The Cultural Regatta is being held from now until the end of the year, offering a programme of culture, art, sports, gastronomy, science and leisure to strengthen Barcelona’s connection with the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup and spread the sailing buzz among people in the city.
The initiative has been put together with the collaboration and input of institutions in all spheres. The programme of activities for the cultural regatta will be expanded with new initiatives in the coming months.
Notable activities include a special edition of the classical music concert at the beach, with Gustavo Dudamel and Ludovic Morlot, offering two big open-air concerts open to everybody at the Santa Sebastià beach on 11 and 12 July, and the 38th edition of the big havanera singing gathering “Barcelona cara al mar” at Port Vell on 15 June.
On 10 October, just ahead of the Match Race Final in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, there’s a ceremony from the beach offering a highly visual and impressive free show, open to all, putting the city in the global spotlight again. From 22 August, and throughout the competition, over 30 performances are planned on the main stage in the Village from Fridays to Sundays. The cultural programme designed by the ICUB consists of twenty performances for all audiences, aimed at giving visibility to the great potential of professional musicians and street artists, as well as displays of the city’s traditional culture.
Enjoying the new Port Olímpic
La Mercè will also be imbued with the America’s Cup, making the new Port Olímpic the main stage for Barcelona’s local festival on 21, 22 and 24 September, with the daytime programme for the Mercè Arts de Carrer,
Known as the Balcó Gastronòmic, the new restaurant deck at the port offers the chance to taste a varied range of quality cuisine with a Barcelona character.
Museums, libraries, science and film
The coming months will see libraries, museums and other city institutions offering exhibitions, debates, talks, shows and family activities. These initiatives will allow participants to discover the technology behind sailing regattas, the challenges facing coastal cities, the work and dreams of women seafarers, sea expeditions, the finest maritime literature and much more, and even a chance to hear the song of sirens.
Biggest ever display of Catalan catamarans
The largest ever display regatta of Catalan catamarans, known as patins de vela, is being organised during the America’s Cup. The boats will be sharing the same waters as the teams in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup and the hope is to achieve a record participation of 300 of these genuinely Catalan light sailing catamarans, characterised by a lack of a centreboard, a rudder, a boom or sail battens.
Work is also being done to launch a school and young people’s patins de vela league, which would continue in the city as a legacy of the project, promoting sailing among young people, specifically with this sort of vessel.
Gastronomy, restaurants and commerce
Activities based around the city’s gastronomy, restaurants, commerce and markets are also planned before, during and after the sports event. This year’s ‘Tast a la Rambla’ features typical cuisine from the 12 countries taking part in the America’s Cup. The Street Food Market Barceloneta is on from 27 to 29 September, and from 4 to 6 October, while the Poblenou Wine Festival is on 28 and 29 September and every weekend in October, and the Born Districte Gastronomic is on from the end of September to the end of October.
The Municipal Institute of Markets and the Federation of Municipal Markets have prepared the gastronomy cycle ‘Tasta M’, combining seasonal sea produce and music. The cycle is being held at several city markets from May onwards, concluding at the Market of Markets Fair from 18 to 20 October.
Itinerant giant screens will be installed in city shopping hubs over the weekends in September and October, allowing people to enjoy the regattas and the event.
Check out the full programme for the Cultural Regatta.