METROFiesta Major de Gràcia 2025 - Decorated streets with live music
Mid August street festival in the neighbourhood of Gràcia, Barcelona, with multiple streets mounting stages and lavish thematic street decorations
Event Start: Aug 15, 2025 09:00h
Event End: Aug 22, 2025 01:30h
About Fiesta Major de Gràcia 2025 - Decorated streets with live music
TheGràcia Festival, fiesta Major de Gràcia has become a popular tourist attraction and is the most famous fiesta major in Barcelona. In fact each Barcelona neighbourhood (and most towns and villages in Spain) have a fiesta Major del pueblo. This is a street party and celebration usually on or around the patron saints day of the village.
History of the Gràcia Neighbourhood and Fiesta Major
Gràcia was an independent town until the late 19th century when the Eixampla housing expansion swallowed Gràcia into the larger Barcelona metropolitan area. in 1897 Gràcia was oficially annexed by Barcelona City Council. Today Gràcia is a mixed neighbourhood with traditional Catalan families, elderly residents and younger people. The area is also popular with artists and has a bohemian vibe although this is disappearing because of gentrification.
The Fiesta Mayor de Gràcia remains very traditional with neighbourhood associations decorating the squares and streets. The decorations are thematical and also express traditional Catalan myths with giants, castellers, devils, etc. the Gràcia festival has many dances of swing and folk, large collective meals, concerts of habaneras, children's workshops, fairs, etc
The Fiestas de Gràcia dates from 200 years ago (earliest records from 1817) when it was organised to commemorate the patron saint of Gràcia town, Saint Isidro in mid-May (Saint Isidore is widely venerated as the patron saint of farmers, peasants, day laborers and agriculture in general, as well as brick layers) when Gràcia was surrounded by fields and was predominantly an agricultural village.
The Fiesta Major de Gràcia in modern times has been celebrated for one week starting on the 15th of August on the National holiday of Day of the Virgin Mary, La Asunción. This holy day marks the occasion of the Virgin Mary's bodily ascent to heaven at the end of her life.
The Fiesta Major de Gràcia has been designated a Traditional Festival of National Interest by the Generalitat (Catalan Government).
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Visiting Fiesta Major de Gràcia 2025 - Decorated streets with live music
Celebrations during daylight hours are often children's workshops, puppet shows and stand up comedy with some quieter live music. Street lunches for the residents are served on long communal tables that seat 100+ people. The lunches are normally paella (made in enormous gas heated frying pans of 1m diameter) and grilled meats and vegetables from a barbecues, Cava and red wine is also served.
In the evening the neighbourhood transforms into a street party with open air bars and live music or DJs till 2 or 3 in the morning.
Opening Times Festa de Gràcia Festival
- Thursday 15th August: 12:00 - 02:00h
- Friday 16th August: 12:00 - 03:30h
- Saturday 17th August: 12:00 - 03:30h
- Sunday 18th August: 12:00 - 02:00h
- Monday 19th August: 12:00 - 02:00h
- Tuesday 20th August: 12:00 - 02:00h
- Wednesday 21st August: 12:00 - 02:00h
- Plaça Sol, Plaça Diamant and Plaça Revolució: weekdays till 01:00h, Friday & Saturday till 02:30h
Fiesta de Gràcia Opening Parade
- The opening Parade of the Fiesta Major de Gràcia starts at Gran de Gràcia & Plaça de Trilla and follows Gran de Gràcia until tuning into Sant Domènec to arrive at Plaça de la vila de Gràcia. The parade contains gegants (giant statues worn on the shoulders and paraded through the street), Dragons, Castellars (human towers), bastoners (batton dancers) & grallers (traditional Catalan reeded pipe instrument, similar in sound to a clarinet).
- Thursday 15th August 2024 from 18:00h
The A Swing Band
- In September 1998, the Billswing as a non-profit association, is born with the desire to promote this dance in Barcelona and later to extend it to all of Catalonia. The A Swing Band will be peforeming in one of the street stages at this years festival and for good ragtime swing dancing music I recommend checking them out. The tempos go from the most frnetic speed, as it could be in the case of shag or balboa, to tempos more slow and quiet, as in the lindy-hop and the blues.
- Thursday 15th August 2024 at 20:00h: at the Passeig de Sant Joan stage. (Passeig de Sant Joan 197).
Fiesta de Gràcia Casteller
- Castellers is the Catalan tradition of building human towers. It is basically people standing on he shoulders of other people up to a height of 7 people and is a spectacle to watch. Human towers can be formed by groups of 50 plus people and it is a very competative 'sport' in Catalunya. Gràcia has two teams.
- Friday 16th August 2024 at 20:30h: at Plaça de la vila de Gràcia with the Diada Castellera de Vigílies team.
- Saturday 17th August 2024 at 17:00h: at Plaça de la vila de Gràcia with the Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia team.
NOIR & BLUE
- Live Rock, Blues, Funk & Soul classics. More info on NOIR & BLUE facebook event
- Saturday 17th August 2024 at 00:00h (midnight): at the Carrer de Progrés stage.
Fiesta de Gràcia Corefoc
- How to describe a Corefoc? well it is a bunch of 'actors' dressed up as devils, imps and dragons chasing people round the streets with firecrackers to the sound of beating tribal drums! Check out the Michael Rabone Youtube video for more context. The Corefoc is the closing event for the fiesta de Gràcia.
- Wednesday 21st August 2024 from 23:00h to 00:30h: The route starts in Plaça de la vila de Gràcia and goes through Sant Domènec, St Pere Màrtir, Pere Serafí, Ros de Olano, Torrent de l'Olla, Or, Torrijos, Travessera de Gràcia, Torrent de l'Olla and finishes back in Plaça de la vila de Gràcia.
- Corefoc Safety tips:
- Wear old cotton clothes, long sleeves, trousers. the sparks will leave tiny little burn holes in your clothes.
- Cover your neck from flying sparks with a scarf or bandana and protect your hair with a hat or bandana
- Protect your eyes. Shield them if the 'diables' get too close, or better buy some goggles in Decathlon.
- Wear covered footwear like trainers, not sandals or flip flops
- Use earplugs or cover your ears if you dont like load bangs.
- Follow the instructions of Corefoc marshals and devil dancers.
What to take with you for Fiesta Major de Gràcia 2025 - Decorated streets with live music
Diagonal, Fontana, Lesseps and Gràcia stations are step free with elevators from platform to concourse and street level.
Fiesta Major de Gràcia 2025 - Decorated streets with live music Summary of Prices
Train/Bus Fare
Entry Ticket
Additional Information
Train/Bus Fare
Entry Ticket
Additional Information
Adult
Zone 1 T-casual
FREE
Child
T-familiar
FREE
Notes
Fiesta is free, street food and drink at reasonable prices
Getting to Fiesta Major de Gràcia 2025 - Decorated streets with live music
Address: Vila de Gràcia, Barcelona. 8012
- Metro L5 (dark blue) Diagonal or Verdaguer stations
- Metro L3 (dark Green) Diagonal, Fontana or Lesseps
- Metro L4 (yellow) Verdaguer or Joanic
- FGC L6, L7, S1, S2, S5, S6 & S7 lines stopping at Gràcia
The Gràcia Neigbourgood is well connected via the green (L3), yellow (L4), Blue (L5) and FGC Valles lines.
Use a T-Casual or Hola-Barcelona travel card for metro and FGC Train services.
Documents for Fiesta Major de Gràcia 2025 - Decorated streets with live music
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Weather for Barcelona
Where to stay overnight in the Fiesta Major de Gràcia
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