The next important event in the fiestas calendar is la Feria de Córdoba, which will start this saturday 20th of may and will last until the next saturday, the 27th. As in la Feria de Abril of Sevilla, the inauguration of the celebrations will start with the lightning of the main entrance and the stalls, and also the fireworks. This will happen the 20th at midnight. This year the entrance has been designed with a central squared body of 13,5 metres from which 12 columns with capitals emerge. Over them there will be a scale replica of the Mosque Cathedral, and the construction will be completed with two big doors on the sides as well as several arcs that will create a 6 metres wide porch. Also the entrance will be lightened by 55.000 lámparas de LED. 

On the other side, this year the compound will have 98 stalls and all of them will include a kitchen where they would cook the typical tapas and dishes of the fiesta, and they will also have a permit to open until from 13.00 pm to 1.00 am. Also, the 22nd and 23th of may the Best Stalls of the Feria contest will take place. In it, it will be chosen the stall with the best entrance, the best stall in general and the best one with a decorated backyard.

In relation to the access of the feria, a parking area has been set up on the right side of the Andalucia highway. A total of 69.322 squared metres of land intended for a maximum of 3.200 cars. And for two-wheeled vehicles an area for secure parking has been enabled in the auxiliary route of the street Compositor Rafael Castro. And with respect of the public transport, there would be 12 additional lines to help the access to the event from the different city neighborhoods. Inside the facilities, also, there will be a pneumatic train that will tour through the inside streets of the feria. It'll start on the entrance and will pass by the Guadalquivir street, the Municipal Stall and the main street until getting back to the start point.

Of course, the feria will also have horse rides and carriages from 1.00 till 8.00 pm. During this hours, several pedestrian crossings have been foreseen and the horse rides will have to be run in one direction only and they will only be allowed to pass through the crossing streets. The 20th, also, there will be a Traditional Carriages Exhibition. On the other hand, different events like bullfights and musical concerts will happen during the feria and famous spanish singers like Diego El Cigala, the Aslándticos, David de María, Manu Tenorio, la Década Prodigiosa, los Chunguitos and los Coros Rocieros of the XXII Encuentro Rociero Camino del Arenal will be part of the fiesta. All of this has been organized expecting to entertain the public and offer a variety of different activities for all ages.

Regarding the dressing code, even though la Feria de Abril its still recent, its never bad to remember some useful ideas that can make your life much easier, specially if your are thinking to assist and its your first time:

• Leave the sunglasses at home: Yes, they are a great tool to protect yourself from the sun, but, as a matter of fact, the sun is something that you are not gonna be able to avoid no matter when you go. And since you are gonna be eating, dancing, walking around, and having fun all day the shades can become an annoying tool to keep with you, specially if you do not want to loose them. Also they don't look very good with the traditional flamenca look.
• Never use the shawl hanging from the hip: You can put it the traditional way over the shoulders, crossed or following the lines of your dress necklines, but never hang them on the hip, it doesn't look good.

Flamenca dress collection 2017-2018 de Mari Cruz, model Madruga

• Hold your shawl: When you put it over you, even if its in the right way, make sure to use safety pins and even a big elegant clasp. The last thing we want is for it to move or even fall. 

• Use the flowers on your favor: the hair flowers are accesories that always give a colour touch and happiness to the look. However, one unique flower put over your ear is a very guiri idea, even more if its used with the hair down. The advisable thing to do is to use a bun or pull the hair back and combine different flowers. Nowadays there are infinite possibilites so use them. Some options in that sense are the following: put the flowers in the classic way, on top of the head; or combine different sizes of them all over the hair to give it a modern touch. You can also use the flowers as a crown over symmetric hairdos and on the side of the head with asymmetric ones. If you use ponytails or braids you can also use different flowers of the same size on both sides of the head, or just simply put the flower over a low bun. 

In regards of the kind of flower to use, you can choose whatever you like, carnations, jasmines, roses, etc. The idea is to be original.  

Flamenca flowers with a big peony in purple and salmon tones

• Be careful with the footwear: Don't use flat sandals or flip flos to to go with a flamenca dress. Use a shoe with heels of at least 4 o 5 cm, you can also choose heel wedges so its more comfortable to walk. This are an option pretty popular and useful, since they offer height but don't loose comfortability. Besides you can use then as peep toes if you want something more fresh. If you decide to use sandals they should have a little bit of heel, they will give the dress a more sophisticated air E incluso los zapatos de salón clasicos cerrados son una buena opción para darle un toque elegante. Y en cuanto a colores y decoración, hoy en día los hay de muchos tipos, puedes utilizarlos de un solo color base o con lunares, de charol o de otro tipo de materiales. Elige aquellos que mejor vayan con tu outfit.

• Use the pockets: A lot of the dresses include a hidden pocket in between the fringes. Use it. And try to reduce as much as possible the amount of things you are gonna take with you, mobile phone, money, keys, etc. It will ease your mind.

• Flamenca dresses inspiration: you can get inspiration from the most modern tendencies, but don't forget that in the end what matters is that the dress is comfortable and handy. Keep in mind that you are gonna be out a lot of hours eating, dancing, walking, and if you need to retouch the dress constantly you are gonna end up fed up.

Flamenca dress collection 2017-2018 model Zambra

• If its cool: Avoid as much as possible to use coats, blazers or leather jackets. Find other options that are more delicate like pashminas or thick shawls, they will keep you warm and it will not be seen as though you are disguised. 

• If you have company: It is not neccesary but if you go with someone, you partner should take care of their attire too.

Flamenco shoes are one of the most important parts no just of the flamenco dance, but also the dress code and the music. The tapping sound of a flamenco dancer its reinforced by this special shoes, since they are a vital part of this style.

The term flamenco shoes normally refers to women shoes, since men generally use boots. This special shoes are particularly important because they are used as percussion instruments to acompany the music. This is like that because they have special nails in the heels and caps of the shoes.

A traditional flamenco shoe tends to be in red or black colours, and normally matches the beautiful dresses. The heel length can vary but usually mesures between 2 and 7 cm. Also this shoes usually have a ribbon or tie that crosses over the foot and is fixed to the ankle, designed to mantain the feet on their place. Depending on the dress, you have to decide what colour and kind of shoes are the best for you.

The shoes can be purchased anywhere in the world, but most professional dancers prefer to ask for theirs to traditional spanish manufacturers that produce handmade and customizable products. The cost of an authentic pair of shoes is not really excesive. Having the right shoes can be a game changer for a dancer, and the ones who dedicate their lives to this know that they have to take care of their feet since their art is really rigourous.

To choose the best flamenco shoe is important to have some things in mind: colour, material (leather, suede, syntethic), the type of heel (standard, reel, cuban), the size of the heel, buckle or ribbons and if you want nails pre-installed or not (often they are sold without nails to practice). Also the quality of the shoes changes depending of the level of the dancer. There are amateur or students shoes, semi-professional, professional, and elite for dancers that have been in the scene for a while.

On the other hand, taking good care of the shoes would prevent them from become stiff. Hence, you should keep them in a fresh and dry environment. After practicing with them let them air dry for several minutes and then bag them so they stay out of the dust and other enviromental elements. Also it is really important to clean and treat the leather by softly brushing and moisturizing it. When the creme gets absorbed then youn can use a shoe polish, and finally afterwards you can wipe it with some cloth or the brush. And, of course, if you use nails on the shoe remember to take them to get changed when there is some missing or worn-out. This way the shoes will last a lot longer.

Some of the most notorious flamenco shoes manufacturers in Spain are:

• Begoña Cervera: this is the leading company in which most of the flamenco professionals trust. It has been working in the artisanal products market for more than a decade, mixing tradition with comfort, design and innovation.
• Gallardo: the shoes of this business are completely handmade in the traditional way. It is a very well reknown brand, recognized by their excellent quality and comfort, and used by a lot of flamenco artists and dance companies. Gallardo also can customize them following the clients wishes.
• Menkes: This prestigious brand uses really modern technology to create their shoes, but they also keep the traditional concept of the artisanal shoes manufacturing process. They guarantee a longevity of the shoes for at least 50 years.
• Roberto Garrudo: he creates handmade shoes with high quality and made with the best materials on the market.
• Bulería Sabates: this spanish shoe enterprise, located in Alicante, is specialized in women's flamenco shoes with original desgins. Their shoes are handmade with really good materials.

IMPORTANTE:

If you are looking for a pair of good flamenco shoes, please visit our website www.flamencoexport.com. We have a wide variety of them from some of the best brands in the market like Begoña Cervera, Gallardo y Maty. And for those who are looking for something a bit more economic we also have a wide selection of them.