Tortosa, month-to-month

During the month of February, the fair pavilion helds TortosAntic, a fair of antiques. This is a great opportunity to locate valuable pieces full of charm, from small objects to furniture from a century ago. Also in February, in the Museum of Tortosa we will find the works of the Francesc Gimeno Painting Prize, which allows us to take the pulse of the most current painting. Tortosa celebrates the arrival of Carnival with a popular parade in the hermitage of Mig Camí on “Fat Thursday”. When Carnival arrives, the people of Jesus organize a parade of costumes and a mask dance. At the end of February, Jesús also celebrates the excellent Oil Fair and a tapas route that the establishments prepare specifically for the occasion.

The Felip Pedrell Auditorium hosts a wide range of theater, dance and circus programs throughout the year, as well as shows for the kids on Sundays. Every third Saturday of the montha market with a great variety of antiques is organized in the district of Ferreries. This is an inescapable appointment for the lovers of the collecting. The city also hosts, on the first Saturday of the month, a meeting of artists and artisans, where you can find paintings, jewelry, decoration and all kinds of handmade creations. Very important in the field of gastronomy is the Festast fair, which is held biannually with a large number of exhibitors and showcookings.

Easter is a very important celebration in the city, with crowded processions such as the Passion, or the procession of Silence, which takes place at midnight. Linked to these days, you can also enjoy the Abadejo Gastronomic Days. During this month, the Tortosa English Festival is held, with activities open to everyone where only English can be spoken. In the field of culture, Jesús hosts, a few days before Sant Jordi, the Joan Cid i Mulet Fair, with book presentations and literary proposals. The diada de Sant Jordi (St. George’s Day) is also very endearing in the city, as the good spring weather makes Tortosa an ideal place to walk and enjoy a good book and a rose.

At the end of April or the beginning of May, Tortosa becomes the international capital of tourist and sustainable cinema with the Terres Catalunya Festival, a powerful proposal with expert congresses and audiovisual screenings. The first weekend in May takes place Expoebre, a multisectoral fair with free admission located in the trade fair pavilion. At the end of the month, the city organizes the Museum Night, with special cultural activities.

With the arrival of the good weather, it is nice to walk and enjoy outdoor activities. A proposal that combines gastronomy and music is the Nomad Festival, with a dozen food trucks in the middle of the municipal park. Around Sant Joan, the most magical night of the year, the district of Ferreries and the town of Els Reguers live their local festivities. Besides, Campredó hosts the Mestràlia luthier fair at the end of the month, a unique space where you can find handmade instruments and creations.

The summer in Tortosa kicks off with one of the main cultural events in the city, the Jazz Festival, where you can enjoy concerts and outdoor dinners with live music. The third week of July marks the Renaissance Festival, a historical recreation set in the 16th century that has become a benchmark in this type of festival. The whole city is decked out and travels back five centuries in a unique event that welcomes visitors from all over Europe. These are a must.

For lovers of popular folklore, a Giant Day is celebrated at the end of August, with a traditional show in the municipal park and a parade with the three pairs of giants of the city (Christians, Jews and Arabs) and the folk bestiary. At the end of this month, accompanied by good weather, the concerts of the EbreMusik Festival will also be held.

The first weekend of September Tortosa celebrates its major festivities in honor of its patron saint, the Mare de Déu de la Cinta. During these days, the city combines outstanding concerts by important music groups in the park and festive activities with a part dedicated to traditional events, such as the offering or an emotional procession. Then the town of Bítem also celebrates its annual town celebrations. In the middle of the month, you can enjoy EbreBeer, the most important craft beer show in Terres de l’Ebre.

To make the most of the last days of light and mild temperatures, there are two proposals in October that can be combined and done at the same time: on the one hand,  the Open Air Festival, which allows you to visit the monumental courtyards of the city that held art installations; on the other, the city’s tapas route, with more than twenty delicious proposals. From establishment to establishment and from courtyard to courtyard! Bítem is celebrating the Clementine Fair this month, with activities related to the production and elaboration of this citrus fruit so characteristic of the town.

With autumn come the mushrooms, and around the Natural Park of Els Ports there are many enthusiasts who spend long days filling a good basket. The town of Els Reguers celebrates the Fira del Rovelló, the star mushroom of these regions, with gastronomic tastings and musical performances. During the month, two important cultural events are also held: on the one hand, the Pedrell Music Festival, with proposals ranging from Mozart operas and classical concerts to contemporary creations; on the other, the Ebrenc Literary Heritage Week in the Marcel·lí Domingo Library, which organizes talks with writers, journalists and creators dedicated to a yearly theme. The Fira de Sant Eloi takes place in the Ferreries district, with crafts, trade, music and dancing.

The cold arrives… And, therefore, Christmas. During this month, the city is adorned with lights and a Christmas atmosphere to walk around and go shopping in the streets full of charm. In addition, the old town hosts a Christmas fair to find all the Christmas decorations and many craft creations. In the Town Hall Square, an ice rink opens up that delights the children of the city, as well as a grand space full of activities for them in the trade fair pavilion, called Nadal Jove (Young Christmas ).