The 4th annual Feria de Abril will be a full day of flamenco and celebration of Andalusian culture. This is an all-volunteer event; all proceeds will benefit the St. Isidore Historical Plaza. Besides flamenco dancing, there will be live music, authentic Spanish food, free flamenco classes, kids’ activities, vendors and fashion shows. Tickets are $25 when purchased online and are available at this link. Parking is available on nearby streets and is free.
The feria is modeled on the actual Feria de Sevilla in Spain, an event that started in 1847 and has evolved into a weeklong fair hosting over 1 million people.
The event promises to deliver a great time due to the setting, the cause and, above all, the content (flamenco AND food).
The Setting: St Isidore Historical Plaza
Sarah Parra is the event organizer and proprietor of the Los Alamitos-based Esencia Flamenca Dance Studio. She sees the St. Isidore Historical Plaza as a natural fit for the event due to its rich history, Spanish architecture, courtyard layout, and address (Reagan St. was the original main street in Los Alamitos). In fact, she chose her studio location because it was near the plaza and in a city that was part of the original Rancho Los Alamitos.
The plaza is also a natural fit because the St. Isidore board members love flamenco. One board member witnessed the feria in Seville and saw the potential for a local event. At the same time, Sarah wanted to resurrect a similar Spanish fair that took place over the years in Long Beach: La Peña Andaluza en California (now defunct).
The Cause
St. Isidore Historical Plaza currently provides many services to the community (tutoring, food distribution, meeting center for charities, arts events, etc.) all with a volunteer staff. The long-term plan is to rebuild the plaza in the Spanish Revival style, restore the chapel to its original design, earthquake-retrofit the chapel and achieve state landmark status. The center will continue to provide community services.
The Content: Flamenco Is Hot Hot Hot!
The feria is the Woodstock of SoCal flamenco. Most of the local studios are queued up to perform at this event and some of them are wait-listed for next year. According to Ms. Parra, flamenco has grown in popularity over last decade and shows no sign of abating. Indeed, flamenco studios could become as ubiquitous as martial art studios. She attributes the growing popularity to:
- The Internet. The art form is readily available to everybody. That wasn’t always the case. American access to flamenco was limited to some restaurants, tourism in Spain or CDs by a few artists such as The Gypsy Kings.
- The psychological appeal. Flamenco is cathartic, hence good for the soul. It mines and exorcises dark emotions (it is where the art comes from). Some of Sara’s students are psychologist. They recommend lessons to their clients!
- Family appeal. Flamenco always was a family activity. Nowadays, it is common for Sarah’s students to be family units enjoying together time, especially mothers and daughters. Furthermore, flamenco is an ageless activity. Sarah teaches students from age 3 to 90.
- Multicultural appeal. Most cultures are drawn to flamenco and feel a kinship to it. History can explain some of this. Flamenco’s origins are Andalusian, and Andalusia was a melting pot for centuries, with Berbers, Sephardic Jews and, most notably, the Romani. The Romani diaspora influenced the folk arts in India, the middle east, Russia, the Balkans and western Europe. Furthermore, the Spanish empire brought these folk arts to far flung places such as the Philippines and the Caribbean. Japan has more flamenco studios than Spain. Maybe history can’t explain that.
- Connection and creativity. Participating in flamenco means being part of a highly creative ensemble. It requires an interplay between dancers, singers, guitarists and percussionists. Participants love that synergy and become hooked. Of course, there is that endorphin boost participants get from the enthusiastic audiences.
Spanish Food
The food at this event is fantastic, affordable and will stimulate the palate the way flamenco stimulates the senses. The providers are devoted to Spanish cuisine and pride themselves on using the most authentic ingredients. Paella preparation is a feria spectator event due to the enormous pans, enormous tools and the aromas. Remember that this is an all-volunteer event. The providers are donating their time and supplies for the cause.
Please pre-purchase your paella when you buy your feria tickets. The paella usually sells out.
Conclusion
This is a family feast for the eyes, ears, soul and stomach. Despite all the activities, the event has a community feel. $25 makes the feria a bargain even if you stay for an hour.