Physical Address
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Gaza, essential in Spain
The Gràcia district, one of the most atypical in the city of Barcelona in Spain, has again vibrated this summer to the rhythm of its most emblematic and mostly awaited party by the local population and the curious of all stripes. From August 15 to 21, the Festa Major de Gràcia brought together residents, visitors and associations in a unique mixture of tradition, creativity and social demands.
But this 2025 edition will remain memories for its political scope: beyond spectacular decorations and concerts, Palestine with the drama that takes place in Gaza, has imposed itself as a central symbol of solidarity and resistance.
As the tradition wants, the streets of the neighborhood competed in imagination in the decoration competition, the famous guarnits. A total of 23 streets has turned into real parallel worlds, oscillating between magical universes, historical reconstructions and committed installations.
The most coveted prices rewarded Carmers Fraternitat de Baix and Verdi, who won the first Dolça Festa thanks to their original sets and their community work. Mozart Street, on the other hand, was praised by the “mention Casa Vicens-Gaudí” for its medieval atmosphere.
Banner for Palestine
But the strongest moment has come from the Carrer Ciutat Real, distinguished in the “social demand” category. Its decoration denounced the gentrification, while recalling the “right to return… especially for Palestine”. This message transformed the street into a space of memory and solidarity, beyond the simple ornament.
The Palestinian cause was particularly visible this year. In several areas of the neighborhood, the inhabitants have chosen to integrate garlands of oranges, olive trees and messages written in support of the Palestinian people.
These decorations, beyond aesthetics, offered a political reading: they recalled the drama that the population of Gaza is currently experiencing and denounced what many collectives, including in Catalonia, qualify as a genocide in progress in the Palestinian enclave.
The opening of the party also set the tone. From the Balcon de la Plaça de la Vila, the historian Maria Gargané has delivered a speech that has marked the spirits. Defending the importance of popular traditions as tools for cultural resistance, it denounced globalization and real estate speculation that threaten the identity of neighborhoods.
A party in the colors of Palestine
Above all, she expanded her words to the international context, explicitly evoking “the atrocities of the genocide in Gaza” and the situation of the minorities persecuted around the world. His speech transformed the inauguration into an act of memory and struggle, reinforcing the idea that the Festa Major de Gràcia is not only a party, but also a citizen gallery.
The Festa Major de Gràcia has long been more than a simple folk event. It is a celebration deeply rooted in the identity of the neighborhood, carried by the associations of neighbors who work all year round in the preparation of decorations. But this 2025 edition has taken an additional step: it connected the neighborhood party to world causes, demonstrating that popular art can become a denunciation tool.
Solidarity decorations, explicit references to Palestine and the inauguration with political strong scope have shown that traditions are not frozen, but alive, capable of adapting and responding to the concerns of their time.
Between the illuminated alleys, the concerts, the neighborhood meals and the moments of conviviality, the Festa Major de Gràcia 2025 confirmed its particular capacity to combine celebration, memory and demand.
This year’s edition has offered a double message: celebrating creativity and neighborhood life, while refusing to remain silent in the face of world injustices.
By placing Palestine at the heart of its symbols and speeches, Gràcia recalled that popular feast can also be a cry of solidarity and a call to justice.