set up a luxurious camp in a private, guarded enclosure so he could enjoy the fair days with an audience “of his own social standing.”
And so the nobles of the time imitated this in the years that followed. Due to the duke’s actions, different social classes began to coexist at the Seville Fair, with restrictions on access.
Seville vs. the open-door model in Andalusia
Despite its established success in Seville, other cities, towns, and villages adopted the fairs as commercial events. Fortunately , some things have changed since then, and the fairs we know today have lost that livestock-focused character.
Today, celebration and enjoyment take center stage, even though some deep-rooted traditions remain at the Seville fair. Be that as it may, the fairs will always be the great promotional festivals of Andalusia.
Where can you go if you don’t have an invitation?
Fortunately, regarding the question of whether, in addition to the private ones, there are booths with free admission, here is a concise answer.
The fact is, although these are fairly crowded spaces and do not account for even a third of the Real’s booths, the April Fair does have some public booths that are freely accessible.
