Barcelona once again dresses up in music, lights and pride with the arrival of the 16th edition of the LGTBIQ+ Circuit international festival. An event that not only fills dance floors, but also hotels, restaurants and streets, attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world.
This year, the event expands with two new locations: the Go! Port Fòrum Beach, in Sant Adrià de Besòs, and the Be Disco in Molins de Rei. The objective, according to the organization, is clear: not to concentrate all the energy in a single space, but to distribute it among different points in the city and its surroundings. A strategy that, incidentally, also distributes the benefits.
An engine for the local economy
between the August 9 and 17, the Circuit will offer 12 festivals of international scope in iconic clubs such as Razzmatazz, Input Club or Safari, in addition to the new venues. It is estimated that the event will generate about 500 direct jobs y around 1,000 indirect, from waiters and security personnel to hotel, transportation and nightlife workers.
The influx of visitors is palpable. He Hotel Axel Barcelona, a benchmark for LGTBIQ+ tourism, is close to 100% occupancy. Its director, Carlos Aguilar, assures that the Circuit week is one of the most anticipated:
“Expectations are high, even in the middle of the high season. The average stay of attendees is between 5 and 7 nights, which represents a very positive impact for the city.”
Iconic moments and renowned DJs
Among the most anticipated proposals is the Water Park Day, on August 12, at the Illa Fantasia water park (Vilassar de Dalt). It is expected that some 10,000 people fill slides and pools on a day that is already a legend within the festival.
This year, the program will feature 40 prestigious DJs national and international. And as a finishing touch, the August 16 the Fira de Barcelona will host the Matinée Awards, the great gala that rewards the most outstanding figures of the scene.
More than a festival: an appointment to reflect
The Circuit is, without a doubt, a tourist magnet and a showcase of diversity. But it also leaves questions about the type of tourism we want for our cities, the balance between leisure and local rest, or how to guarantee that the economic impact benefits everyone equally.
What is clear is that, for a few days, Barcelona becomes a global meeting point for the LGTBIQ+ community, proudly celebrating diversity and the freedom of being. And that, perhaps, is already reason enough for the city to embrace it year after year.
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