Barcelona,located on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain is Spain’s second largest city, has gained popularity amongst tourists post hosting the 1992 Olympic Games. The city, though modern still preserves its ancient routes and is known for its outdoor markets, museums, churches and the Ciutat Vella (“Old City”), which is the core centre of town.

Retaining its traditional routes, the city besides its historic architectural wonders and warm weather is known for the various festivals it celebrates giving an insight into Spain’s culture and history.  Some of the known annual fiestas include:

• Cavalcade de Reis
  Celebrated every year on January 5^th involves a float parade of the Three Wise Men. The event is popular among families due to the presence of decorative floats.

• Sonar
  Known as the festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art is celebrated over a period of 3 days in the third week of June to celebrate music.

• Festes de Gràcia
  Celebrated on the 15^th of August annually, it is a Catalonian celebration conducted to commemorate the Assumption. Marked as one of Barcelona’s most important fiestas, the city is decorated with colour, music, food, fireworks, parties, fun and excitement. The Festes de Santos is a small version of this festival which is celebrated in late August.

• Monegros Desert Festival
  Conducted in the desert of Fraga, 200 Km from Barcelona, it is the biggest and most popular 20 hour nonstop electronic music festival in Spain drawing a crowd of over 40,000 people every July to celebrate electronic music with the best DJs playing styles like techno, house, electro, drum, bass, hip-hop and dubstep.

• Sant Jordi
  Celebrated on April, 23^rd like Valentine’s Day, is one of the famous celebrations in Catalonia. People give books and roses around the streets.

• Corpus
  Known as the Corpus Christi day and celebrated in Late May, an egg is placed over churches’ fountains and ‘magically dances’ over the water. Some of the fountains include the Cathedral’s cloister, Casa de l’Ardiaca, Santa Anna and others at the city centre.

• Fira de Santa Llúcia
  A celebration to commemorate Sta.Lucia on 13^th December is celebrated from December 2nd to December 23^rd. Christmas objects and trees are sold in front of the Cathedral, as well as elements required to make pessebres (Nativity scenes) such as small sculptures and wooden pieces. December 13th is known as the feast day of Santa Lucia who was the saint of fashion designers and blind people.

• Revetlla de Sant Joan
  A mid-summer solstice celebration done annually on June 23^rd is signified by fireworks displayed all night.

• La Mercè
  The annual festival of Barcelona celebrated on September 24^th is an official holiday established to celebrate the Roman Catholic feast day of Our Lady of Mercy. The day is marked with various activities, including a gigantic parade and ‘castellers’ competing to form the highest human tower and the Magic Fountain and Fireworks show. People indulge themselves in Cava, the national drink of Catalonia.

Besides the above, Barcelona has trade fests throughout the year known as Fira de Barcelona which welcomes more than 70000 visitors to the city.