The Festa Major de Gràcia opened in Barcelona with the district’s housing crisis and the impact of mass tourism in focus. At the festival’s official launch, journalist and historian Vicenç Sanclemente warned that speculative investment and the rapid conversion of residential buildings into colivings threaten the neighborhood’s character. He argued that unchecked market forces are pushing out long-term residents and eroding the area’s traditional identity.
Sanclemente, who has chronicled the festival’s history since 1990, delivered his speech from the balcony of the district headquarters and highlighted the role of local associations in shaping the event. He described the festival as the product of collective effort by neighbors determined to preserve their way of life. His speech resonated with many in the crowd as the district continues to grapple with soaring rents and the visible effects of tourism-driven commerce.
This year’s Festa Major, running from August 15 to 21, features 23 decorated streets and plazas, along with around 900 free activities. The program includes concerts and family events, while traditional celebrations also remain part of the lineup. It introduces a new space for children and teenagers at Plaça Joanic and maintains the quieter ‘nit tranquil·la’ on August 17 to give residents some respite. Organizers have adapted several activities to cope with high temperatures by providing water points and adjusting schedules. Security measures remain in place. The Punt Lila and safe routes are part of the plan, alongside joint patrols by the Guardia Urbana and Mossos d’Esquadra.
Much of Sanclemente’s address focused on the loss of affordable housing and the displacement of locals. He described a growing divide between investment funds and ordinary citizens, warning that speculative interests cannot be left to determine Gràcia’s future. He also criticized the city’s approach to tourism, pointing to infrastructure changes such as escalators to Park Güell that prioritize visitor convenience over neighborhood needs.
As Sanclemente spoke, the festival’s international draw was evident. A Japanese family staying in a tourist apartment for €150 a night watched the festivities from outside a trendy matcha shop, one of many new businesses catering to visitors. Unfamiliar with Spanish or Catalan, the family enjoyed the spectacle of batucadas and giant figures, unaware of the tensions raised in the opening speech.
The festival’s traditional street decoration contest remains a highlight, with prizes to be awarded on August 19. The event’s evolution reflects broader debates about the future of Barcelona’s neighborhoods. As noted in recent coverage of Gràcia’s preparations, organizers have had to adapt while keeping local customs in view, as urban conditions change.
Barcelona’s Gràcia district has long been a symbol of community activism and cultural pride. The Festa Major, dating back to the 19th century, is known for its elaborate decorations and grassroots organization. In recent years, but, the area has become a focal point for debates over gentrification and short-term rentals, with the sustainability of urban tourism also at issue. Coliving has added another contested form of housing, offering furnished rooms or apartments with bundled services instead of conventional long-term leases. Enter Coliving, established in 2018 and operating from 2019, managed properties in Gràcia and other Barcelona districts before entering insolvency proceedings at Commercial Court No. 7. Reported financial figures put its cumulative losses at about €1.2 million and its negative equity at roughly €0.9 million, illustrating the commercial risks for an individual operator and the wider debate over how housing is used.
Barcelona’s response includes a municipal plan announced in June 2024 by Mayor Jaume Collboni to phase out the city’s licensed tourist apartments by allowing their permits to expire in November 2028. Collboni said: “The licences of 10,101 tourist apartments will not be renewed and will expire by November 2028.” The measure concerns homes licensed for tourist use, commonly known as HUTs, and is intended to return them to residential use. It is a city policy, not a nationwide ban. Figures attributed to Catalan public broadcaster 3Cat put Barcelona’s active tourist-apartment licences at about 10,627, while the phase-out plan covers 10,101. The figures refer to different reported counts.
The dispute over short-term rentals has also reached Spain’s courts: the Supreme Court upheld Barcelona’s authority to restrict them. That legal ruling is separate from the city’s administrative timetable for existing HUT permits. The plan’s effect will depend on its implementation and on whether homes leaving tourist use become available to long-term residents.
