Fall Creek & La Faeria de Abril de Sevilla

As Fall Creek’s Marketing Manager, I had the privilege of spending a week in Spain with our team at our Fall Creek Europe nursery located near Seville. It was a very busy week of meetings, visits to key vendors, farm tours and more. Our employees in Spain are a dedicated group of professionals who clearly care deeply for our customers and the quality of products and service we deliver throughout Europe. They could not have been more hospitable or welcoming to our group visiting from Oregon.

There was much excitement in the air among our Spain team due to the upcoming annual Feria de Abril de Sevilla which began this last weekend  as we were departing. Had I understood the significance of this event, I would have planned to stay an extra day or two simply to immerse myself in the richness and color of Spain’s culture festively on display during this week-long extravaganza that follows Easter Holy Week. This fair began in 1847 and takes place in Andalusian which is the capital of Seville and now reports attendance of over 1 million people during the weeklong celebrations.

As the fair location was on our way from our hotel, we saw it being constructed over the week of our stay. Filled with more than 1,000 massive, elaborate tents where individual private and public parties and meals take place, the fair also includes numerous carnival rides, live performance areas, gaming areas, music venues, food booths, extensive and festive overhead lighting and decorations. It was easy to see that a tremendous effort and expense goes into the week-long event that only happens once per year.

Through our interactions with our team there, I learned much about this long-standing, traditional event and how much it means to our employees and their extended families. They plan for months – each year buying new, traditional outfits to wear to the fair. Men wear suits, modern or traditional, and women wear vividly-colored, form-fitting flamenco dresses with long flowing, ruffled skirts, often with bright patterns or floral designs. Their make-up is dramatic and hair is most-often up-styled and adorned with flowers and accessories. The children dress as well and many have been learning the traditional flemenco dances to be performed at the fair. This decorated fair is a celebratory extravaganza filled with the authentic music, dancing, parades, and food of Spain. It is where the people of Sevilla come together to proudly celebrate their customs and traditions.

One of the things I loved hearing is that our team there was planning a get together at the fair with our Fall Creek employees in addition to their own gatherings with family and friends. It was clear that our Fall Creek Europe team has a close bond that extends beyond work. I asked if they would share photos and if I could share them on our blog. So here is a little look at the beautiful costumes worn by some of our Fall Creek “family” in Spain to their beloved Feria de Abril de Sevilla.