The Festa Major De Gracia: The Hottest Summer Party in Barcelona
In the third week of August, in the city of Barcelona, the district of Gracia throws a party. The history of Gracia is important in this respect; when Gracia joined the city of Barcelona, it was in tribute to the strength of the city as the guarantor of local independence of the region of Catalonia. This spirit of union and welcome fills the region during festival days, and the Festa De Gracia retains that feeling of village warmth by keeping the celebration small in terms of spectacle, but large in terms of direct personal participation by the residents. Around every corner, there is a different set of music, dance, children’s events, activities, tastings, and other marks of the classic Catalan celebration. And over every head, in every lane, the competition for the most amazing street decorations creates delirious and awe-inspiring visions of beauty. The Festa Major De Gracia is a genuine neighborhood street party, and the neighborhood is huge!
One aspect of the intimate nature of this festival is that the noise and celebrations prevent many residents of Garcia from sleeping, and so the traditional closing time for each day of the Festa is 1:00 a.m.
The designers are all local residents, and the streets show the depth of pride and love that the citizens of the area have for their homes.
The neighborhood of Gracia runs from the southeast, near the old city around the harbor, to the northwest and the hills of the Serra de Collserola Nature Park. Bisected in the middle by the Travessera De Dalt, the neighborhood is a simple, densely packed grid of rectangles in its southerly half, while the greenery of the Parc Guell and the Parc Creueta Del Coll brighten the northern half, which also features winding roads that ascend the rising countryside. For eight days the neighborhood fills its plazas in celebration of its union with Barcelona and the beauty of summer. The contest for best street decoration is the most popular and well-known part of the Festa, and every street receives a unique theme during the planning of the events. The designers are all local residents, and the streets show the depth of pride and love that the citizens of the area have for their homes. Along with the décor competition, almost every café and plaza restaurant will offer special tapas menus to the public, with small dishes available at festival prices. In the north, there are few events scheduled, although the Vallcarca i els Penitents neighborhood is certainly worth visiting, while in the heavily populated south, the Plaça Del Sol, the Plaça d’En Joanic, and the Vila de Gràcia in front of the town hall, are the centers of attention.
The prizes for the street decoration competition are usually awarded on the day after the opening of the festival. The decorating artists known that the local streetlights create a glowing effect, and they use this consciously in their work, so the best time to see the decorations is always after sundown, when lights are turned on and the glowing illumination works its magic. The weather and the heavy traffic result in considerable wear and tear on the delicate artwork, and at the end of the festival their beauty is considerably worn down. The opening day is by far the best time for viewing the streets of Gracia, but this means dealing with heavy foot traffic, drawn from all over the world. Festival organizers always ask visitors to attend to their movements carefully when they tour the streets, so that the decorations, which often are within reach, last as long as possible.
The “Castellers” build human towers as high as ten people, all of whom stand on each other’s shoulders
The great parade of the festa, the Cercavila de Cultura Popular, occurs on the early evening of the first weekend day. The most unusual celebration of the Festa Major De Gracia are undoubtedly the “Castellers”, the human tower builders, and the Correfocs, the fire runs! These two major events, with their multiple preparatory run-ups, are a part of Catalan culture that gives extra spice to the region’s way of celebrating life. The “Castellers” build human towers as high as ten people, all of whom stand on each other’s shoulders, in rings of four people each. These towers are assembled in one square and then walked to the town hall, a short distance away! The Correfocs are basically fireworks displays, but visitors should be aware that damp clothes and headgear are recommended for all onlookers, which tells you how intimate the spectacle of these parades can be! The thrills of the “Castellers” fill the middle part of the Festa, while the Correfocs provide the grand finale. After all is done, the city of Barcelona gets to rest for a few days, until the next festa major begins!
You can get an idea of the nature of the festival with a look at this brochure from an earlier year: