Penedès this weekend: Phylloxera Festival in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia (Barcelona) and more important things…

If you - as I am -, are committed to exploring the popular culture of Catalonia, you cannot allow yourself to have “blank spots” close to where you live. But that is what I have and – come Monday – that is what I will continue to have if we talk about the main event in Penedès this weekend: the Phylloxera Festival in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia (Alt Penedès), September 7-8.

But my excuse this time is quite legitimate. The reason why I cannot go is the very same Catalan popular culture. I mean, after having been an active member of the human tower builders Bordegassos de Vilanova for three years by now, I of course cannot miss one of our most high profile exhibitions this year (Saturday, September 8 at 19:00; in front of the Cathedral of Barcelona). And since I will go, I of course cannot skip the Friday rehearsal…

Next year in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia! Next year I will dress up in yellow, dance under the fire of the phylloxera monsters and drink cava all night…

So, what else can you do out here Friday-Sunday, September 7-8, except for relaxing our beaches?

Garraf (find here the full agenda) is the comarca to go to if you are a cava and wine tourist, since there you find wine harvest festivals (festa de la verema) in Sitges and Cubelles. And if you like to watch people peforming beach sports, Vilanova i la Geltrú hosts a tambeach tournament.

Baix Penedès (find here the full agenda) and, more precisely, Calafell is your place if you like music from the 50-ies, since they hold a major Rock-A-Billy festival. In sharp contrast, in El Vendrell they organize a literary guided tour through the town.

Anoia (find here the full agenda) has a on-going town festival – Festa Major de Vilanova del Camí – which is also the only town in Penedès to offer a human tower exhibition this weekend; local Moixiganguers d’Igualada challenge their guests Castellers de Terrassa and Xicots de Vilafranca.

Alt Penedès (find here the full agenda), finally, does not only offer the Phylloxera Festival, but also jazz and havaneres concerts in Vilafranca del Penedès and guided tours in many of  the towns.

As you see – Penedès is a lot more than cava and wine!

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Attention: Next week, Tuesday September 11, is a public holiday when we celebrate the National Day of Catalonia. For that reason, there will be human tower exhibitions in Cubelles (Garraf), Els Hostalets de Pierola (Anoia) and Vilafranca del Penedès (Alt Penedès).

In the evening of September 10, many towns out here will see torch marches for an independent Catalonia.

In the late afternoon September 11, however, we can expect the streets of Penedès to be unusually calm, since at 18:00 there will be a big demonstration around the street passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona. You will see different slogans, but I guess that “Catalonia – the next state in Europe” (“Catalunya, proper estat d’Europa”) will be the one to attract most international attention.