Festival Season in Barcelona
The historic city of Barcelona, Spain traces its roots back to nearly 2000 years ago. Having been host to the rise and fall of powerful nations, the seat of early exploration, a World’s Fair, historic conventions, the Olympic Games, and more; the modern city of Barcelona is a fantastic blend of history, culture, and modern society. One of the most beloved seasons in modern Barcelona is its summer festival season, attracting thousands of tourists every year.
Throughout the city of Barcelona and it surrounding regions, a wide variety of festivals and celebrations occur at different times each summer. These festivals are centered around many things including; patron saint days, religious celebrations, carnival, and modernly there are many musical festivals, as well as celebrations food and alcohol. It can be said that summertime in Barcelona feels like one great long festival, and it is certainly worth the visit.
While many of today’s festivals have been modernized, there are still remnants of past traditions like the castellers (human castles), correfocs (fire runs), and the sardana dance. The streets of Barcelona are often decorated in festive and colorful ornamentation and are illuminated with many light displays. The local food is plentiful and delicious, and the cerveza and sangria flow generously.
If you enjoy music and art, there are quite a few exciting festivals that attract some of the greatest acts and performers. Early summer brings some of the most popular and famous music festivals to Barcelona. The Primavera Sound Festival, which takes place between May and June, brings many world-famous artists to the beautiful Parc del Forum venue. The Sonar Festival occurs every June, and has become one of the world’s leading electronic and dance music festivals. From mid-June through early August, the Grec Festival celebrates performance arts with theater, dance, and music from many different acts. While these festivals are some of the largest occurring in Barcelona, there are many smaller one that take place all throughout the summer season.
Barcelona plays host to a few film festivals each year, many of which occur in the open air venues of the city. The Sala Montjuic goes on through July and August, bringing jazz and cinema to the Montjuic fortress. Gandules happens throughout August, and brings many noteworthy films from around the world to be enjoyed in the Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona’s courtyard. Barcelona has become a hub for the world of the arts, and certainly its summer film festivals are one of the years’ highlights.
There are also traditional celebrations, including the patron saint days, which highlight the local history and culture. One of the largest parties each year takes place on the eve of Sant Joan, the midsummer celebration that is filled with fireworks, which takes place on June 23/24. While there are many famous district festivals, one of the most popular has become the Festa Major de Gracia which happens mid-August each year. The streets of the district become decorated with statues, wooden ornaments, and festive lanterns and many of the city squares become venues for music. These are just a few of the larger festivals that take place in the summer season throughout Barcelona, but there are many smaller district festivals that take place each year.
Whatever your interests, there are plenty of reasons to visit Barcelona, Spain during its summer festival season. With the rich local history and tradition blended into modernity, the many festivals are an opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the culture. If you enjoy travel and have been planning to visit Barcelona, consider timing your visit to experience one of the many.