Posts Tagged ‘festival’
From the 1st to the 9th of August Barcelona will host a very interesting festival: The CIRCUIT- an international gay and lesbian event. This year it is greater, bigger and even more vibrant! It is by far the most important gay and lesbian festival in Europe.
It will consist of 9 days of culture, art, debates and cinema, all with gay and lesbian motives. The circuit cinema contains a selection of the most awarded gay and lesbian films released during the past few years. It is not expensive, as it is only 5,30€. It is an affordable for cinema experience in a special way. And last but not least, there will be Party, Party and more Party! Gays and Lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders can join several parties every evening with unique DJ’s like Lydia Sanz, Luxury, Yuri, Taito Tikaro, Nano and many many more. The 5th August is, in my opinion, the best party. Starting at 10am, a day and night event will take place at the water park Illa Fantasia. The park on this day is exclusively reserved for this party. There are going to be more than a thousand people from all over the world. Barcelona and the surronding area is the best city for this festival. Recently the city of Barcelona hosted the Pride Barcelona ‘09 festival, which was a great success. Barcelona has always stood for openness, tolerance and multiculturalism and thus it is for sure one of the gay friendliest destinations in the world. The city has so much to offer: a fashion world, the tasty Catalan and of course world wide cuisine and many many other possibilities to spend an exciting holiday! Tickets for every party and event are available at the till of the entrance or directly online here and where you can save some money.
The Festival Grec, held once a year in Barcelona is an attractive event for tourists and domestics alike. With a great mixture of theatre, music and dance, this festival ticks most peoples boxes.
From June 20th to August 2nd the city is spectacularly transformed into a huge and everpresent stage in which a huge range of culture shows take place. At the centre and perhaps the biggest venue is the the Teatre Grec, an open air building reminiscent of the Greek Ampitheatres of old. A massive variety of other venues are open for this festival however including Teatre Borras, the Sagrada Familia library, Mercat de Les Flors and Caixa Forum (the list goes on…) For the commercial crowd, highlights from the past include Craig David, Joss Stone and Brian Wilson, but these are just a few of the more well known names that compose this fantastic festival. The organisers of the festival try exceedingly hard to bring new diversity to the festival year after year. In terms of transport, the excellent metro connections are all you need, and tickets can be bought from a range of sources. Without further ado, get yourself down to one of the many events happening in this vibrant period and experience some of the most interesting and wonderful things Spain has to offer!
If you are a fan of loud noise, bright lights and running like a maniac, CorreFoc (literally meaning fire run) is for you. As June marks the beginning of Catalunya´s festival season, CorreFoc is a typical Catalan and Valencian event, held in the smaller towns surrounding the Barcelona centre and attracts huge crowds of all ages looking for gregarious thrills.
It starts in the main square, and if you havn´t already got kitted in a hood, gloves, long trousers and top and most of all a bandana around your face (some people even wear sunglasses or masks) then you better do it because this festival isn´t for the weak-hearted. Trumpets sound after a short motivating speech and the crowds flow through the streets carnival style following huge dragons (dracs) and drummers dressed as devils (diables). The auxiliary devils then light flare fireworks and spark-sticks and run through the crowd, with the people chasing them and trying to grab onto their devilish clothing. In Badalona, the public get on their knees in front of the running firework-wielding devils and chant “No Pasarán” (They wont pass). A high point of the fire run is waiting under windows of the residential apartments shouting “water, water” until you are ´doused´to put out the flames.
It is an intense mixture of fire, water, sweat, laughter and noise and although you will maintain a few minor burns and get fairly wet (if you so choose) will thoroughly enjoy the experience.
Every year, the city hosts the Grec Festival of Barcelona, which is probably the most popular and cultural festival in Barcelona. There are signs and flyers all over the city advertising the event, which made me curious as to what the event really was. The festival has a combination of theater, music, and dance and will be taking place from June 25- August 3, 2009.
There is more than a month of arts and activities happening in Barcelona. The festival originally took place in the Grec Theatr, a Greek-style amphitheatre surrounded by beautiful gardens in Montjuic. Events still take place here, however many events take place around the city. There are outdoor activities in Plaza del Rey and in the Grec Gardens. Every Tuesday, there will be a live concert in the Caixa Forum, which will begin July 1 at 8pm and 10 pm. It will be its 33th anniversary and they will be celebrating with both international and local performances. Tickets can be bought all around town in little Grec booths that have been set up, as well as in the tourist information stands around Plaza Catalunya. Tickets are reasonably priced, and with the current economic situation they have reduced their prices for people who are unemployed, over 65 years of age, and people who own a library card. As the festival lasts for most of the summer, make sure to see a performance, as it is one of the most authentic and cultural festivals in Barcelona. The is a great opportunity for a cultural experience. For more information you visit the festivals website at here.
The festivals that Barcelona organizes for its citizens and visitors are the most complete and varied in Europe. Theater, dance, music, cinema and films are some of the themes that are enjoyed by everyone in the city thanks to these artistic venues that have an ever-growing following and an increased importance in the international scene. They form part of the city’s cultural calendar and are a reference point for understanding how artistically important Barcelona is in Spain, as well as the rest of the world.
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Terrassa Jazz Festival
The annual traditional jazz festival comes again to Terrassa… Around the end of March every year, incredible jazz can be heard long into the night in Terrassa. More than 250 artists perform at the more than 40 concerts (12 of them are free) that take place during this incredible event on the different stages in the city of Terrassa.
Saint Jordi 23.04.
The 23rd of April is a day in Barcelona that is celebrated by book enthusiasts. The 23rd is the St. Jordi’s day, the patron saint of Catalunya and also the day on which both Cervantes and Shakespeare died. Back in the distant 20th Century the Catalans hijacked the Spanish Day of the Book – held in February – moved the celebration to St. Jordi’s Day. They also added a spring, and therefore a lover’s touch by including the exchanging of books and roses, with an added fertility symbol of a sprig or two of green wheat.
Formula 1 Car Race
The F1 Spanish Grand Prix is hosted in May at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo. Located 20 km north of the city, the Circuit of Catalunya is one of the most familiar circuits on the Grand Prix calendar as is it used a great deal by the Formula One racing teams for testing, both before and during the season. That familiarity, however, does not make the track any less of a challenge. The Barcelona circuit, constructed as part of the city’s Olympic development program, held its first Grand Prix in 1991 and was hailed an immediate success. The track features a long straight and numerous high-speed corners, as well as a rolling surface, which can make finding the optimum set-up tricky.
Sonar Festival
Every Year
The Sonar Festival is a major festival of music and electronic culture that takes place every summer in Barcelona. Sonar has separated its activities into two venues: the CCCB, during the day and the pavilion in Mar Bella during the evening. The purpose of planning innovating, instructive, pleasurable and effective program has been to combine more risk-taking activities with others that are surefire and attractive. Neither can the BAM (Barcelona Musical Action) be left out. This is a festival that is celebrated within the program of events at the Fiestas of the Mercè. BAM avoids convention and commercialism though remains in important artistic circles.
GREC Festival
June / July
The Barcelona Summer Festival, popularly known as the Grec Festival, is the most important cultural event in the city during the summer months. For several weeks, from around St. John’s Day, end of June – mid July, theater, dance and music take over the entire city, making it a showcase for all the latest developments in the contemporary performing arts. But, why Grec? And why is the festival’s symbol a faun? Grec has been the trademark of the festival since in 1976, when, during the period of transition towards democracy, a group of actors, directors, writers and technicians, opponents of the Franco structures still in place, took the Greek amphitheater on Montjuïc as the scene of an enthusiastic, independently-run initiative aimed at making their artistic dreams a reality. This concept led to the creation of a theater festival made up of four large productions and a succession of smaller shows that acted as a catalyst for the growing energy in the theater and performance scene. The success of the festival encouraged the members of the group to continue each year until 1979, newly installed democratic government authorities took over the event that is now considered to be one of the most deeply-rooted traditions of summer in Barcelona.
Festes de Gràcia
Mid August
When we talk about Festa Major we are referring to an the annual festival where you can find a wide range of different activities and events to look at or join. The neighborhood of Gràcia holds its Festa Major for a week in mid August. It’s a popular celebration with over 600 outdoors events, all of them free. Over 2.000.000 people come to visit the Festa Major during those days. It you’re in Barcelona at this time, you have to check it out! Gràcia’s Festa Major’s most distinctive trait is the decoration of the streets. Every neighborhood has a committee that constructs floats and decorations throughout the year. They choice a main theme and use materials such as wood, cardboard or plastic that end up as masterpieces. If you take a stroll through Gràcia in mid August, you’ll see and feel the rush to finish working on their decorations. Everything has to be ready by 8 am on the first full day of the festival. We highly recommend that you check out the decorated streets you to do it as soon as possible because the decorations are damaged about each day. There are events and activities everyday on each of the 22 streets. There are special activities for children (games, face painting and snacks). Night time is for popular dinners and dancing. You can dance with orchestras, or enjoy jazz concerts and many other activities in any of the decorated streets. The activities last until 2:30 in the morning from Monday to Friday and until 3:30 in the morning on Saturday. The most crowded concert will be on august near the end of the week on Bailen street.
Giants, Castles and Devils
The Festa Major is the right place to be introduced into Catalan Folklore. On august 15th there is a big popular culture Parade where you can get a glimpse of most of the Catalan Folklore representations.
Castellers (human towers)
If you have never seen the astonishing castellers, there is a chance to see them during the Festa Major. In Gràcia there is a colla, group of people building human towers wearing deep blue shirts. There are preformances of two of the best groups in the country; the Castellers de Vilafranca and the Colla Jove dels Xiquets de Valls. Please, keep your glasses off, you may be invited to lend hand and join in the fun!
The Correfocs
Night and Fire. Two Mediterranean elements, are used to close the Festa Major. Devils’ Groups from Gràcia are running on an astonishing circuit along Gran de Gràcia Street while fire-spitting. You’ll have a great time. If you decide to be part of it and join the correfoc, it’s very important that you wear trousers, light shoes, cotton old-sleeved-clothes, a cap or a hat and a kerchief, to cover your face. When the Correfoc is over it’s time for Fireworks.
Mercè Festival
24th of September
The capital of Catalonia has historically enjoyed the festive parades and traditional shows that have filled its streets with comedies and symbolic staging presentations since the Middle Ages. Each year, Barcelona celebrates these traditions and invents some new ones, such as the Correfoc, a trail of devils and beasts surrounded in sparks which, not content with parading, chase the passers-by. In turn the city, the reference point of Mediterranean cultures, uses its local festival each year to investigate the common traditions of the peoples who live beside this great sea.
Things to see: The historical beasts of Barcelona, headed by the majestic giants of the city, parade to la Plaça de Sant Jaume to start the festival with their dancing. The city’s groups of devils and fire beasts prepare to chase passers-by in a procession where all kinds of care must be taken as there is fire around. As the start to the traditional dances held in the city during La Mercè (Mercèdance), all the groups invited to the festival participate in a joint parade to show the bonds that tie the cultures of this great sea. The 24th is the day of the patron saint of Barcelona, the Virgin of La Mercè. On this day, the different popular groups go out into the street to celebrate. We particularly recommend the performance of the castellers (typical Catalan human constructions) from 12.30 p.m. in la plaza de Sant Jaume. As a festive close to La Mercè, giants, large headed figures, dragons and figures of all kinds come out in procession in a true moving show of the traditional culture of the city.
FICEB
5th – 9th October
This years ‘Barcelona International Erotic Film Festival’ promises to the best yet. Its the 13th installment of this world renowned event and its taking place at La Fraga de l’Hospitalet from the 5th to the 9th October. In FICBE you’ll be able to find the latest national and international news in X Cinema, on all the stages you will find the worlds best Adult Film Stars, Club Bizarre hosts the Festival Area, there will be a Fashion section with lots of sexy Lingerie, a wide commercial section with all kinds of sexual products: toys, movies, magazines etc and a spacial Gay Area, with products on exhibition, a bar and live gay shows. The goals of this festival are: “to normalize the sex industry, to be a meeting for professionals, to promote adult films, to normalize the consumption of sex products, to be a launching platform for actress and actors, to be a media window for the sex industry, to be a forum to think about the current situation and an instrument to present sex industry novelties” As you can see this festival is NOT for the faint hearted or prudish, it will most certainly be an experience you’ll never forget if nothing else.
Hi! Every year a guitar festival is held in the wonderful cultural city of Barcelona. This years edition is already the 20th edition and is held from March 24th to June 18th.
The organisation of the festival makes sure that visitors can see many different music styles, from Jazz to Classical Music or Flamenco and you will be able to enjoy many different concerts of famous guitar players such as Amaral, David Byrne, Jackson Browne,etc.
The festival will be held in many different places throughout Barcelona such as Palau de la Musica, Luz de gaz, Apolo, etc.
Tickets: Telentrada
www.telentrada.com, 902 10 12 12, Caixa Catalunya
