Barcelona

What are you up to this weekend? The first Saturday and Sunday in October signal the start of a new season of the Barcelona Districte Cultural festival, spreading culture and art around the neighbourhoods. There’s also a chance to enjoy films produced or shot in the city, more local festivals and a solidarity celebration in support of young people with heart problems.

Go to the weekend website!

This weekend sees the return of Barcelona District Cultural, an iconic festival for culture and art in the city’s neighbourhoods with a programme which runs through until the end of December. Nearly ten shows are being offered over the first three days of the festival.

There are three theatre plays in store on Friday: L’Endrapasomnis (Centre Cívic Joan Oliver “Pere Quart”), Mambo (Centre Cívic Zona Nord) and Píndoles (Centre Cívic Baró de Viver). There’s also a chance to go along to the concert ‘Ets especial’, by Landry El Rumbero (Casal de Barri Font d’en Fargues), or a screening of the documentary Andrea Motis, la trompeta silenciosa (Centre Cívic Matas i Ramis).

On Saturday afternoon there’s a screening of the young children’s film El meu veí Totoro (Auditori de Sant Martí), and the Xirriquiteula Teatre company will be presenting the show Laika (Centre Cívic Parc Sandaru). On Sunday it’s the turn of The Sey Sisters, who will be offering a concert entitled ‘Rise’ at midday. See the full programme for the season on the Barcelona Districte Cultural website.

As from 3 October, various community centres in the city will also be showing films produced or shot in Barcelona. The Pantalla Oberta festival offers free screenings of short films and full-length works such as Ferides, Entre dos aguas, Cerca de tu casa, Con el viento and Viaje al cuarto de una madre. More information can be found on the Pantalla Oberta website.

Local festival in La Rambla

La Rambla is holding its local festival from 5 to 11 October. One of the highlights over the seven days of the festival is ‘La Rambla en flor’, a project by the Amics de la Rambla association in collaboration with local organisations, shops and residents, which decorates thirty iconic buildings along the avenue with flowers.

Saturday morning also brings the participatory project ‘Una flor, un desig’, which consists of filling a net with roses of different colours. Other activities in the festival programme include guided visits and open days, a literary route and a theatre performance.

Elsewhere, local festivals are also being held in the neighbourhoods of Sarrià, Les Corts, Montbau, El Congrés and Esquerra de l’Eixample. Details of all activities can be found in the ‘Festivals’ section on the weekend website.

Gran Festa del Cor al Tibidabo

The 25th edition of the big celebration in support of chidlren and young people with some sort of congenital heart condition is being held in the Tibidabo Amusement Park on Sunday 6 October. This solidarity event, organised by the Associació de Cardiopaties Congènites, aims to explain the reality and difficulties faced by people who suffer with heart problems from birth. The event is on from 12 noon to 9 pm and offers shows, attractions, prize draws and workshops.