The new democratic times led to an outburst of popular culture and reappropriation of streets and squares. Francesca Masgoret, Presiding District Councillor in Gràcia, aspired to take culture out onto the streets: a goal that symbolised the change of era. Because, in the end, making culture in public spaces meant making the city a more democratic environment. The cultural initiatives launched by the District Municipal Councils reflected the Barcelona that was reclaiming the public space in its own right. 

The Gràcia District reaffirmed its truly popular character with its annual festivals (festes majors), the revival of decorated streets, new giants, the new dragon, etc., and all the civic and popular activity that filled the streets (carrers) with culture because ‘culture begins with a “c” for “carrer”’.

Presiding District Councillor, Francesca Masgoret, insisted that urban social movements had reclaimed ‘the streets and the squares as festive places’. In 1981, the Gràcia District Municipal Council invested more than two million pesetas in the best attended festes majors in 30 years. 

Carnivals, folk dancing and human towers (castellers) were joined by the new giants and the new dragon, while more streets were decorated for the Festa Major. Even religious festivals such as St Medir, which had continued under political regimes of every hue, took on a new meaning. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1980 with a great turnout, including the new district municipal authorities.