Barcelona Christmas lights: Swicth ON

Yesterday, 2 December, when Barcelona’s streets are infused with the Christmas spirit. That’s the day for the traditional switching on of the city’s Christmas lights, when you can also visit the Plaza de Sant Jaume nativity scene.

This year’s novelties include even more streets with lights and a greater use of sustainable technology. In fact, for 36 days beginning 2 December, over 300 city venues and 60 km of the public highway, 15% more than in 2009, will be lit up until 10 pm from Sunday to Thursday, until midnight on Friday and Saturday and until 1 am on 24, 25 and 31 December, and 5 January.

New streets with Christmas lights this year include Avenida del Paralelo, where the Music Hall will be lit up, Barceloneta, fish-shaped lights of different colours, Rambla del Raval and Passeig de Maragall.

Moreover, 98% will be LED lights, which reduce the voltage and produce better quality light. Despite covering more kilometres, these lights will produce a 40% saving in overall energy consumption.

The star of the lights, never better said, will be the Christmas Star. This is a giant decoration designed by Ramon Bigas and put up at twenty different city locations.

La Mercè- the Festivity of Barcelona!

Every September, a huge festival incorporating hundreds of free outdoor performances is organised to honour La Mercè – the patron saint of Barcelona. The festival starts on the 24th, a public holiday in the city, and it goes on all weekend.

Lively street processions of giants, dragons and ‘capgrosses’ – literally, ‘big heads’ – take place on the in the old quarter of the city. This year, two new giants step out, one dedicated to the Polish composer Frederic Chopin and the other to writer George Sand – a pseudonym for French Baroness Aurore Dupin. See if you can spot them!

Another major event is the Correfoc on Saturday night at 8pm. This is a wild procession of devilish fire swinging for which the public are advised to keep a safe distance.

On Sunday at midday, squeeze into plaça Sant Jaume to witness the extraordinary Castellers create human towers. Teams compete to get as high as possible with a brave youngster right at the top!

For this edition of La Mercè, Barcelona is twinned with Dakar, the capital of Senegal. The two cities are brought together in collaborative performances and art projects, such as Africa Camut Band: a lively day performance of percussion and dance that takes place in the Grec Theatre on the 24th and 26th.

A major part of the festival in 2010 is ‘Mercè Arts al Carrer’ or MAC which brings inventive international street performers to the city. Contemporary circus and puppetry is celebrated at the castle on Montjuic; while in Parc Ciutadella there is dance and theatre in the daytime, and spectacular ‘light shows’ at night.

La Laia Festival, another festivity of Barcelona

The legend of Eulàlia tells how a thirteen year old girl who lived in a farmhouse in Sarrià rebelled against the Roman Emperor Diocles’ persecution of Christians. Eulàlia, or Laia for short, was sentenced to death but she never gave up fighting for her beliefs.

Today, this girl – Saint Eulalia – is the joint patron saint of Barcelona and star personality of the city’s winter festival. A festival aimed at every child in Barcelona who bears that extremely courageous girl’s spirit of solidarity.

On Friday, 12 February there will be the night parade and the city’s Eagle Dance, inside the Santa Maria del Mar basilica. Remember that giant figures, with Laia herself at the head, will be the special guests of this festival, which will also feature parades and dancing throughout its days.

Plaça Reial will be bursting with frenetic energy from 11am, when the city’s giants and historic mythical beasts take part in one of the most eye-catching and traditional street parades of this festival.

Another must-see event of this festival is the “correfoc” or running firework display. On Sunday, 14 February Plaça de Sant Jaume will fill up with little devils at 6.30pm and, afterwards at 8pm, Avinguda de la Catedral will be the setting for fire and colourful flames at the traditional Santa Eulalia “correfoc”.

The Teatre Poliorama, the Macba and the Museu Marítim are staging music, dance and theatre shows for all the family. You’ll be able to enjoy performances such as “En Joan sense poro Nautilus“, discover the world of dance, take part in workshops, experience the best of hip-hop and relax to music played by ensembles and chamber groups.

Santa Eulàlia Festivity website