Catalonia’s most emblematic festival takes place in mid-September. What can you expect from Santa Tecla Fiesta in 2019?
Here’s a look at what’s in store and how you could get involved.
When and Where is Santa Tecla Fiesta 2019 Happening?
The annual festivities take place in the beautiful city of Tarragona on the Spanish east coast, just over an hour away from Barcelona. This year, the party starts on September 14 and will be lasting until September 24. During the festivities, there are lots of amazing street parties and funky firework shows to help mark this important cultural event.
What is Santa Tecla Fiesta All About?
Santa Tecla Fiesta is a festival with a rich history, as its roots go beyond the period of the Reconquest. It celebrates the city’s Saint Patron and the festival involves all sorts of fun traditions that have caught on and grown through the years.
During the ten days of the festival, there are numerous street parties and processions where you can see people dressing up as spirits and demons. There are also many more solemn events too, with musical performances scattered across the city. Concerts usually start in the afternoon with some events taking place as late as midnight. Please note that some of the events are ticketed, while others are free for anyone to attend. Tickets to many events only go on sale on the day of the event so you can’t buy them online or in advance.
Santa Tecla Fiesta can even be enjoyed with your family around the dinner table, as the famous Braç de Santa Tecla cake is a traditional delicacy. Restaurants also have lots of special events and dinner offers that could see you try some classic dishes like espineta amb cargols (tuna back with snails).
The most fun and awe-inspiring thing to see are the castells, the human towers of Catalonia. Groups from across the region compete in building these massive human towers. You can see the groups perform on September 23 in various squares across the city, with the best groups performing at the la Font square.
Below is a taster of what to expect from these performances!
Of course, Santa Tecla Fiesta features lots of fireworks. There are several nights when you can enjoy fireworks, with the main display taking place on the final night. This is known as Correfoc, which translates to dancing with sparklers and firecrackers!
Get Involved with Santa Tecla Fiesta
You can find out more about the event from the official tourism site for Tarragona. The festival is worth attending, especially because it is rather easy to make a day trip to Tarragona from the beloved city of Barcelona. You could combine a September weekend getaway to Barcelona with a bit of cultural fun in Tarragona!
If you can’t make it to Santa Tecla Fiesta 2019, you can always buy a bunch of fireworks and create your own show. Remember to leave the human tower building to professionals!
