The 2026 Gràcia Festival will once again transform the neighborhood’s streets and squares from August 15 to 21. For a week, decorations created by neighborhood committees will be on display alongside concerts, workshops, family activities, community meals, castellers, giants, parades, and correfocs.
This year’s festival will feature 23 decorated streets and squares and nearly 900 activities for all ages. Most of the events are free and take place throughout the Vila de Gràcia, so it’s best to stroll through the neighborhood at a leisurely pace and let yourself be surprised by each decoration.
Gràcia Festival 2026
Although the decorated streets and the main programme can be enjoyed from 15 to 21 August, the celebration will officially begin on Friday 14 August. At 5:30 pm, the opening proclamation parade will leave the Espai Cultural Albert Musons and, at 7:00 pm, journalist and historian Vicenç Sanclemente will deliver the opening speech from Plaça de la Vila.
From 15 August onwards, Gràcia will become a huge open-air stage. In addition to the activities organised by each street committee, there will be a shared programme of popular culture, traditional music, workshops, children’s shows, inclusive activities and events connected with the neighbourhood’s historical memory.
Gràcia’s decorated streets
The main attraction of the festival continues to be the decorated streets and squares competition. Neighbourhood committees work for months to create handmade displays, many of them made from reused materials, which completely transform the urban landscape.
In 2026, 23 decorated spaces will take part. One of the main new features will be a joint project inspired by The Lord of the Rings, created by five committees:
- Fraternitat de Baix: The Forest of Fratergon.
- Fraternitat de Dalt: The Shire of Dalt – The Fellowship of the Rings.
- Llibertat: Argonath, Shelob and Mordor.
- Progrés: Progrés of the Rings: the return of the neighbourhood.
- Tordera: Tordelfs-Rivendell.
Visitors will also be able to see a wide variety of displays, including The Black Pearl, inspired by the world of pirates; Verdi’s garden of flowers and butterflies; Mozart’s enchanted greenhouse; the Catalan farmhouse in Travessia de Sant Antoni; Puigmartí’s celebration of Vietnamese culture; and the space dedicated to children’s play in Sant Pere Màrtir.
The list is completed by the streets of Berga, Ciudad Real, Joan Blanques de Baix, Joan Blanques de Baix de Tot, Lluís Vives, Perill and Providència, as well as Plaça del Poble Gitano, Plaça de la Vila, Plaça del Nord, Plaça de Rovira i Trias and Placeta de Sant Miquel and its surrounding streets.
The awards ceremony for the decorated streets competition will take place on Wednesday 19 August at 6:00 pm in Plaça de la Vila.
Highlights of the 2026 programme
Friday 14 August: opening proclamation
- 5:30 pm: opening proclamation parade from Espai Cultural Albert Musons to Plaça de la Vila.
- 6:30 pm: joint performance by tabalers and grallers.
- 7:00 pm: official opening speech by Vicenç Sanclemente and the launch of the rocket marking the start of the festival.
Saturday 15 August: the street festival begins
- 8:00 am: early-morning gralla and tabaler parade.
- 8:30 am: early-morning fire parade.
- 12:15 pm: Festival morning with the popular culture groups.
- 6:30 pm: 27th popular culture parade along Gran de Gràcia, Travessera de Gràcia and Torrent de l’Olla.
Sunday 16 August: castellers, giants and devils
- 10:30 am: Sant Roc parade.
- 12:00 pm: Festival Casteller Day, featuring the Xiquets de Reus and Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia.
- 5:00 pm: parade by the Gegants de Gràcia and their guests.
- 7:00 pm: versots drumming parade.
- 8:00 pm: satirical versots performed by Gràcia’s fire groups in Plaça de la Vila.
Monday 17 August: quiet night
From 8:00 pm onwards, the quiet night will take place. The loudest concerts will be replaced by more relaxed activities to help local residents rest.
Another highlight of the day will be the 70th Aplec de la Sardana de Gràcia, held from 6:00 to 9:00 pm in Plaça de Joanic.
Wednesday 19 August: awards and castellers
- 6:00 pm: awards ceremony for the decorated streets competition in Plaça de la Vila.
- 8:00 pm: descent of the walking human-tower pillar from Plaça del Sol.
- 8:30 pm: Diada Castellera de Completes in Plaça de la Vila.
Friday 21 August: correfocs and the festival finale
- 3:45 pm: Festival treasure hunt commemorating the centenary of Antoni Gaudí’s death, starting in Plaça de Joanic.
- 6:30 pm: parade of giants and smaller giants.
- 7:00 pm: children’s correfoc.
- 9:30 pm: adult correfoc, starting and finishing in Plaça de la Vila.
Concerts and live music
Music will be present on the street stages and at venues such as the Plaça del Folk, located in Plaça del Sol. Its programme combines roots music, rumba, percussion, improvised verse, traditional dance and family activities.
The scheduled artists include La Cosina, Germà Negre, SOLC, Pepet i Marieta, Ebri Knight, Derrumband, Trèvol, Hidra, La Coixinera, Koré and Els Quatrevents. In addition to the concerts, there will be dance workshops and participatory activities where visitors can learn traditional dances or play musical instruments.
Gràcia Festival fairs
Funfair
- Dates: From 7 to 21 August, from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm
- Opening hours: During the Festival, from 15 to 21 August, opening hours are extended until 2:00 am.
- Location: Jardinets de Gràcia
Craft fair
- Dates: From 14 to 21 August
- Opening hours: From 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm
- Location: Plaça de la Virreina, from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and Plaça del Diamant, from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
Family-friendly and inclusive activities
Plaça de les Dones del 36 will host many of the children’s and family activities, including games, creative workshops, storytelling, music, circus performances and sustainability-related activities. The Biblioteca Vila de Gràcia and Ateneu de Fabricació will also offer activities for children and families.
Numerous events will include sign-language interpretation, reserved areas for people with reduced mobility and other accessibility measures. Adapted tours of the decorated streets and the neighbourhood’s air-raid shelters will also be organised.
Tips for visiting the decorated streets
The Gràcia Festival attracts large numbers of visitors, particularly in the afternoons, evenings and after the winners of the competition have been announced. To enjoy the decorations in a more relaxed atmosphere, it is advisable to visit during the first few days of the festival or in the morning.
Every day, a quiet visiting period from 9:00 to 11:00 am is provided, allowing visitors to enjoy the spaces with fewer people and less noise. During these hours, priority is given to people with reduced mobility, special sensory needs and other conditions requiring a calmer environment.
Visitors are advised to use public transport, carry water, protect themselves from the sun and wear comfortable footwear. It is also important not to touch or damage the decorations: they are handmade structures created by local residents after many months of work.
