More information on general festivals, concerts and music festivals in and around Girona.
Another good place that I was told about to go to on Easter Thursday is the town of Verges, out towards l'Escala which hosts the 'Dansa Macabra' supposedly unmissable, it starts at 10pm.
Festival of Sant Jordi (Diada de Sant Jordi) April 23rd.
The Patron Saint of Catalunya is St. Jordi (St. George), and a time when the streets particularly the Rambla in Girona's old town and Placa Catalunya are full of stalls selling books and roses. This annual custom only happens here in Catalonia. The tradition is for men to give their partners a single rose and the women buy their male partner a book in return. Tradition has it that when George slew the dragon, from the dragons blood there grew a red rose bush, signifying loves conquest over oppression.
Festival of Sant Juan June23rd.
A time for locals to let off fireworks all night long and, into the early hours with loud bangs and the sounds of rockets persistently echoing around you. We live near a large square and watched from a safe distance as people were letting-off their fireworks. There was very little concept of safety as I looked around, each small group was doing their 'own thing' and no organized displays to be seen.
Other Music festivals and events in Girona.
Temps de Flors (Flower season) check here for future dates www.gironatempsdeflors.net
Girona's flower festival is a time when many public and private places in Girona are adorned with flowers. Private courtyards are open to the public and its a chance to see some otherwise hidden parts of Girona come alive with flowers. Most of it is within the old town (barri vell) area where numerous monuments, museum courtyards, small patios (patis) and the public garden areas have floral and conceptual art exhibits. There is a marked, numbered route (about 50 stops ) that you can follow and it's best to pick up a special map from the tourist information office in the Rambla. Try to avoid the first weekend as the town gets very full with visitors and local restaurants hike-up their prices during the festival week! Floral and photography competitions also feature.
Girona Jazz Festival
I found a reference to a Jazz festival held in Girona back in 2004 on an outdated website, but I'm not sure if its an annual event. I'll update this section if things change. However, there are annual Jazz festivals in other coastal and inland towns, see below.
Girona's Theatre Festival, called Temporada Alta is held throughout November and December.
http://www.temporada-alta.net/eng/festival.php
Girona Film Festival. Not only in Girona but links to film festivals in other places nearby, like the International Animated film festival in Lleida. www.gironafilmfestival.com
Girona Festival of Religious Music
Held annually, the 8th festival in 2007 was from 30th June to 15th July. Concerts and activities relating to many different religions are held in many indoor and outdoor locations, like on the steps of Girona's Cathedral (some free and others are paid tickets).
As part of the religious festival there's a mini-food festival with stands serving food from countries like India, Cuba, Tibet, Japan, Mexico and Colombia. We went along one late Sunday night, its held at the top of the Girona Cathedral steps and there's plenty of wooden tables and chairs. The food menus were interesting but didn't exactly excite my English taste-buds, and a tad expensive also. Verdict, well worth trying and the location couldn't be better! Check here for future dates http://musiquesreligioses.3v2.net/
Black Music Festival, Salt
The town of Salt is so close that it just blends into Girona. An annual event with performances at different venues in Girona and Salt (pronounced 'sal' ). Check for subsequent years dates at www.blackmusicfestival.com
Pista de Gel (Ice-rink) from mid-December till early January every year (dates vary).
The temporary outdoor Ice
rink in Placa Constitucio.
This first appeared in 2006 and was very popular. An artificial, open-air ice rink is erected on the Placa Constitucio and a good place to go and try ice-skating. Skate hire is available and included in the ticket price. You'll need to wear gloves (bring your own or buy theirs for just 1€ a pair). A covered cafe area next to it provides nice warming hot chocolate and pancakes! Costs 6€ per hour, per person, 10 tickets 40€, 20 tickets 60€, closed Xmas day. Open from 10am until 9pm but just look at the timetable next to the ticket office.
In 2008 it appeared later on in December, around the 19th and was covered. In 2009 it was inside the Fires de Girona building.
Girona has an annual (April) 10km marathon race which starts from C/ Migdia at 10 am tel 972 20 04 29.
The following dates are called Dies Festius or Bank Holidays as we call them in the UK, and are not working days. The 12th October. 1st November, 6th and 8th December,1st of May and of course Easter Friday and Monday. Other Public Holidays;
January 1st Any Nou (New Years' Day).
January 6th Reus (Epiphany).
April 23rd Feast of St George, the patron saint of Catalunya.
May 1st Festa de Treball (Labour day).
August 25th Assumpcio (Assumption Day).
September 11th Dia de Catalunya (Catalonia National day) .
October 12th Dia de Hispanitat celebrates the return of Columbus when he discovered America.
November 1st Tots Sants (All Saints Day).
November 2nd Dia dels Difunts (All Souls Day).
December 25th Nadal (Christmas Day).
December 26th St Esteve (St. Steven).
Festas (Fiesta Mayor) elsewhere.
Numerous towns and villages in the Costa Brava area and inland hold their own Fiestas or Festa Mayor mostly during the spring and summer months, too numerous to mention here. If you're in Girona try asking at the tourist office or buy a local paper like the Diari de Girona (1€) on a Friday and check the what's on section. Or, in some of the Girona free papers like Mercat and Revenda which are displayed in outdoor newstands.
n.b. We stumbled upon what was billed as a childrens festival one late evening in Banyoles which we thought had finished when we turned up, as they were packing away the tables and chairs. Actually they were'nt, they were unpacking them all as it was due to start at about 11pm !
Here are a few more music festivals I've found info about, inland and on the Costa Brava coast:
Figueres Jazz Festival. The April 2007 dates featured nine concerts at differenet venues in Figueres between April 5th-27th. Tickets 10-15€ per concert. www.festivaljazzfigueres.cat
Banyoles Jazz Festival
Apparently an annual event with a variety of performances, 2007 dates were in May. www.jazzdegirona.com/
Begur Jazz Festival
On June 8th and 9th in 2007, its fourth one and growing in size every year. Different, free performances held in the evening on the town's beach, Platja Sa Riera. Jazz, mmm....nice! www.jazzdegirona.com
Festival Castell de Peralada.
Held during late July and early August.This medieval, picturesque Catalan village north east of Figueres is worthy of a short visit anyway. It has a castle, a casino and a rather nice five-star hotel nearby with a golf course (Hotel golf Peralada). www.festivalperalada.com
Festival de Cartella http://www.escampillem.net/festival
International Environmental Film Festival of Catalunya. http://www.ficma.com
The annual music festival of Torroella de Montgri, near Estartit in July and August. www.festivaldetorroella.com
From April 28-1st May 2007 Torroella de Montgri and l' Estartit hosted their first Comic Festival. www.festivaldelcomic.org
Music Festival of Sant Feliu de Guixols http://www.guixols.cat and also here at www.portaferrada.com
Festival Jardins de Cap Roig, in Calella de Palafrugell. Botanical garden with over 500 plant species created in 1927 by its aristocratic owners, but since 1969 has been maintained by Caixa Girona who also sponsor the event. www.caproig.cat
Jazz, Soul, Opera to Gospel. Various dates from early July to late August, the 2006 outdoor festival featured artists like Bob Dylan, Diana Krall, Roberta Flack and Josep Carreras. Held in the outdoors in the Cap Roig gardens its very popular so book tickets early. The 2008 artists included Julio Iglesias and Kool and the Gang which I'm informed were simply fantastic. With only about 600 seats you're never too far away from the performers.
Moments Musicals, Roses. The municipal theatre hosts a mix of jazz and classical music artists with dates from January to May. Tickets from 5 euros, email: tmr@roses.cat
Beatles Weekend, L' Estartit 28 June- 1 July 2007. Yes, not a mis-print, well they must have a liking for them here! Concerts, jam sessions, films, exhibits and karaoke all with a Beatles theme. Saw it advertised in2007 but I'm not sure if this in an annual event.
Update: Yes, it was also held in'08.
Town and Village Carnivals outside Girona.
Too numerous to mention all of them here but well worth catching some if you're somewhere that advertises a 'Festa Major'.
Carnivals and Festa Majors are held not only during the summer months but at other times like in mid-February, as in Platja d'Aro on the coast, which is held over a few days and has religious connections. We missed it in 2007 but intend to catch it next time, so here's a few we have seen.
Palafrugell Spring Carnival.
In 2007 it was held on the 3rd of June. Well-worth a visit and a fun way to spend a few hours, we watched a continual procession of carnival floats and people dressed in an array of different and often elaborate costumes. The whole lot took about two hours to pass by us and each section or carnival group was backed-up with its own loud music. Here are some pictures below from the event in 2007.
Platja d'Aro Beer festival. (2007 dates. Oct.7-14).
About a 40 minute drive from Girona, this popular coastal resort has an annual beer festival but hardly comparable to what a traditional beer festival is like! The main street becomes pedestrianised with numerous food and beer stalls, a small stage for live music and when we walked through on a Saturday evening it was very busy and quite lively.
Update February 2008, Platja d'Aro Carnival (Carnaval in Catalan). We arrived early, about 4pm to get a front row seat at one of the cafe's on Avda. S'Agaro the main procession route. By 6pm the whole place was full with spectators and we watched it pass us by for over four hours and it still wasn't finished! This is an annual event well worth catching if you're here at this time of the year.
At about the same time there are also Carnivals in nearby places like Palamos, Santa Cristina and St. Feliu de Guixols. I've heard about a Firework festival in Blanes, on the coast around July time, so I'll be reporting on that soon.
Roses Carnival
No, not the flower variety but the coastal resort of Roses! 2007 dates were Feb. 15-19th. Like many other coastal towns along the Costa Brava these are annual events.
Gran Festa de Calcotada in Valls (2010 date 31st January) held annually this is the 29th.
http://www.cambravalls.com/Calçotada/ check the website for an explanation in English.
Valls is reputed to be the home town of calcots and I've written about this vegetable elsewhere on my site. We travelled from Girona in a small convoy of cars, all Catalan friends. It's a good 200 kms from Girona, going in a southerly direction, past Barcelona an on into Tarragona province. Two hours later and we arrived at about 10am, necessary if you want to find a parking space, which even at that time was starting to be a problem.
The town centre had an artisan market and the the larger main plaza had various activities throughout the day, like a competition involving how many calcots you can eat, as a race against time.