Seville Events and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Seville, Andalucia, Spain)

The biggest festivals in Seville tend to be of a religious nature, with the Easter celebrations during Holy Week (Semana Santa) being especially lively.

Further events of note in the Andalusian capital include the Seville Fair (Feria de Sevilla), which is also often referred to as the April Fair (Feria de Abril) and begins roughly a fortnight after Semana Santa. The fair lasts just under a week and commences with a midday procession of horses and carriages, followed by a gathering at the bullring. Marquee tents line the Guadalquivir River, while dancing, live music events, flamenco dresses and tapas are all soon the order of the day, along with various other things to do and enjoy.

Later in the year, look out for festivals such as those based around Corpus Christi time and the Dia de San Juan, both of which take place in June and reliably draw big crowds.

Public Holidays

There are approximately fourteen accepted public holidays in Spain, which can be acknowledged on either a local or national basis. Listed below are those dates observed in Seville.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - Año Nuevo / New Year's Day
• 5th January - Epifanía / Epiphany
• 19th March - Dia de San José / St. Joseph's Day
• Late March or early April - Jueves Santo / Maundy Thursday
• Late March or early April - Viernes Santo / Good Friday
• 1st May - Fiesta del Trabajo / Labour Day
• 15th August - La Asunción / Feast of the Assumption
• 12th October - Nacional de España / National Day
• 1st November - Todos los Santos / All Saints' Day
• 6th December - Dia de la Constitución / Constitution Day
• 8th December - La Inmaculada Concepción / Feast of the Immaculate Conception
• 25th December - Navidad / Christmas Day

Seville Special Events 2014 / 2015

A variety of occasions are detailed for a taste of what Seville has to offer. However, the already busy social calendar of the city is continually being added to.

January

• New Year's Day - January 1st, public holiday in Seville
• Dia de la Toma - January 2nd, this fiesta is held in nearby Granada, where Queen Isabel's crown and King Fernando's sword are paraded through the streets
• Dia de Reyes - January 6th, on the evening before this public holiday, the Three Kings parade through the streets of Andalusia in costume
• Certamen Internacional de Guitarra Clasica Andres Segovia - first week of January, this classical guitar competition is a popular event

February

• Los Carnavales - second or third week in February, this carnival is widely celebrated, particularly in the western region of Andalusia
• Festival de Musica Antigua - February and March, this Seville music festival is performed with historic musical instruments

March

• Cristo de la Expiracion - Friday, nine days before Palm Sunday, this is one of Andalusia's most lively fiestas, with shotguns, rockets and firecrackers
• Semana Santa - Palm Sunday to Good Friday, Seville celebrates this religious event in spectacular style, with processions in every town and village in the region

April

• Fiesta de San Marcos - April 25th, accompanying the image of San Marcos, eight bulls are lead through the streets
• Feria de Abril - last Sunday in April, this is a major pilgrimage in Seville, being first held in the year of 1847

May

• Feria del Caballo - first week of May, this is a popular horse fair in nearby Jerez de la Frontera
• Festival Internacional de Teatro y Danza - throughout May, many world-class companies perform in Seville's Teatro de la Maestranza
• Festival de los Patios - second week in May, held in Cordoba, different types of patio are displayed
• Romeria de San Isidro - May 15th, Romerias are held in many town in the Andalusia region
• Feria de Mayo - last week of May, this festival is held in Cordoba

June

• Corpus Christi - late May or early June, in Seville there are many celebrations, including young boys dancing before the cathedral altar
• Dia de San Juan - June 23rd to 24th, much dancing, drinking and singing around bonfires on beaches across Andalusia, in honour of John the Baptist
• Romeria de los Gitanos - third Sunday in June, thousands of gypsies head for the hilltop shrine in Cabra
• Festival Internacional de Musica y Danza - mid-June to early July, this music festival is held in Granada, with performers from all over the world

July

• Festival de la Guittara - first two weeks of July, this guitar festival is held in Cordoba and celebrates all styles, including classical and flamenco
• Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen - around July 15th, the Virgin is honoured in many coastal areas by a variety of sporting events and regattas

August

• Fiestas Colombinas - around August 3rd, this Latin American dance and music festival is held in nearby Huelva
• Fiesta Patronales de Santa Maria de la Palma - August 15th, seaside processions
• Fiesta de la Exaltacion del Rio Guadalquivir - third week in August, horse races are held on the beaches of Sanlucar de Barrameda at this exciting event

September

• Feria de Pedro Romero - first two weeks in September, this Ronda festival celebrates the founder of bullfighting and all participants wear elaborate costumes
• Moros y Cristianos - September 15th, this fiesta is held in Valor and features the recreation of the Reconquest battles
• Fiesta de la Vendimia - second or third week in September, this lively fiesta blesses the first grape juice of the season in La Palma del Condado
• Sevilla en Otono - September to November, this Seville festival includes a number of events, such as dance, sports, theatrical performance and many exhibitions

October

• Fiesta del Vino - October 5th to 9th - this mountain fiesta in held in Cadiar and features a fountain of wine
• Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro - last two weeks of October, this Latin American theatre festival is held in Huevla

November

• Festival Internacional de Jazz - early November, held in both Seville and Granada, this jazz festival is a popular event in the cities
• Festival de Cine Iberoamericano - last two weeks on November, a Latin American film festival held in Huevla

December

• La Immaculada Concepcion - December 8th, held in Seville, groups of minstrels walk around the streets playing music in the Plaza del Triunfo and Santa Cruz areas
• Christmas Fairs - many fairs and Christmas markets are held in Seville
• New Year's Eve - general festivities and parties throughout Seville