We went there in 2007, based on RG s anchored in the river at Gelves. It is bracketed by 2 other major festivals - the religious processions in Seville streets that go on throughout Holy Week, and the
Gypsy pilgrimage to the holy village of El Rocio in the Donanas National Park. It's possible to spend a long time on the Atlantic coast of Andalucia!
The Feria is really in three
parts. In the morning there's the bull fighting in the ring in Seville. This is the premier tournament in the country. We didn't go to that, but you can buy tickets if it's to your taste. Secondly, in the afternoon, people go to the Feria ground (just the other side of the river from the bull ring and enormous) and parade around in anything connected with horses that they can beg steal or borrow. This ranges from amazing four in hand open barouches to people on ponies. But all of them are swanked up to the nines, in beautiful harness and amazing outfits. Some
women ride astride in Andalucian male costume - bowlers and beautifully cut jodpurs and boleros. Other women ride sitting sideways on the rump of the boyfriends horse, dressed in flouncy flamenco dresses and high heels. (We didn't see any
men riding sidesaddle in large dresses.)
At about 2000, the horses leave and the streets of the fairground are hosed down - and the drinking begins. The main Feria ground (there is a traditional fun fair beside it), is this series of booths or cassettas - hundreds of them. As said, most of these are private, owned by little coops or big businesses, or families. You can watch them though, and much fantastic dancing happens therein. There are several large public cassettas too where you can buy
food and drink and watch everyone promenading around.
The dancing is the peculiarly Sevillian flamenco that is lighthearted, noisy and allegedly easier. And everyone resident in Seville does it, as workplaces, communes etc all rain
classes in the run up to Feria.
The night time sessions goes on till dawn.
There are tons of buses from all over the city that run continuously to the Feria ground, including from Gelves and all down that side of the river.
It's an absolute blast. We went to see the easter parades and Feria, which were practically back to back that year, and it took us a month to recover!