Diary

Tarragona has events for every season – see all the confirmed dates below or  find out more at the Tarragona Turisme website

Main Events for 2013 Date Description
Epifanía / Reyes Magos 5-6 January On the 5th of January, at 18.15 The Three Kings and their sumptuous entourages make their way on floats from the port of Tarragona, along the Rambla,  to to Placa de la Font among showers of candies thrown from the moving platforms. More details on the event here
Tarragona Carnaval 5-12 February Although it runs for a week the highlight of the Carnival are the big parades which take place on the weekend with the the Rua de l’Artesania and Rua de Lluïment parades.  The closing evening sees the burning of the king and queen of the Carnival and the dark and astonishing spectacle of the Ball de Diables.
International Dixieland Festival 15-24 March After one year hiatus the 19th edition of Tarragona’s International Dixieland Festival is back with free concerts in open spaces, cafes and restaurants.  Click here for the program (in Catalan)
Els tres tombs 17 March This ancient festival is celebrated in Catalonia to commemorate Saint Anthony, patron of all animals big and small. In Tarragona, around 400 horse riders and traditional working carts parade along the Rambla, headed by the statue of the saint.
Semana Santa 24-31 March The unmissable highlight of the Semana Santa is the Procession of Sant Enterrament on Good Friday (on the 29th of March), an event that has been declared a festival of national interest. Up to 5000 people take part, dressed in religious attire, and carrying processional floats along the old streets of Tarragona. The build up to this starts weeks before with rehearsals and individual processions taking place throughout the week. See the official page here.
Sant Jordi 23 April On the day dedicated to love and culture, the Rambla fills with stalls selling books and roses. There are also local charities, organisations and political fringe groups, traditional music and the always mesmerizing display of human towers in the late afternoon.
dTapes 25 April – 12 May Epicurean tapas hopping event in which 40+ establishment take part, most with some truly sensational gastronomic offerings; restaurants and eateries  are located in the three main parts of Tarragona: the Serallo, Central and Part Alta and you can visit all of them in an easy to follow trail which is outlined in the dTapes passport. For anyone who loves food dTapes is absolutely unmissable. 2014 edition:  24th April to the 11th of May!
International day of Dance  Postponed to 6 May due to bad weather. At 18:00 hrs, as part of the celebrations marking the International day of Dance, 150 ballerinas of of all ages and levels will assemble at the Mediterranean Balcony at the far end of the Rambla to carry out an open air classical dance exercises, using the balcony rail as a bar. Set against the backdrop of the sea this is a very magical moment.
Tarraco Viva Festival 16 – 26 May Tarraco Viva is a ten days historical festival on all things Roman: from gladiator fights, faithfully recreated in the amphitheatre, to music, legions, fashion, lifestyle, food, architecture and town planing, Tarraco Viva takes place in much of classic Tarragona. Seminars and presentations are held in Catalan and Spanish, but if you don’t speak either there are many historical recreation which can be sampled the visual way. Most events are free but some, like the popular Munera Gladiatora, can be booked online (remember to print out the tickets).
Corpus Christi 30 May A great day to visit the Cathedral of Tarragona, the cloisters and its inner garden where one can view the  ‘ou com balla’, a unique Catalan addition, an egg placed on the spout of the beautifully decorated central fountain in the claustre. There are also religious procession, which incorporate giant statues unique to this ares, that take place along its medieval streets.
Festa de Sant Joan 24 June The Night of Sant Joan is the celebration of the Summer Solstice and the shortest night of the year is made even shorter due to a cacophony of celebrations, fire and music which go on till past three in the morning. The two main events are the arrival of the fire at the Serrallo, the Rebuda de Foc, which will light the beacon among pyrotechnic displays and, later on, the Cercavila de Foc, or ball of Fire, which will set off with a dazzling procession at 23.00 hrs from Placa de la Font at the Part Alta.
International Festival of Music Tarragona July Taking part at the 12th edition of the International Festival of Music in Tarragona are some of the best musicians from Spain and Europe like Rivka Golani, Kai Gleusteen, Thomas Martin, Will Sanders and Vicens Prats  which will be holding music workshops for guitar, flute, horn, cello and double bass. Free concerts are scheduled through the event.
International Fireworks Competition 3, 4, 5, 6 July Four evenings of superlative Firework display which can be viewed in close proximity from Platja del Miracle. Gourmet food is served on the Passeig the les Palmeres which is transformed in to an open party venue for the occasion and live music is played in to the night.
ETC – Summer Cultural Agenda July / August The ETC summer program takes place at the Camp de Mart open air Theatre Auditorium and this year line-up includes the Ballet of Sant Petersburg, the Buena Vistal Social Club orchestra teaming with Omara Portuondo, Grease the musical and the Tarragona Symphony Orchestra. Click here for tickets which you can collect directly from any Caixa cash machine.Fe
Festival del Tango 1-4 August The first ever edition of the festival of Tango in Tarragona taking place at the ballroom of the  Hotel Imperial Tarraco and outside, at the far end of the Rambla Vella, overlooking the Mediterranean.
Fiesta de Sant Roc August A local festival which has its core at neighborhood of the Cos del Bou in the old city. On the day Sant Roc (the 16th) the local patron, is celebrated with a large procession in which a dragon spitting fire and giants statues are carried along the streets. There are plenty of traditional activities for children, a display of human towers at which he local colla takes part, and plenty outdoor eating with rows of table set on the streets filled with people sharing food and drinks.
Festa de Sant Magí 14-19 August One of the biggest festivals in Tarragona it celebrates Sant Magi, a local hermit and patron which blessed a local well whose water is said to have miraculous properties.  The epicenter of the festival are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with sees the old part of town transformed in to a large party venue. Friday hotpots are  at Placa de la Font, Pla de Seu by the Cathedral, the upper part of the Rambla, Cos del Bou and Passeig de les Palmeres where live music is played all night long. There is a beautiful procession on Saturday morning and a gigantic water bash (Revetlla) in the evening where everyone gets wet!
Tallers Oberts  September Open Studios in the Part Alta. Art displayed in studios,restaurants, public buildings and streets. Meet the artists and follow the many creative processes that give the Tarragona art scene its distinctive identity.
Catalan National Day 11 September This is the day every Catalan is proud of so the area around the Cathedral is filled with stalls selling the Catalan national flags, t-shirts and related items. Human castles go up in front of the cathedral and there is traditional Catalan music played along the main thorough way of the old city and food and drinks are shared along long rows of tables . It’s a holiday for the whole of Catalonia.
Santa Tecla 15 – 25 September Santa Tecla is Tarragona’s biggest, most exciting and most unmissable festival of the year. It commemorates the patron of the city with astonishing parades, human castles, pyrotechnic displays, bestiaries carried around the ancient street, cultural and musical events.  There is so much to see and do it’s impossible to list it all.  You can download the program in Spanish/French and English from here.
Casteller National Competition Biennial event, back in 2014  Two days of dazzling human castles championships which are held at the Tarraco Arena. 30 Collas are taking part and if you are in town you can book your ticket from TarracoTicket from the 18th of September onward.C More information on the event can be found at the Concurs de Castells website.
Medieval Market October Set around the area of the Cathedral this engaging Medieval Market is packed with stalls selling artisanal craft such as cheeses, cured meats, sweetbreads, honey and crafts with minstrels making the round playing the original instruments of the time.
Castanyada October/November An holiday with a very winter feeling. Chestnuts are roasted on the streets, panellets are sold in the shops and made at home. It’s time time to wrap up and warm up by the fire.

Comments (5)

  • John Shorter

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    Please confirm dates of Firework festival

    Reply

  • tarragona blog

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    5,6,7 July and you can see them from Platja del Miracle (that’s the beach right at the foot of Tarragona). We are waiting for the timing to be announced but this should help in the meantime.

    Reply

  • tarragona blog

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    Many thanks Keiko!

    Reply

  • Bob Bishop

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    Will there be a El Romesco festival during either October or November 2013?

    Reply

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