Hey Owlets!
I don’t think I’ve done a “Follow Me To” post since I went to France in January, but the rain is getting warmer and my schedule is filling up so we must be getting towards summer! Today I wanted to take you to an event that I’ve never actually been to before.
Spanish culture is something that I’ve have always been fascinated with, so the idea of a Spanish Fair in Cardiff sounded amazing. There wasn’t a lot of information online so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The event ran from 11am-11pm, with the day time being aimed more at families. As I don’t really drink or party, we opted to visit in the morning. On the day Dad and I were running late so we got there at about 12, and it’s a good job; I’m not really sure why it was advertised as starting so early - nothing really happened until around 1pm.
I loved the set up of the event as it wasn’t super crowded - the food stalls were outside, the music was inside and the bar was upstairs so it was easy to go to the area you wanted to visit without getting crushed by people at the bar later on.
As we were there early and hadn’t got round to breakfast we decided to sample some of the food on offer. The food options were great in general, but a little limited if you had dietary requirements like me (eating gluten free is a nightmare at small events anyway!). We started with some paella - you could either have meat or vegan, and as rice is gluten free it meant I could eat it. The paella was great and it was nice to eat something authentic without going outside of the local area. We went a bit backwards with our meal and had tapas after the paella. There weren’t any gluten free options, but Dad said that the food quality was amazing to the point that he thought that the cheese and meat had probably been imported, and it was great to watch it being prepared in front of you, using the authentic ingredients.
The entertainment started fully at 1:30pm so I wouldn’t recommend getting there much before then. It started with traditional flamenco dancers from Alejandra Velasco Dancing School, then alternated between singers and dancers throughout the day and into the evening.
While we were at the event we were given hats, fans, flowers and other traditional Spanish accessories to get into the spirit. They were free to take, which is lovely and I know that tickets were £15 each, but even with paying the ticket price I would’ve liked the option to donate to a local charity for the items we were given.
There were a lot of Spanish people at the event; it felt like it was their yearly party and chance to be back in their own culture. I loved this because everyone was happy to be there enjoying themselves and weren’t at all conscious of people looking at them. Everywhere you went you found people dancing, singing and enjoying the atmosphere - be that singing alone to Riceminster’s playlist outside, dancing to the Puerto De Indias playlist in the bar upstairs, or joining in the fiesta spirit with the stage performers. As the day wore on, Tramshed was full of energy and it was busy without being overcrowded - the atmosphere was infectious.
Upstairs the Sevillian gin was flowing - you could have anything you liked as long as it was a gin and tonic! I chose the pink gin and was handed a glass topped up with strawberry slices. Maybe it was the presentation or the smell of the fresh strawberries, but it was the best gin and tonic I’ve ever had.
The April Feria is hands down one of the most unique events I’ve been to in Cardiff. It felt like you’d stepped into a Spanish town as soon as you walked through Tramshed’s gates. For a day out with a difference, a chance to experience a different culture and a great family-friendly party, I can’t recommend it enough.
Love and Feathers,
The Owlet 💜
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