Barcelona hosts world’s largest LGBTI festival for 9th consecutive year
Isla Fantasia waterpark, located 30 kilometres north of Barcelona, hosted this Tuesday the 'Water Park Day', the main highlight of Circuit Festival 2016, the world’s largest LGBTI party. Around 8,000 people from all over the world, mainly gay males between 25 and 40 years old, enjoyed the sun, the water facilities and live sessions from nine different DJs, in what is considered to be the biggest open-air gay party in Europe. Circuit Festival kicked off in Barcelona on the 2nd of August and will feature a wide range of parties, concerts, sports events and other leisure activities for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual people until the 14th of August. Last year around 72,000 people attended the Circuit, 80% of them foreigners.
Barcelona (CNA).- For the 9th consecutive year Circuit Festival, considered the world’s biggest LGBTI festival, saw in Barcelona the perfect setting. Until the 14th of August it will feature a wide range of parties, concerts, sports events and other leisure activities for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual people from all over the world. One of its most famous daytime activities is the ‘Water Park Day’ which this Tuesday gathered 8,000 people from 60 different countries at Illa Fantasia water park, in Greater Barcelona. From 10 in the morning until sunrise the attendants could enjoy the water facilities, the performances and live sessions from nine different DJs. Last year nearly 72,000 people attended the Circuit, 80% of them foreigners. Organisers saw a particularly large increase in attendants from Russia, China, India and other countries where homosexuality is not widely tolerated. The Circuit represents an injection of more than 150 million euros for the Catalan capital.
“More than 8,000 people from 60 different countries attended this year’s Water Park Day”, Circuit Festival’s spokesman, Teseo Cuadreny told the CNA and described the initiative as “a festival of diversity”.
According to the organisers, Matinée Group, last year nearly 72,000 people attended Circuit Festival, most of them gay males between 25 and 40 years old, with a medium-high purchasing power, higher education degrees and a liberal job. Matinée Group also expect the attendants to spend 250 euros per day on average.
23 parties in 10 days
The Circuit’s programme includes 23 parties, including some of the most outstanding events of the gay clubbing scene, such as La Leche!, Klubberdome, Pervert, We Party, Papa Party, Megawoof and Forever Tel Aviv, besides internationally renowned DJs and Ibiza regulars such as Offer Nissim, Pagano and Lydia Sanz, to name a few.
Moreover, there will be 38 daytime activities related to art, sports and LGTBI activism. Amongst the several seminars scheduled, one of the most famous speakers will be Krzysztof Charamsa, the Polish former priest and theologian who was suspended for openly admitting his homosexuality.
Charamsa supports gay rights, approves of gay marriage and also supports mercy towards women who have had abortions.
Twin editions
Once the party is over in Barcelona, the festival will then have a second part in Ibiza between the 18th and 21st of August, with about 25,000 people due to attend. Next year, Maspalomas, in the Canary Islands, will also host smaller editions of Circuit Festival, while maintaining the annual meeting in Barcelona as the Circuit's main event.