Welcome to our second KIDS.Barcelona newsletter!
What a week! We went from a small group of friends to 100+ families in just five days. To the 70 of you who joined us since last Thursday: Welcome! Seeing this community double overnight confirms our thinking: many of us are looking for a better way to navigate this city with our kids.
Now that we’re a bigger group, we’re excited to start pooling recommendations. Thank you to the parents who shared their tips for this week; you'll see we've included several of them below along with your comments. Please keep sharing your thoughts and ideas with us by replying to this email.
🎪 Real-Life Reports: Circus Wins & Light Fails
Last weekend, we were out and about testing the waters:
The Circus: Rahim was solo-parenting and took the kids to Ben’s recommendation for the week, Circo Raluy Legacy (at Port Vell until March 22nd). It was a hit for his six and three year-old: fast-paced, high-energy, and well-organized. A surprise bonus was running into a few of you from this list!
The Lights: Ben scouted out Luminiscence at the Basilica del Pi. While the projections were stunning, his kids hit a wall of boredom and one fell asleep halfway through. The takeaway: If your kids are older or love "moody" immersive art, go for it, but for younger kids, you might want to try something else.
Coming up this weekend: Chinese New Year celebrations, the 10th annual Playmobil fair, last call for the kids show at Palau de la Música, and a preview of our top picks for Carnaval next week (also Ski Week), including a costume-making workshop. Enjoy!
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MARC ASENSIO CLUPÉS
4724, the year of the fire horse, technically begins on Feb 17th, but Barcelona celebrates on Saturday. Events throughout the morning and afternoon feature traditional dances and martial arts. There’s a parade at 11:00am starting at Estació del Nord and ending at the Arc de Triomf.
Parade
Where: l’Estació del Nord (Ciutat Vella)
When: Saturday from 11:00am to 1:00pm (Add to Calendar)
Dance Performance
Where: Arc de Triomf (Ciutat Vella)
When: Saturday from 12:00pm to 2:00pm (Add to Calendar)
Saturday from 5:00pm to 7:00pm (Add to Calendar)
Sunday from 12:00pm to 2:00pm (Add to Calendar)
Returning for its 15th season, Llum is a collection of 30 outdoor art pieces and live dance performances. Choose from one of 3 routes (they all look great!).
Where: Near Design Museum of Barcelona (Sant Martí)
Map to 3 routes.
When: Friday from 7:00pm to midnight (Add to Calendar)
Saturday from 7:00pm to midnight (Add to Calendar)
Sunday from 7:00pm to 11:00pm (Add to Calendar)
The Tenth annual Playmobil Fun and Collectors Fair includes lots of Playmobil dioramas and kids activities.
Where: Cotxeres de Sants (Sants Montjuïc)
When: Saturday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm (Add to Calendar)
Sunday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm (Add to Calendar)
Introduce your kids to classical music at the historic Palau de la Música (if your family hasn’t been to this venue yet, this is a good way to experience this beautiful venue, as it’s a short performance, timed perfectly for kids, and one day only!).
Where: Palau de la Música Catalana (Ciutat Vella)
When: February 7th from 10:30am to 11:30am (Add to Calendar)
February 7th from 12:30pm to 1:30pm (Add to Calendar)
Getting Ready for Carnaval
Carnaval (“Carnestoltes” in Catalan) is almost here! Originally, the last celebration before the beginning of Lent, these days it’s a great excuse for our kids to get dressed up in costumes and dance with the parades. For some of us, Carnaval overlaps with Ski Week, which is nice if you’ll be local to enjoy the festivities.
Sitges, just 45min south by train, goes big for Carnaval. One parent says she’s been several times with her family and recommends choosing the kids parade, which begins at noon, over the later one for adults. If you’re more adventurous, stick around for the Rio-style celebration (literally the “Debauched Route”), which begins at 7:30pm.
Where: Kids Carnaval Parade Route (Sitges)
When: Sunday, February 15th from 12:00pm to 2:00pm (Add to Calendar)
Tuesday, February 17th from 12:00pm to 2:00pm (Add to Calendar)
Make your own masks, headpieces and costumes for Carnaval in this free two-hour workshop in the Born. Plus, you can explore the history museum and ruins from the 1700s market.
Where: El Born History Museum (El Born)
When: Sunday from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM (Add to Calendar)
Looking Ahead
Sun Feb 22. Sleeping Beauty Dance and Lights Show. Few tickets left. Ballet dancers perform dressed in lights. 7:00pm. Ages: 5+. 31-40€. (Add to Calendar)
Long Weekend Feb 12-15. Santa Eulàlia Festivities. Barcelona's winter festival honoring its patron saint with parades, dances, human towers and more. All ages. Free. (Add to Calendar: Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
Sat Feb 14. Monumental Club. Carnival edition (this looks cool!), featuring live music, DJ performances, a costume contest, and family activities. All ages. All day. 11€. (Add to Calendar)
Sun Feb 15. Women and Girls in Science Festival at Tibidabo Amusement Park (Sarrià Sant Gervasi). All ages. Free. Sunday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Add to Calendar)
Saturdays in Feb. The Sherlock Holmes Collection at Biblioteca Pública Arús (Eixample). Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM (Add to Calendar).
About KIDS.Barcelona
Made with ❤️ by Ben & Rahim. Two San Francisco dads living in BCN. We scout the city for the best cultural events, workshops, festivals, and hidden spots so you don't have to. Less planning, more playing. See you in the park or in your inbox every Thursday.
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