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The freedom of fireworks

Colorful firework

Fireworks are a festive, explosive aspect of celebrations and holidays worldwide. In the United States, fireworks are essential to the 4th of July and New Year’s Eve, but here in Barcelona, you can see them light up the sky year-round, on holidays, or on any given day. 

Families lighting fireworks on the sidewalks.

In the United States, some games kids may play for fun are tag, hide-and-seek, or perhaps cops and robbers, but in Barcelona, kids are popping fireworks. Locals can light fireworks outside residential buildings, sidewalks, public parks, beaches, and malls. We’ve witnessed children at the mall throwing firecrackers onto the highway just for giggles. It has been an enjoyable and unique experience for us as Americans because we are used to fireworks being heavily regulated, especially in urban areas similar to Barcelona.

 

In addition to mall firecrackers and random “booms” throughout the city, we participated in Sant Joan’s Day festivities by lighting fireworks on the beach. Sant Joan’s Day celebrates the birth of John the Baptist and the summer solstice and is Spain’s most notable holiday for fireworks. Fireworks are essential to this holiday, as fire is believed to purify, protect, and dispel evil spirits. Sant Joan’s Day is June 24th, but beginning on the night of June 23rd, fireworks are lit from every corner of the city, making any view the best view! Watching families get together to light and watch fireworks makes this cultural difference into a similarity.
Big, booming firework!
Pre-lit firework on the beach.
Firework lighting up the night sky.
Picture of Dance Culture of Spain

Dance Culture of Spain

Abby Gavaletz (Broadcast Journlaism), Brianna Hughey (Public Relations), Ariyon Philpot (Visual Communications), and Cameron Strickland (Advertising)

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