The Feria of Granada

The Feria of Granada has great charm and attractiveness. It lasts a week, starting the Saturday before Corpus Christi at midnight.

Do you know what is the most important party in Granada? This is the Corpus Christi Fair. The Corpus Christi Fair begins this weekend, on May 29, 2021, and will end on Saturday, June 5, 2021.

Cartel de la feria

This is a week of celebrations that this year will not be carried out normally either. Generally, the Feria and its fair are located in the neighborhood of Almanjáyar, in the Northern district of the city, very close to the Bus Station.

The lighting (alumbrao) and the fair.

The first night of the feria at twelve o’clock the front of the Royal illuminates. This is the traditional “lighting” ceremony, with which the festivities of Corpus Christi are inaugurated.

In the fair of Granada are installed about 70 booths that in their great majority are of traditional type, with music and flamenco decoration. All this makes up the trade fair. But, unfortunately, for the COVID-19 this year will live again in a very different way since they will not be able to settle down.

Alumbrao

The Corpus Christi procession.

The name of the fair is given by the celebration of the procession of Corpus Christi, that reminds the Eucharist.

To do this, the Custody is accompanied by the main streets of Granada and altars and awnings are placed along its route. This procession is very long, as in addition to the Custody and the Tarasca, parade with their insignia and banners all the local authorities and ecclesiastical dignities, parishes, brotherhoods, guilds, public and private institutions. Two important processions stroll through the streets of Granada in the week of the fair: the Tarasca (of pagan character, in it the figure of a woman walks on a dragon, accompanied by giants and heads) and the procession of the Corpus Christi (religious).

Procession of the Corpus

A characteristic element of the Corpus of Granada are the carocas and quintillas, in which the most relevant themes of the year are discussed with a great sense of humor. The carocas are drawings, or rather caricatures, which highlight in humour the main local and national events that have taken place during the year in Granada and are accompanied by allusive coplas, the quintillas, which are placed under the drawing in large panels. The 20 quintillas selected this year will be hanging in the Plaza de Bib-Rambla next to its carocas from 31 May 2021.

This year, the solemn procession of Corpus Christi will not take place on Thursday, June 3. Instead, it will go on a short tour inside the  Cathedral with very limited seating.

However, there will be some performances in the center, and, as last year, the Tarasca will be exhibited in the Plaza del Carmen.

Tarasca

Events and alternatives to the fair.

Some of the events we can enjoy during these days are:

• On Corpus Thursday the artist Carmen Linares and the Granada Philharmonic invite us to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the death of Manuel de Falla with an extraordinary concert called: “La Seducción del Cante Jondo. Carmen Linares and Amor Brujo” will take place on Thursday, June 3 at 20:00.

• Several corridas and grilles will take place in plaza de toros.

Carmen Linares

An alternative is to see an authentic flamenco show in one of the zambras of Granada. There are several interesting shows: flamenco with dinner option at the Jardines de Zoraya or without dinner at the Tablao La Alboreá.

From iNMSOL we already think only about the next year’s fair, placing our hope in the next edition, convinced that it will be then when the Corpus is held again in a form, at least, similar to the traditional one.