Sevilla’s iconic Feria de Abril is one of the country’s most iconic – and successful – annual cultural events.
It’s no surprise then, that other regions want to copy it, and this year, Madrid will do exactly that.
Under the name Madrilucía, the event is being promoted as ‘the first major Andalucian fair in Madrid’. Its aim is to bring the spirit and look of the Sevilla Fair to both locals and visitors.
Lanterns, casetas and flamenco fashion will have a permanent home in a venue of more than 200,000 square metres in Villaverde.
While organisers initially announced a 20-day run, the official website has since been updated with a vaguer start date of ‘from May 13’.
The project traces its roots back 40 years to an initiative launched by Francisco de Paula Lopez, a Sevillano who had moved to the capital.
Over nine editions, Madrilucia filled places such as Puerta de Alcala, Gran Vía and Paseo de la Castellana with carriages and ruffled dresses, aiming to challenge stereotypes about Andalucians. It also played a part in boosting Sevilla’s bid to host Expo ’92.
Now, the new organisers say they want to adapt the celebration for the 21st century.
Madrilucia will open on May 9, coinciding with the feast of La Almudena and just ahead of San Isidro.
Instead of albero sand, the fair will take place on artificial grass at the Iberdrola Music site, the same venue used for MadCool, with capacity for more than 100,000 people.
From Wednesday to Sunday, visitors can expect flamenco singing, guitar and dance shows, high-fashion catwalks, horse displays and a fairground area. Most activities will be paid for using cashless wristbands, as at music festivals.
This new Real will also feature food trucks serving classic Andalucian tapas such as fried fish, salmorejo and papas aliñas.
More than 400 traditional-style casetas will be available, complete with catering, live music and toilets with ‘continuous cleaning service’. These can already be booked through the event’s website.
There will be many public areas, meaning you do not need to buy access to a caseta to enter.
Only two weeks available to book
The organisers are offering three types of caseta, with different design options, to both organisations and private individuals.
Prices start at €55,000 per module per week, before tax, and rise to €59,000 for the most exclusive options. To confirm a booking, which will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis, a €1,000 deposit is required. This covers one module for five days.
Madrilucia was originally set to run until June 7, but at the time of writing casetas can only be booked up to May 24.
The maximum size for a caseta is 300 square metres. At that size, the final price starts at €165,000, with a €3,000 upfront payment.
There is also the option of becoming a member of the Madrilucía caseta club. Membership includes continuous access wristbands for the first five days and entry to an exclusive programme of events. The cost is €2,000 per member.
