Partytime

In most countries, a bank holiday is basically an excuse to throw a bloody good party. The Spanish rarely need any such excuse for a ´fiesta´, so having 4 bank holiday’s sprinkled across the long, hot summer simply heaps more petrol onto an already raging summer-long fire.

In Cataluña, all 4 of these summer bank holiday’s are greeted with bucket loads of passion and excitement, but one fiesta in particular is typically celebrated on an even more exaggerated scale.

August 15th (Feast of the Assumption Day) is the official bank holiday, but the Spanish don’t do fiestas by halves....so one day of celebration is just not enough! The local ´ajuntamientos´ (town halls) pull out all the stops, and fill not just August 15th with enough party time to make Amy Winehouse proud - but the days leading up to and after the bank holiday are equally as filled with festivities. These summer fiestas become anything up to week-long entire community parties, fully funded generously by the local government.

Although the larger scale, more recognized celebrations may take place in Barcelona they are certainly not limited to the big city, as smaller events take place in towns and villages across the region. Even though these may be smaller in terms of size they are certainly not lacking in the fun department, and provide an enchanting alternative to the overcrowded celebrations on the city streets. For those wanting a true taste of a Catalan party, leave the city behind and head further afield to the coastal town of Castelldefels for this year’s fiestas.

Although probably most well known for its huge stretch of sandy white beach, it’s the compact surroundings of Castelldefels ´pueblo´ (town centre) that provides the backdrop for the town’s annual summer fiestas that run from 15th to 19th August.

Despite being organised by the town hall, these are not the twee festivities you may think. These are a full on celebration of Catalan dance, drama, music and (as always with any Catalan fiesta) unjustifiable amounts of fire!!

Actually all this fire provides one of the highlights of the fiesta in the shape of ‘Correfoc’. This involves children and adults dressed as devils walking through the streets carrying fireworks precariously close the general public. Complete with a fire breathing dragon, it’s a health and safety nightmare but also terrifyingly enjoyable.

When perusing the rest of the calendar of events, as well noticing that there’s enough dancing in the street to make Lionel Richie proud, you will also be struck by how there is genuinely something for all ages to enjoy. The Spanish place a deserved importance on family, and this is clearly visible through the way they involve all generations in the fun.

This is one of the great benefits of sampling these ‘Dias de fiesta’ in a smaller location; you experience firsthand the overwhelming sense of community and family spirit that exists in smaller Catalan towns. It is this sprit that brings the true magic to the fiestas.

But if we ignore the social, historical and cultural significance that these fiestas hold for Castelldefels, in terms of party time alone - it’s well worth a visit.