Festival of Gràcia (Festa Major de Gràcia) | Program

The festivities of Gràcia are one of the most famous of Barcelona for the numerous activities that are organized but mainly for the decoration of its streets and balconies. Gràcia is a neighborhood that has a great tradition of associations that still lasts. The neighborhood associations work all year long to decorate the street to which they belong; first they decide the theme and then they design and create all the decorative elements, mainly based on recycled materials. The themes can be varied and so we can find a street dedicated to prehistory, another to space travel and another to love. Although the important thing is to participate, a competition is organized among the streets and prizes are awarded to the three best decorated streets. Oh, and the themes are secret until the day the festivities begin. Another competition of decorated balconies is also organized in which every neighbor can participate.

As we said at the beginning, many activities are organized. Gràcia is filled with stages for concerts of all kinds of music, orchestras play popular dance music in the squares at night, bars and restaurants set up bars in the street, the devils run at night, the castellers set up their human castles, the sardanas are danced, the batons sound, the giants and big heads walk, there are activities for children, trabucaires, popular meals in the streets ... better check the program or better yet go to Gràcia and let yourself go.

About the 2023 edition of the Festa Major de Gràcia

In the 2023 edition of the Festa Major de Gràcia will be organized, as usual, recreational, cultural and neighborhood activities totally free and for all audiences.

The proclamation

The town criers of the Festa Major de Gràcia 2023 will be Andrea Porta and Àlex Cano. Porta, who this May has announced her definitive retirement from soccer, has been the captain of the women's team of CE Europa after 27 years and 10 seasons. For his part, Alex Cano is the current captain of the men's team of CE Europa and the player who has played more games in the entity of the Vila de Gracia in its history. On August 14 at 17:30 h, from the Albert Musons space will start La Pasada del Pregó, a parade led by the musicians of the cultural groups of Gràcia and the festive imagery of the Vila that will accompany the criers, the authorities and the whole neighborhood to the Plaza de la Vila de Gràcia, where at 19:00 h will be held the proclamation that will kick off the festival.

Decorated streets and squares

This year there will be 23 decorated spaces in the Festa Major de Gràcia. Streets and squares decorated by commissions of neighbors and neighbors in a totally disinterested way. We also indicate the theme of each space:

• Berga: "Harvest 2023" - A vineyard with a winery.
• Ciudad Real: "Oasis of Peace" - A Saharawi camp.
• Fraternitat de Baix: "Christmas" - All the elements of the Christmas holidays.
• Fraternitat de Dalt: "Fraterno de OZ" - Inspired by the Wizard of Oz movie.
• Jesús: "Selva'm" - A cry for action on climate change in the Selva.
• Joan Blanques de Baix: "Abracadabra!" - A theater for magic shows.
• Joan Blanques de Baix de Tot: "Tocados de la seta" - A walk among mushrooms.
• La Perla: "Perlagueram" - A tour through the sewerage of the city, from the bathroom to the beach.
• Llibertat: "Rapa Nui" - A tribute to the Rapa Nui culture of Polynesia.
• Luis Vives: "Minions" - Inspired by the Minions movies.
• Mozart: "Mozartland" - A trip to the fantastic world of Alice in Wonderland.
• Perill: "Insects in Danger" - A party of all kinds of insects.
• Plaça del Poble Gitano: "El barco de papel" - Inspired by the poem "Veles e vents" by Ausiàs March.
• Plaça de la Vila: "Any night the sun can come out" - The meeting place of all the characters of Jaume Sisa's song.
• Plaça del Nord: "En verano toda luciérnaga vive" - A tribute to the vitality of people, nature and animals during the summer season.
• Plaça Rovira i Trias: "Alis volat propiis" - A square full of butterflies struggling to get out of cages and achieve freedom.
• Placeta de Sant Miquel i Rodalies: "Teatrillo de sombras. La Placeta Company" - Tribute to the shadow and puppet theater companies.
• Progrés: "Formigres" - Inspired by the Pixar-Disney movie "Bichos".
• Povidència: "Prove S.A." - Inspired by the Pixar-Disney movie "Monstres S.A.".
• Puigmartí: "Natura Viva" - A garnish that reproduces how nature imposes itself on human presence.
• Tordera: "Tordernismo" - A tribute to Catalan Modernism.
• Travessia de Sant Antoni: "Travessia de New Orleans" - Inspired by this mythical Mississippi city.
• Verdi: "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" - Inspired by this fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.

Two central spaces

Plaça Joanic

During the Festa Major, the Plaça Joanic will be transformed into the Performing Arts space and you will be able to attend traditional dance, contemporary dance, world dance, swing dance, theater, magic, poetry and circus shows. Highlights include the intensive day of August 18 with the Esbart Vila de Gràcia, a show in tribute to Mexican culture, song and dance on August 20 in the evening and the magic show of the winner of the Màgicus de los Lluïsos de Gràcia Competition on August 21 in the morning.

Plaça Manuel Torrente

In Plaça Manuel Torrente will be located the Gastronomic space Tasta Gràcia, organized by the organization El Cargol Graciós, which will be a quiet space with gastronomic activities in a festive atmosphere.

In addition to these two central spaces, there will be 2 other party spaces:

Plaça del Sol

One of the most mythical squares of the neighborhood of Gràcia will become the Plaça del Folk. This space managed by the Centro Artesano Tradicionàius will host artists such as Balkan Paradise Orchestra, Raíces de Gràcia, Namorala Pandereteiras, la Portátil FM, the workshop and combat of Glosa or the Baile de Gralles de Quatrevents.

Plaça de les Dones del 36

Municipal space where programming revolves around feminist awareness and the fight against gender stereotypes.

Decorated balconies, doorways and stores.

The decoration is the distinctive feature and the essence of the Festival of Gràcia. For this reason, neighbors and merchants join the party by decorating their homes, balconies or shop windows. In this year's edition there will be 42 works of this type referenced in the official program of the Festa Major de Gràcia.

Other aspects and activities of the Festival of Gràcia

• Mozart and Verdi streets are the first streets that will receive a plaque commemorating more than 100 years of festive trajectory.
• The Festa Major de Gràcia Foundation has promoted an economic plan to help program activities that make the values of the organization visible. The activities will revolve around five axes: feminism and gender stereotypes, LGTBIQ+ visibility, inclusion of all audiences, anti-racism and sustainability.
• The Festa Major de Gràcia organizes for the first time a multi-faith event to open the participation in the festival to all beliefs present in the Vila de Gràcia.
• The Fundació Festa Major de Gràcia is committed to reducing the impact of the festival on the environment. To this end, reusable cups will be used, organic and unwrapped t-shirts, and the number of commissions that will recycle 100% of their decorations after the end of the festival will increase from 5 to 12.
• Guided tours of the festival for various groups: The Festival of Gràcia, together with the Municipal Institute for People with Disabilities this year will offer two free guided tours: Tuesday 16/8 at 10:00 am, visit the streets decorated for people with autism. Thursday 17/8 at 10:30 a.m., audio-guided tour through some of the decorated streets for people with visual impairment, starting at Plaza de la Vila, in front of the clock tower. Requires prior registration at subtil@subtil.cat (limited places granted in order of registration).