The Jardí Botànic is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Sunday
Circus, workshops, games and live music are just some of the ingredients of this botanical festival open to all ages that's being held on Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm. If you don't feel like walking up and down Montjuïc, there’ll be a free shuttle bus from Plaça d'Espanya.
The Jardí Botànic opened its doors for the first time on 18 April 1999, with the aim of bringing together plants from all over the world that have successfully adapted and are able to survive in the five regions of the planet that have a Mediterranean climate-type. These are Australia, South Africa, Chile and California, as well as the Mediterranean Basin itself. Twenty-five years on, the Jardí Botànic de Barcelona has over 20,000 plants representing 2,000 species of Mediterranean flora distributed according to geographical origin and the sort of natural landscape they’re found in. This means that in a space covering a mere 14 hectares you can stroll through four continents in a privileged setting that offers views of the Llobregat delta, the metropolitan area, the Olympic Ring and the Collserola mountain range. The gardens also house a collection of Mediterranean species of bonsai and a seed bank, a key resource for the conservation of plant biodiversity in Catalonia.
This Sunday enjoy a free of charge open day with all sorts of entertainment for all ages: circus, workshops, live music, games and much more. Live music shows and stand-up in Catalan will be sharing the space with activities for kids, as well as food trucks for when you’re feeling peckish. What’s more, there’ll be a free shuttle bus from Plaça d’Espanya. The first one leaves from Avda. Reina Maria Cristina (by the Venetian Towers) at 10 am, and the last at 8 pm from C/ Doctor Font i Quer by the Jardí Botànic ticket offices.
Programme for the day
Guided visits suitable for all with volunteers from the Amics del Jardí association: at 11 am in Catalan and English (one hour) / at 12 pm in Catalan (one hour) / at 4.30 pm in Catalan and English (an hour and a half).
My head’s in a spin! From 10 am to 6 pm
A puzzle game, suitable for all over the age of 5. Which plant has poisoned the garden’s blackbird? Get the game map from the area by the ticket offices, beat the challenge, and take part in a books draw. You’ll need access to a mobile device.
Crusoe’s friends from 10 am to 6.30 pm
Mechanical games, automatons, and puzzles for all ages, recommended for children aged 2 and over. Enjoy an entertaining experience for all ages, a free space where you can explore and experiment with automatons and how they work, an interactive installation that requires no instructions, and consists of around twenty activities with one thing in common – they’re all great fun!
Flipbooks From 11 am to 2.30 pm and from 3.30 to 6 pm
Art and nature workshops, recommended for children aged 7 and over. A flipbook is a booklet with a series of images that change slightly on each page. An animation effect is created when flipping quickly through the pages. In this way the idea of change, process and movement in the natural world is represented through drawing.
Minilabs From 11 am to 1.30 pm and from 2.30 to 6 pm
A space for literature, art and creativity for everyone, recommended for children aged 2 and over. An ephemeral space, where you can wander around different areas that promote a ‘marriage’ between literature, art, creativity, experimentation and play. A handful of books and illustrated albums, specially chosen for the occasion, provides the starting point for this unusual activity.
Put your botanical hat on! From 11 am to 2 pm
Art workshop for families with children over the age of 3. Using die-cut card and taking the Jardí Botànic as a point of reference, we’ll be creating a three-dimensional collage inspired by painting. Plants, trees, flowers and the odd insect will all be a part of the extravagant hat we’ll be making by following the Bruni Munari method.
Jugatecambiental From 11.30 am to 1.30 pm and from 2.30 to 6 pm
Free play area and workshop organised by the Amics del Jardí Association for families, recommended for children aged 2 and over. This time, the ‘Paleta de colors, punts de llibre’ activity is also included, inviting you to make bookmarks inspired by the diversity of colours to be found in the natural world of the Jardí Botànic.
Storytelling in the Jardí Botànic At 11 am (ficus area), 12 noon (olive tree area), 1 pm (pond area), 3.30 pm (ficus area), 4.30 pm (olive tree area) and 5.30 pm (pond area)
Storytelling with Elisa Linares, for families with children from the age of 4. Three areas of the Jardí Botànic will provide the setting for three stories that speak of the natural features of different parts of the gardens.
Participatory flower carpets From 11 am to 2 pm
An ephemeral art for all to enjoy, recommended for children aged 5 and over. Young and old alike will be able to take part in the creation of a decorative flower carpet made using all sorts of different natural materials with various colours and textures, with the help of the Federació Catalana de Catifaires.
Giraffes From 11.15 am (45 mins) , from the main entrance / from 1 pm (30 mins) from the Plaça Polivalent / from 4.45 pm (45 mins) , from the main entrance
Travelling street show for all audiences. Surprised and disorientated, the giraffes interact with everything they come across. Their curiosity will lead them to create situations both surreal and poetic.
Pelat From 12 noon to 1 pm
A circus show suitable for all. A blurring of the boundaries between dance, circus, theatre and performance, and between audience and show. ‘Pelat’ first makes a plan, and then seeks to recapture the look of the works created by hand, without the use of technology.
Planting of the 25th anniversary tree At 1.30 pm (30 mins)
A new addition to the gardens: the 25th anniversary walnut tree. Located in the recreation and food area of the festival, we hope the tree will take root well, and in time offer cool shade as well as being a permanent reminder of the first 25 years of the gardens’ history.
Recreation and food area (food trucks) From 12 noon to 8 pm
The gardens will be opening a new lawn area where you’ll be able to take a walk, stretch out on the grass, enjoy nature and munch on whatever you’ve brought from home. You’ll also find two food trucks selling a wide range of food made with quality ingredients, including vegetarian and coeliac options, as well as snacks and coffees.
Floral photocall From 10 am to 8 pm
Immortalise your experience at the 25th anniversary festival with this floral photocall specially designed for the occasion by students at the “Barcelona for Nature” Taller d’Oficis (Barcelona Activa).
Godai Garcia From 6 pm to 6.45 pm
Naturalist monologue, recommended for anyone over the age of 12. Godai Garcia is one of the regulars on the stand-up scene in Catalonia, and he’ll be talking about nature, human beings and everything that unfortunately gets in the way. Botany is one of his favourite subjects, as he showed us in the informative series ‘Les coses que creixen’ [Things that Grow].
Magalí Datzira concert From 7 to 8.15 pm
Born in 1997, Datzira is a young double bass player, singer and composer from Barcelona. To bring the festival to a close, she’ll be presenting her first solo album, ‘Des de la cuina’, accompanied by Iscle Datzira on sax and keyboards, David Gimeno on drums and Vernat on guitar.
You can also visit the bonsai exhibition, the Gabinet Salvador, and the butterfly conservatory at the Institut Botànic de Barcelona. Oh – and don’t forget to grab your own copy of the set of 42 illustrated cards, designed and created to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Jardí Botànic, before you leave the festival.
